Tag Archives: Press Releases

OP-ED by Sen. Morton and Reps. Kretz and Short: Rules governing state’s shorelines need to strike balance with private property owners

In counties throughout the state, local officials are in the process of updating their shoreline master programs. Many citizens in the 7^th Legislative District living on or near particular shorelines feel unfairly targeted with new restrictions and obligations on their property.

As elected officials with a history of working on behalf of private property rights, we’d like to bring a little background and clarity to the issue, while providing folks a strategy for having their voices and opinions heard.

Back in 1971, the Washington Environmental Council used the initiative to the Legislature process to put a shorelines protection bill before the Legislature. However, the Legislature passed a bill that was a bit different than the council’s proposal and both pieces of legislation went before the people in a public vote. The voters chose the Legislature’s version and thus the Shorelines Management Act (SMA) was born.

From the beginning, the act provided that the state would approve whatever local ordinances were proposed to implement the act and authorized the Department of Ecology (DOE) to make guidelines for what should be in the act. The DOE uses its authority to create rules, policy manuals and handbooks, adding hundreds of pages to the existing law. In addition, since the act’s inception, we’ve seen a litany of changes to the SMA through court cases, legislation, and continued rulemaking and policy guidance from DOE. In many cases, the federal and local governments have specific requirements which must also be taken into consideration. This has created a heavy-handed process that is frustrating for landowners, cumbersome for local officials, and discouraging to the general public.

At various times over the last few legislative sessions, we have proposed or supported legislation to benefit property owners caught up in this complicated process. Our goal has been to give local governments and landowners more flexibility. We believe county commissioners can figure out what best fits their communities rather than having to implement regulations that were created with Lake Washington in mind.

In 2010, legislation passed which said that local critical areas ordinances could apply in the shorelines until local jurisdictions updated their programs. The law required that the shoreline master programs provide the same level of protection within the shorelines as the critical areas ordinance, and also required that there be no net loss of ecological functions. We opposed these changes.

In 2011, the Senate introduced legislation that was originally intended to protect legally built structures and designate them as conforming uses. This bill was modified throughout the legislative process so that it only protected homes and their secondary structures, including garages and sheds but not bulkheads or over-water structures. We supported amendments that would let any legally built structure be repaired or rebuilt. We supported the inclusion of protecting businesses, not just residential structures, but those amendments were not adopted. In the end we voted in support of the bill because, while it didn’t go as far as desired, we believed it offered some protection to residential property owners. We will continue to work through the legislative process to try to bring further protections to property owners.

Where do we go from here?

Citizens who find themselves in real life disputes regarding shorelines need to let legislators (us) know so that we can use the examples to justify improvements to the law in the future. The best arguments for legislative change come from real life examples of what is working and what is not.

You can also be involved at the local level. Find out when the commissioners are meeting to discuss the shorelines updates and give your testimony about your experiences. If you know of professionals or scientists that deal with shoreline environmental health, have them look at the policies and publicly comment on whether DOE has the science right. This is especially helpful when local authorities want to implement something different than what is coming from DOE.

While we live in a state that values the health of our shorelines, we must make sure the policies implemented are not driven by West-side environmental activism and that the fundamental rights of property owners are protected. We invite you to be part of the solution by being involved in the process.

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(Sen. Bob Morton, R-Kettle Falls, Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, and Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, all represent the 7th Legislative District.)

House Education Committee work session to take place in Davenport Oct. 5

Reps. Kretz and Short encourage constituents to attend, share thoughts

The Washington State House of Representatives Education Committee will host a work session and roundtable discussion with legislators and the public on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 4:30 p.m. in Davenport. Reps. Joel Kretz and Shelly Short encourage citizens to attend the meeting and participate in the discussion. The details of the work session are as follows:

What: House Education Committee work session
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 5
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Where: Davenport High School Auditorium, 801 – 7th Street, Davenport
Who: Lawmakers, education stakeholders and the public

The meeting agenda will include such topics as State Board of Education proposed and current graduation requirements, state testing and school district organization, such as cooperatives and shared services in rural school districts.

“The needs of rural school districts can vary greatly from urban counterparts,” said Kretz, R-Wauconda, and a member of the House Education Committee. “As the Legislature debates education funding, graduation requirements and how to address the unique needs of schools in regions like the Seventh District, public input is critical. These types of meetings always send me away with new ideas, a better understanding of what is needed in our communities and pride in seeing how active and vocal folks are in rural Washington.”

“It’s good to see the Education Committee come to our part of the state and visit with small schools because the issues that define us are different from other parts of the state,” said Short, R-Addy. “This will be a great opportunity to discuss the challenges and wonderful opportunities that make up small and rural school districts in our legislative district and statewide.”

Constituents who are unable to attend the meeting, but would like to offer written comments can send them to Kretz at joel.kretz@leg.wa.gov and Short at shelly.short@leg.wa.gov.

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For more information, contact Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer: (360) 786-7252

State’s transportation budget includes money for new Keller Ferry

A much-needed and much-anticipated new ferry will be built to serve the Keller Ferry run and the surrounding communities.

The state’s transportation budget passed the Legislature just hours before the 2011 regular session adjourned on Friday, April 22. Seventh Legislative District lawmakers worked diligently with transportation leaders in the House, Rep. Judy Clibborn, R-Mercer Island, and Rep. Mike Armstrong, R-Wenatchee, to see that money was included in the final transportation funding proposal to replace one of the state’s oldest and non-Puget Sound ferries.

“I am absolutely thrilled,” said Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy. “The surrounding communities, students, farmers and ranchers depend on this ferry for so many aspects of their daily lives. With the current boat clearly in need of repair, it was only a matter of time before it was deemed unsafe and permanently retired from service. With funding for a new boat assured, the Keller Ferry will continue to serve local residents safely and timely for years to come.”

Short worked with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation two years ago to arrange a tour of the Keller Ferry by members of the state House Transportation Committee, congressional staff and representatives from the governor’s office. This was at a time when the current boat, the “Martha S.,” had been temporarily suspended from service while repairs were made to a section of the hull that had rusted through.

Short said the efforts made two years ago helped set the stage for successful funding of a new ferry in this year’s transportation budget.

“We had great participation from the Colville tribe, the communities and the Department of Transportation,” Short said. “The Keller Ferry’s importance to the local communities really began to sink in to committee members at that time and I just think folks started to seriously ask themselves, ‘How can we make this work?’ This shows what we can do when everyone is working together with the same vision toward the same goal.”

Short said the decision to fund a new boat was made only after a thorough analysis was done and every other option explored.

“We looked at purchasing a used boat and retrofitting it to meet our needs; we looked at completely refurbishing the existing boat. But in the end, the safest and most cost-effective long-term solution was to build a new boat,” Short said.

Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, said his conversations with fellow legislators about the needed funding for a new Keller ferry usually included a few blank stares and disbelieving comments.

“The fact is, most folks in Olympia had no clue that Eastern Washington had a ferry system,” Kretz said. “Many of my colleagues thought we were joking when we started seriously asking for their support. But once we got out a map and showed them the area surrounding the Keller Ferry, people started realizing the limited options available for school buses, commuters and shoppers. Educating urban legislators about how critical the Keller Ferry is to our local transportation system was the key to getting them to understand this ferry is the ‘Alaskan Way Viaduct’ for many folks in Ferry and Lincoln counties.”

The new boat will be in the same “under 100 ton class” as the current boat. It will be an open deck design large enough to carry 20 cars or two semi trucks. The transportation budget includes about $12 million while the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation are expected to contribute around $2 million.

Sen. Bob Morton, R-Kettle Falls, stressed that funding for a new ferry was only possible because of the massive amount of work done to get everyone onboard early. He singled out the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, and thanked her for including the funding in her transportation budget.

“Really, there are too many people to list,” Morton said. “From agency folks, to Congressional staff; from local community leaders, to tribal leaders. The new Keller Ferry took a lot of work by a lot of people. But I do want to especially thank my friend and colleague, Sen. Haugen, for being open throughout the process and for being able to see the needs of communities on the other side of the mountains. As a resident of Camano Island, she knows how important ferries are to the local communities. She really stepped up to the plate and deserves a lot of credit for helping us out.”

The new ferry, which has yet to be officially named, is expected to be bid-out sometime this summer and could be ready for service by the spring of 2013.

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For more information, contact:

Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer (360) 786-7698 (for Rep. Short)

Bobbi Cussins, Information Officer (360) 786-7252 (for Rep. Kretz)

Penny Drost, Assistant Communications Director (360) 786-7522 (for Sen. Morton)

Kretz, Short say failure to address state budget on time is ‘inexcusable’

Failure of majority Democrats to reach agreement on state budget leads lawmakers into special legislative session

After 103 days and the year-long knowledge of a looming fiscal crisis this session, the governor along with majority Democrats in the House and Senate failed to pass a budget. Now their disagreements on state spending will take the Legislature into a costly special session. Reps. Joel Kretz and Shelly Short expressed their disappointment in the failure of Democrat leadership to do the jobs they were elected to do and issued the following statements:

Deputy Republican Leader Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda:

“To not have finished our work on time is extremely frustrating. We have been aware of the serious budget trouble facing us since the revenue forecast last November, so it is inexcusable to me that we are leaving town without a state budget, only to return next week for a special session. It is as though Democrats didn’t believe they really had to write a budget this year.

“For my part, I believe we should have tackled the budget at the start of session instead of waiting until the final two weeks to work out an agreement. Mostly, I am frustrated for taxpayers who expected a solid and sustainable budget solution within the allotted 105 days. Clearly, one-party rule in the Legislature and governor’s mansion has not worked well for the citizens of Washington.”

Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy:

“This is beyond frustrating, it’s ridiculous. It’s like they just gave up. The majority party accepted the idea of a special session weeks ago and because of that, we’ve sat around twiddling our thumbs instead of doing the peoples’ business.

“We’ve passed six bills in three days off the House floor. That should take an hour or two, not three days. The poor leadership coming from the Democrats and the lack of desire to be accountable to the citizens of this state are just astounding.”

The 30-day special will begin on Tuesday, April 26. Each day of a special session can cost taxpayers as much as $16,000.

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For more information, contact Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer: (360) 786-7252

Rep. Short’s bill to help pharmacies passes House unanimously

‘The subjective nature of the audits makes it difficult and extremely costly for pharmacies to prove their actions or intents with any real certainty,’ says Short

Legislation to make pharmaceutical audits more fair and equitable for pharmacies unanimously passed the state House of Representatives recently.

Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1737 places sideboards on the audits conducted by the Department of Social and Health Services and provides some clarity in the definition of “technical deficiency” that auditors use to either accept or deny documentation by pharmacies.

Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, sponsored the measure after witnessing a local pharmacy go through the pharmaceutical audit process. The audits are conducted on Medicaid providers to make sure the right medication got to the right person and that the appropriate payer was identified.

“While we certainly need audits to ensure there is no fraud or abuse taking place when the state pays for medication, the process that is currently in place amounts to a type of extortion on pharmacies,” Short said. “They are demanding recoupment of payments over insignificant technical details like paperwork mistakes. Even if the pharmacy can prove that the appropriate medication was delivered to the appropriate person and the appropriate payer was billed, the pharmacy can be punished – at great expense – for not correctly dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.”

Short said the auditors instinctively know the areas where pharmacies are confused or most likely to make technical errors and then focus on those areas in order to maximize their recoupment.

“The people conducting the audits know where the grey areas are; where the weaknesses in their own system are – and they take advantage of this ambiguity by getting nitpicky with the documentation requirements,” Short said. “The subjective nature of the audits makes it difficult and extremely costly for pharmacies to prove their actions or intents with any real certainty.”

The pharmacy in Short’s district that recently went through the audit process chose to shut down after spending tens of thousands of dollars on attorney fees. The owner/pharmacist had more than 32 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.

“This isn’t right,” Short said. “I’ve talked with hospitals in my district and they say if more pharmacies choose to not accept Medicaid patients or shut down completely, it will place a huge burden on all rural hospitals. The ripple effect of these pharmacy closures would be brutal for rural areas. Our rural pharmacies are struggling to stay afloat, yet our communities greatly depend on them.”

Short said the language in her original bill was watered down in the committee process. However, the existing bill begins the process of providing more certainty for pharmacy owners moving forward.

“This is a step in the right direction,” Short said. “I’m continuing to work with members from both parties to get this bill through the Senate and on to the governor’s desk for her signature. This is something all pharmacies across the state need.”

ESHB 1737 passed the House unanimously and is now awaiting a public hearing in the Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee.

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

Proposal to prematurely close Centralia power plant not based on economic or environmental reality

Special to The Olympian (published 2/19/11)

The Olympian’s recent editorial regarding the future of TransAlta’s coal-fired electrical plant in Centralia demands a level-headed response free from the clouded rhetoric of extreme environmentalism and political correctness.

First of all, let’s all agree clean air and water are a necessity for those of us living in the region now and for generations to come. That fact is beyond dispute and the continuing goal of cleaning up our environment is something we all share to some degree or another.

However, the recent proposal to shut down the electrical plant in Centralia is based more on Pollyanna environmental policy than realistic expectations; more on extremist views from out-of-town special interests than community or state leaders; and more on political paybacks than sound economic strategy.

The coal portion of TransAlta’s plant is in the process of being phased out by 2025, and being replaced by natural gas. In addition, the company has already spent more than $300 million in pollution controls which remove 99 percent of particulate matter, 98 percent of sulfur dioxides, 50 percent of nitrous oxide and, by 2012, 50 percent of mercury from its emissions. Opponents don’t like to admit it, but the Centralia plant is one of the cleanest coal generation plants in the United States.

The Centralia plant also accounts for about 8 percent of the state’s total power generation. This is reliable, baseload power. Our energy grid continues to rely more and more on alternative power, such as wind, solar and Biofuels. As such, the need for baseload power – power that is consistent and reliable, not based on the weather or other unpredictable factors – becomes more important.

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) says without the consistent baseload energy provided by the TransAlta plant, the energy grid will become unstable. Those who have proposed to kill the Centralia plant have offered no solutions to keep the lights on in Washington.

And what about the 300 families that would be put out of work? These are family-wage jobs we’re talking about. Workers at the Centralia plant average around $85,000 a year. These jobs are Lewis County’s version of Snohomish County’s Boeing employees. The impact to the local economy would be devastating, especially at a time when so many are already out of work. The trickle-down effect of these job losses could very well push the region into a vicious economic tailspin which could take years to recover.

We also need to examine Washington’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. Our state is accountable for less than three-tenths of one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Of that, the transportation sector emits the most, accounting for about 45 percent of the state’s total.

When you take all the factors into account, the proposal to eliminate the Centralia power plant smells too much like the politics of pleasing a particularly small but vocal special interest – jobs, our energy grid and our economy be damned.

The Olympian editorial board, which previously had been a strong supporter of the Lewis County steam plant, had an opportunity to voice strong opposition to this nonsensical proposal. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

This is a time to rise up and stand by our local community and the families whose lives would be thrust into turmoil should the plant be forced to close its doors. Our hope is that cooler, more realistic heads prevail and this bill dies a deserved death in the Legislature. And we will do all within our power to make that happen.

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(Rep. Gary Alexander, R-Olympia, represents the 20^th Legislative District which includes the Centralia power plant. Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, is the ranking Republican on the House Environment Committee.)

Rep. Short’s legislation urging Congress to adopt an ‘Honor and Remember Flag’ for fallen soldiers passes House

Legislation requesting Congress adopt an “Honor and Remember Flag” for fallen United States Armed Forces members passed the Washington State House of Representatives unanimously this week.

Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, sponsored the measure at the behest of several constituents from her 7th Legislative District.

“This is something I was asked to do on behalf of folks in my district who have lost family members serving in the armed forces,” said Short. “They are seeking a way to honor their sacrifice and to remember their service to our country. The committee hearing and floor action on this bill were solemn, but I’m pleased we were able to get the bill through the first half of the legislative process.”

House Joint Memorial 4004 is part of a nationwide effort to have an “Honor and Remember Flag” displayed as an official flag on military holidays alongside the current United States flag and the Missing in Action/Prisoner of War flag. The national campaign was started recently by the father of a soldier killed while serving in Iraq and has since spread to several states.

Short, who presented the bill in front of the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee earlier in the legislative session, said she’s cautiously optimistic about the future of her legislation.

“The bill is now before the Senate Government Operations, Tribal Relations and Elections Committee,” Short said. “I’ll be working with my colleagues in the Senate to get the bill passed through the process over there. Frankly, there hasn’t been any opposition to this proposal. Honoring and remembering those who have given their lives in service to our country and to protect the freedoms we all enjoy is something I think we can all support, no matter the political party.”

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

OP-ED: Washington citizens deserve better than broken promises, budget gimmicks from Olympia

By Reps. Joel Kretz and Shelly Short

It’s no secret Washington is in a financial hole. The current budget is still $600 million in deficit and the projected spending gap for the 2011-13 budget is nearing $5 billion. We believe it is past-time to take bold actions that put our state on solid financial footing. State government needs to get realistic about what we taxpayers can afford, and what we can’t.

The public expects state leaders to be straightforward and do what is best for the people of the state. Unfortunately, the majority party in Olympia is still doing cartwheels to keep all the “sacred cows” grazing.

It’s time for fresh ideas and solutions. That’s why we, along with our House Republican colleagues, offered an alternative budget plan that not only took a bigger bite out of the current spending gap, but would dramatically lessen the $5 billion shortfall in the next budget. While our proposal was sidelined by Democrats, here’s what the Everett Herald wrote in an editorial published on Jan. 25, 2011 about our spending adjustments:

“Rather than sitting on the sidelines complaining about the big-spending ways of majority Democrats, … Republicans stepped up and offered an alternative that set clearer priorities and dealt much more decisively with the tough budget realities lawmakers face.”

With the difficult challenges facing our families, employers and communities, we believe the citizens of this state deserve more than the proposals generated by one-party-rule in Olympia. Democrats, while holding the majority in the House and Senate along with the governor’s mansion, do not have a trademark on good ideas. That’s why we offered up solutions that embrace smaller government, more accountability and set clear priorities for government services. We know we can no longer avoid the realities of our budget situation.

The voters spoke loud and clear in November – they want government to live within its means, prioritize spending, and reduce its footprint. Despite this directive, Democrats again demonstrated their unwillingness to set priorities with the passage of Substitute House Bill 1086, dubbed the “early action” budget bill.

The truth is, the bill was neither “early” nor “action.” It’s more like a “delayed reaction.” As we have pointed out, the current budget problems have been building due to overspending since 2005. House Bill 1086 did not include any long-term solutions and continued their theme of kicking the tough financial decisions down the road. The legislation did not enact a single government reform or eliminate expensive programs we know we cannot afford in the future.

One of the worst elements of their proposal is that it retroactively de-funds schools’ K-4 enhancement programs, but it saves funding for General Assistance Unemployable (GAU) (recently renamed Disability Lifeline). Basically, the Democrat budget bill allowed the state to break a promise it made to our kids by asking for money back that most schools have already spent to hire teachers.

The state-funded GAU program is designed to serve as a temporary plan for those deemed “unemployable” (usually adult men with mental or substance-abuse issues) as they transition to social security. But there is already a federal program – General Assistance Expedited – that provides for this. The taxpayers in this state want us to end the duplicitous programs and streamline government services. We cannot continue to support this program at the expense of teachers in the classrooms.

Constituents should also know there is continued discussion among the majority party that levy equalization will be the next pot of money to be rolled into their budget “fix.” It is unacceptable to us that kids are forced to suffer due to the majority party’s poor spending habits. We will fight to protect education, levy dollars and the kids they serve.

We understand tough decisions are on the table, but we know you understand that we must look long-term and craft budget solutions that actually solve the problems, not further delay needed action. We hope you will contact us with your ideas and feedback as we work through the budget process this session.

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Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, serves as the deputy Republican leader in the House and can be reached at (360) 786-7988 or joel.kretz@leg.wa.gov. Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, is serving her second term as state representative and can be reached at (360) 786-7908 or shelly.short@leg.wa.gov.

Kretz, Short to host telephone town hall Feb. 10

7th District lawmakers encourage residents to participate, share views

Reps. Joel Kretz and Shelly Short will host a one-hour town hall over the phone with their constituents Thursday, Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m. To participate, residents should call toll-free 1-877-229-8493 and then enter pin number 15429.

The legislators will again use this popular technology to communicate with constituents about the issues they’re facing in Olympia. The event works much like a call-in radio show, where participants ask questions of Kretz and Short directly during the hour.

“We’re facing some very difficult choices in Olympia, and we want to make sure we connect with the folks back home in a way that is convenient and cost-effective as we make major decisions,” said Kretz, R-Wauconda and deputy House Republican leader. “We hosted a telephone town hall last session that was the best-attended call of any others. It was a huge success with hundreds of constituents on the line and asking questions. This is just one more way we can reach out to residents and hear their views.”

Last year, the 7th District representatives hosted a town hall phone call that exceeded their expectations. Constituent feedback was very positive on the format and ease of use.

“The participation we’ve had in past telephone town halls has been tremendous,” said Short, R-Addy. “Citizens in our district are very involved in their communities and in local and state government issues. I’m looking forward to hearing from folks back home and discussing common-sense solutions to the problems we face.”

Constituents who are unable to join the call are encouraged to call, e-mail or write the representatives. Kretz can be reached at joel.kretz@leg.wa.gov or (360) 786-7988. Short can be reached at shelly.short@leg.wa.gov or (360) 786-7908.

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For more information, contact Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer: (360) 786-7252