Author Archives: Laudan

Rep. Short’s update from Olympia

Short

 

**If you would like to no longer receive my legislative e-mail updates, respond to this e-mail and put the words “remove” in the subject line. Also, feel free to forward this e-mail to families and friends so they can subscribe to these updates.**

————————————————————————————————-

 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

A big thank you to all of you who were able to join us for our 7th District telephone town hall meeting last week.  It was a huge success!  In fact, Rep. Kretz and I now have bragging rights with our colleagues as it had the highest attendance of any previous telephone town hall!  I’m always telling folks in Olympia how involved my constituents are in civic affairs and their communities – and once again you came through.  We had a wonderful hour of conversations and questions, as well as a few poll questions.  You continue to impress me with how much you care and how involved you are.  In case you’re curious, here are some interesting facts about our telephone town hall and the results of our survey questions:Representatives Kretz and Short

 

Total Attendees = 7,376

Peak Attendees (most folks online at once) = 954

Participants who pressed *3 to ask a question = 154

Participants who joined me live with questions = 22

Survey Results

The governor has proposed raising the state sales tax by .5 percent to generate nearly a half-billion dollars in new tax collections for certain state services. Do you support this tax increase?

1. Yes (11%)

2. No (82%)

3. Not sure (8%)

Do you support the legislation to legalize gay marriage in Washington state?

1. Yes (12%)

2. No (83%)

3. Not sure (5%)

As education is mandated by the Washington State Constitution, do you support funding education first?

1. Yes (63%)

2. No (16%)

3. Not sure (21%)

 

Again, thanks to all who were able to participate.  It is such a pleasure to represent and serve you in Olympia.

Sincerely,

 

Shelly Short

State Representative, 7th District

Representatives Kretz, Short, and Senator Morton with and Little Miss Rodeo Washington

Little Miss Rodeo, Riota Marchant, and Omak Stampede Queen, Katie Fergus, join

Rep. Joel Kretz, Rep. Shelly Short and Sen. Bob Morton on the House Floor

Legislature considers measure to “Fund Education First,” cosponsored by 7th District lawmakers

The House Education Appropriations and Oversight Committee held a public hearing this week on a House Republican proposal called Fund Education First. The idea is to create a new, separate K-12 education budget that would be required to pass the Legislature before any other spending bills. The measure, which has been introduced by House Republicans each biennium since 2006, also seeks to comply with a recent state Supreme Court decision by fully funding education.

Both 7th District House members, Reps. Joel Kretz and Shelly Short, cosponsored the bill and said the committee hearing was a long time in coming.

“At some point, saying education is our top priority as a state has to move beyond just words and be reflected in our actions,” said Kretz, R-Wauconda.  “If it is truly the state’s paramount duty – and we believe it is – then it should be reflected in our priorities not gambled on by trying to take more money from taxpayers at the ballot box.  We’ve introduced legislation for several years to make education a top priority in our budgeting process but it’s always been shot down by the majority party in Olympia.  Hopefully, with the court’s recent ruling, we’ll see some more support for this proposal from across the aisle.”

“Throughout our state’s budget problems of the last few years, the Legislature and the governor have yet to engage in any kind of ‘priorities of government’ process,” said Short, R-Addy.  “By establishing a separate education budget that is required to be enacted before any other money is spent by the Legislature, we’re showing the court and the public that we’re serious about funding our priorities.”

The proposal, House Bill 2533, currently has bipartisan support. If implemented, it would:

* require K-12 education funding be made in separate legislation from the operating budget;

* require all funding for K-12 education be enacted into law before either chamber of the Legislature takes executive action on other budget legislation; and

* take effect immediately and would apply to the supplemental budget currently being negotiated.

Short, who serves on the committee, said the concept of funding education first is receiving more and more support from school board members, superintendents, parents and teachers.

“There was a lot of support for this idea in committee.  The testimony from the education folks was very positive and they support this concept,” said Short.  “I’m not sure the majority party leadership likes the idea – we’ve been given no indication that they’re going to let this bill come up for a vote in committee.  But I’d sure like to see this thing pass to the House floor so that Representatives from all over the state would have the opportunity to debate the issue and vote on it.”

Kretz said the idea of a separate education budget is very similar to the current practice of having separate capital and transportation budgets. 

“Olympia can be a very ‘process-oriented’ place.  People here don’t like change.  As soon as you suggest changing the status quo, it gets folks all riled up and people start getting nervous,” said Kretz, who also serves as the Deputy Leader for House Republicans.  “But I think it’s important to show that this is possible – that there is a process to follow that’s already in place – and if we’re really serious about educating our children, let’s put our money where our mouth is and prioritize it in the budgeting process.”

–30-

For more information, contact Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7698

7th District law makers to host telephone town hall meeting

Hour-long, district-wide call allows constituents to participate, ask their legislators questions from home

Rep. Joel Kretz and Rep. Shelly Short are inviting constituents in the 7th Legislative District to participate in a telephone town hall meeting Thursday, Feb. 9.  The community conversation begins at 6:30 p.m. and will last one hour.

To participate, residents may call the toll-free number at 1-877-229-8493 and enter the code 15429 when prompted.  During the telephone town hall, the Representatives will listen to residents, answer questions and discuss a variety of topics related to the 2012 session.  Once on the line, participants may select star 3 on their telephone keypads to ask a question or they can simply listen in and take part in instant polls.  There will also be an opportunity at the end of the call to leave a message for Kretz and Short.

"Our two main priorities for this session are to come up with a solution to our state’s projected $1.5 billion shortfall within existing revenues and to implement legislation that will help create more long-term private-sector jobs,” said Kretz, R-Wauconda.  “However, in the first couple weeks of session we’re hearing proposals to ban plastic grocery bags across the state, legalize the non-medicinal use of marijuana, and make spitting or roller skating on a state ferry a misdemeanor.  Having a telephone town hall with 7th District constituents is a good way to balance the craziness of Olympia with the sanity of the common sense and wisdom from the folks back home.  I’m looking forward to a good, lively discussion on a variety of issues.”

“The 7th Legislative District is the largest district in the state based on square miles,” said Short, R-Addy.  “In the past, we’ve had literally thousands of participants in our telephone town halls.  To get that kind of participation in a district the size of the Seventh District would take weeks of traditional town hall meetings and hundreds of miles on the road.  And I know many folks in district can’t take the time or are unable to travel to Olympia or other community-based town halls.  This telephone town hall gives them the opportunity to participate from the comfort of their own home and to let us know how they feel on important issues.”

Constituents who are unable to participate in the telephone town hall meeting can reach Kretz at his legislative office at (360) 786-7988 or Joel.Kretz@leg.wa.gov.

Short can be reached at her legislative office at (360) 786-7908 or Shelly.Short@leg.wa.gov

-30-

For more information, contact Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7698

OP-ED on governor’s proposed budget cuts to Critical Access Hospitals – Reps. Schmick, Short and Rodne

Potential budget cuts to Critical Access Hospitals endangers public

As part of her solution to the state’s projected budget shortfall, Governor Chris Gregoire has suggested a course of action for our state’s Critical Access Hospitals that will endanger the public health, cost the state millions in federal matching dollars, and may – in the end – result in several rural hospitals closing their doors to the public.

Let us be clear, solving our state’s budget issues will be no easy task. The lack of sound fiscal decisions made by the majority party in Olympia have combined with an international economic recession to create a serious budget shortfall that needs immediate action.

However, the governor’s proposal to cut $27 million from the state budget by eliminating cost-based payments for Critical Access Hospitals would end up doing much more harm than just what shows up on the ledger sheet.

Critical Access Hospitals are an essential component of Washington state’s health care delivery system. They are the hub for local health care services in their communities, delivering primary and preventive care, key diagnostics and laboratory services, emergency services, and recuperative care.

To qualify as “Critical Access,” the hospital must have fewer than 25 inpatient beds, serve rural areas and must meet specific distance requirements from other hospitals or have been deemed an “essential community provider” by the state Department of Health.

The “Critical Access” designation allows these 38 hospitals across the state allowable cost-based reimbursement for their Medicare and Medicaid patients. This is especially important as these hospitals tend to serve older, rural communities with lower incomes. As such, they treat a much higher ratio of Medicaid and Medicare patients and have fewer privately insured patients.

In a recent committee meeting, we heard testimony from several Critical Access Hospitals that would be severely impacted by the governor’s proposal. The services that could be eliminated or reduced because of these budget cuts include nursing home/assisted living care; orthopedic surgery; well-child care; home health care; hospice care; physical therapy; pharmacy; school health; transitional care; counseling/mental health services; ambulance services and other transportation services – just to name a handful.

But it’s not just the $27 million from the state budget that we’re talking about here. If the Legislature goes through with the governor’s proposed cuts to Critical Access Hospitals they’ll also lose millions in matching federal dollars. The total cuts to these hospitals would be end up being closer to $85 million.

This is a financial hit that, frankly, many rural Critical Access Hospitals cannot absorb. Most will have to cut major services and some will be forced to close their doors permanently, placing the health care of thousands of Washingtonians in jeopardy.

Urban hospitals will see a significant uptick in emergency room patients, Medicaid patients and uncompensated patients. The state’s entire health care system will experience sicker patients as individuals go without needed care until their sickness gets too serious to ignore.

Washington state currently benefits from a strong network of rural and urban hospitals working together to ensure appropriate care for every patient. A breakdown in the Critical Access Hospital network will impact all hospitals in our state.

We are working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers of the Legislature to prioritize spending, make state government more efficient, and to implement policies that help the private sector create more jobs. The state’s budget problem must be solved quickly – but not at the expense of our state’s excellent Critical Access Hospitals.

(By Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, Rep. Jay Rodne, R-North Bend, and Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy.)

Op-ed on DOE’s proposed new fish consumption standards – By Rep. Shelly Short

How much fish do you eat? Another “head scratcher” from Olympia

By Rep. Shelly Short

As the ranking member on the House Environment Committee, I’ve witnessed several proposals over the last few years – in the form of legislation and proposed rules by state agencies – that I call “head scratchers.” These are issues that just make you wonder who’s running the show over in Olympia.

Like the time a bill was introduced to create an “engine fee” based on the size of your engine. Or the “TV tax” bill that punished consumers with large television screens. Or the “mileage tax” levied on high-mileage drivers.

These are oftentimes the issues brought up to me by folks at the grocery store back home or at the 4-H meeting. And the conversations around these issues usually include a lot of eye-rolling, frustrated questioning, and some choice, colorful words for the sponsors of the bills back in Olympia.

Well, folks. It’s time to add another one to the list: the Department of Ecology’s (DOE) “fish consumption survey.”

Currently, our state’s water quality standards are determined by a formula that includes information based on how much fish the average person in this state consumes. However, DOE is now proposing a ten-fold increase to this standard by basing it on the highest end of the fish-eating spectrum (Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Islanders, and some Russian groups) which represents less than 10 percent of the state population.

When I asked a DOE official to see the fish consumption studies that showed these specific numbers, I was told I couldn’t see them. In fact, the DOE official hadn’t seen much of the information as it is proprietary to the tribes.

When I questioned further about our current measuring system of “parts-per-billion,” I was told that because of this proposed change, we could very well be in the “parts-per-trillion” range. Let me say that again: parts-per-trillion – with a “T.”

Why is this important to you and me? Our state’s water quality standards impact everything from logging, mining, agriculture, and road building, to recreational activities, manufacturing and small businesses. They also affect local governments and their water, sewer and storm water systems. Any change in the formula that governs these standards has huge implications for Washington citizens.

Doesn’t it stand to reason that such an impactful decision be based on a data set beyond that which represents less than 10 percent of our population? Shouldn’t that information be readily available to both the unelected bureaucrats proposing the rules and the elected officials responsible for overseeing the agency? In my mind, absolutely!

I’ll be hounding DOE for more information and working with our legal staff to bring accountability and common sense to these proposals. In the meantime, let the eye-rolling and the head scratching begin.

(Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, is the ranking member on the House Environment Committee. She is also the assistant ranking member on the House Technology, Energy and Communications Committee.)

-30-

For more information, contact Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7698