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Updated
April 26, 2006
April 12th, 2006, Meeting
Official Minutes
Informal Notes and Photos
Agenda
Chair Ivan Weiss's Message for April
Official Minutes
April 12th Meeting
36. Chair Ivan Weiss called the meeting to order at 7:04PM.
37. State Senator Erik Poulsen led the Flag salute.
38. Report from District Chair Ivan Weiss:
38.1 Ivan noted the "National Day of Action for Immigration Justice" march earlier this week, April 10th. Over 25,000 people marched through downtown Seattle, include a number of 34th Distirct members carrying our banner.
38.2 Ivan introduced member Georgie Kunkel. She and her husband - long-time PCO Norman Kunkel - have written a new book on their lives: WWII Liberator's Life: AFS Ambulance Driver Chooses Peace.
38.3 The Outreach Committee is planning an event on Saturday, May 13th -- a volunteer chore services cleanup in White Center. These cleanups help low income people whose houses have gotten away from them. Sarah Earl and Steve Karbowski coordinate. Members should contact them via e-mail or phone to help.
38.4 On May 20th there will be three events -- the first is the annual White Center cleanup. Then there are two neighborhood cleanups in West Seattle. Details are on the website; all members are urged to turn out to help.
38.5 The District caucus is one week from Saturday, April 22nd, at Chief Sealth School High School. Ann Martin is credentials chair. She needs two more people to help with sign-in.
39. Drinking Liberally. Ivan stated that we've had two sessions of Drinking Liberally. He introduced members Cherisse Luxa and Liz Giba, who spoke. Drinking liberally is a national organization -- the Burien chapter holds its conversations at Mick's in Burien, a family friendly place. Cherisse passed around a signup sheet for the group's e-mail list. Dwight Pelz is invited as the special guest this month -- meetings are on the website, but are the fourth Wednesday of the month.
40. Poll Workers. Ivan recognized Ann Martin. She is leading an effort to call people who have previously worked as poll workers to work this year's elections on Sept. 19th and Nov 2nd. Ann is recruiting volunteers to call poll workers in the next few days. PCO's can be poll workers -- indeed, PCO's have top priority for such position, with second priority going to someone nominated by a PCO. Try to assign to own polling place. Since King County is going to "all mail in" elections, this may be your last chance to work as a poll worker. Linda Johnson commented that there will be DAVE machines in polling places to help the disabled vote in this election - volunteers are needed to help with them.
41. Treasurer's Report. Ivan recognized Treasurer Greg Doss and Assistant Treasurer Ann Owchar. They've both gone through ORCA - Public Disclosure - training. This helps them comply with the various state laws on public disclosure. In particular, we need to collect names and addresses for most cash contributions. We can only receive $300 a year anonymously - anything over that goes to the state party. Greg reported the cash-on-hand balance as of March 31st at $13,062. We received $835 from donations at the March 6th caucuses.
42. Program: Report from the Legislative Session -- Senator Erik Poulsen, Representatives Eileen Cody and Joe McDermott. Ivan introduced the delegation, stating they had as large an influence on as many different issues as any other district delegation in the state.
43. Senator Erik Poulsen presented first. He's very happy the Cal Anderson Civil Rights bill is now law. Overall, this was an historic session for civil rights, transportation, environment and budget -- and it finished ahead of schedule at 59 days. The legislature set aside a billion dollars to pay for healthcare and education in the next biennium.
43.1 Erik's focus this session: He chaired the water, energy and environment committee. Last year Gov. Gregoire appointed him to the Columbia River task force to try and break a decade-old deadlock on water rights in Eastern Washington. An historic compromise was brokered: one third of water stays in the river for fish; the other two thirds can be used for irrigation. This is a landmark water bill -- the biggest single investment ever in water storage. And for the first time, Republicans have acknowledged that taking water out of rivers hurts fish.
43.2 Other significant accomplishments:
43.2.1 Biofuels. Washington is now just the second state in nation to pass minimum requirement for bio-fuels in fuel supply. This minimum is two percent to start and ramping up in the future. This is important because Eastern Washington farmers need a guaranteed market for both ethanol and biodiesel.
43.2.2 Electronic waste - computers and televisions. The legislature passed one of the first e-waste bills -- manufacturers need to take responsibility to clean up used computers and TV's.
43.2.3 There were two big breakthroughs on RTED - regional transportation district: In the past this money could only used for roads. Now can it can be used for transit and passenger-only ferries. Next, we've finally have figured out the passenger only ferry future: King County will provide report to state about how the County can take over the passenger ferry service. But jobs must stay unionized. No private operators, no service interruptions, and there will be subsidies from the State.
43.3 There were a number of other budget victories - Greenbridge in White Center got some state help. Greenbridge is new housing project which provides social service programs and other services. A similar project is occurring in Delridge.
43.4 There were also disappointments. FairShare health care didn't pass. This legislation would require biggest employers to pay 9% of their employee costs in health insurance. Some large employers do not cover many of their workers, who are also paid so poorly that they are on Medicaid or similar programs paid largely by the State.
44. Joe McDermott spoke next.
44.1 Education. His number one task and accomplishment - WASL remediation. There are 84,000 10th grade students taking WASL this month and must pass in order to graduate in 2008. This year's legislature created the "PAS" program - promoting academic success. PAS includes $28 million in statewide funding so school districts can design own programs for tutoring, summer school, or whatever works to help kids pass. It does not mandate specific measures like summer school but gives districts flexibility. And eligible students include both the classes of 2007 and 2008, even though the class of 2007 doesn't need to pass the WASL.
44.2 Other education accomplishments:
44.2.1 State school board reform. Formerly the State school board was elected only by local school board members.
44.2.2 Funded free and reduced price breakfast for children -- with extra funding any child who qualifies for a reduced price breakfast will now receive it free.
44.2.3 Combined a number of state agencies to form a department of early learning -- this new department will work with foundations like Bill and Melinda Gates on early learning and childhood development.
44.3 Election reform - moved the date of the primary election, staring in 2007 to be the third Tuesday in August. The present September date did not work because, among other reasons, there was not enoough time to do a recount if ever required in a primary.
45. Eileen Cody then spoke.
45.1 Healthcare. The legislature did not accomplish as much as she would have hoped. FairShare didn't pass. There were enough votes in the House, but not the Senate. The Governor supports it. And the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed it.
45.2 There is a new healthcare commission, with the Governor chairing, and two legislators from each caucus. The commission will write a five year plan on healthcare reform. And this will start to get healthcare issues back on front burner.
45.3 A medical malpractice bill passed -- the electorate did the right thing voting down both of last year's initiatives.
45.4 A bill passed to prohibit distribution of free tobacco samples.
45.5 Passed a measure allowing for healthcare declarations in living wills. The State will keep living wills on file so any healthcare provider can access them. This will help prevent Terry-Shiavo-like cases in this state.
45.6 Pandemic flu. The State allocated $2 million in state budget with a potential match of $6 million from the feds to prepare for a potential epidemic. King County is buying drugs but Eileen is not convinced the available drugs will actually combat a pandemic.
45.7 Small group employer insurance bill. A measure passed allowing State subsidies to employees who are eligible for state help, but who work for an employer without a health insurance plan. This plan is a voucher program to purchase insurance.
45.8 Bill to mandate safe lifting in hospitals and healthcare facilities. This helps nurses and patients. People are getting heavier.
45.9 Increased funding of the State basic health plan by 6,500 people as of July 1st and added 14,000 more kids to healthcare. Grants for community health care clinics and $450,000 investment in family planning in every CSO across the state -- this also has a potential federal match of $9 million.
45.10 Unemployment insurance. The Legislature did make changes this year - labor and business actually agreed on this! Some changes two years ago hurt seasonal workers - those were eliminated this session.
46. Ivan further commented: All the legislators to whom he's talked give Governor Gregoire credit for one of the best sessions ever. She was very active, meeting with legislators to make sure people come to the table and took action.
47. A question-and-answer session followed:
47.1 Q. For WASL assistance -- will it help about Dyslexia or other such disabilities?
47.1.1 A. Joe: There is funding for those with learning disabilities and test anxieties. This includes alternative assessments, for example GPA-equivalence and a portfolio of work to demonstrate mastery of skills for high school graduation.
47.2 Q. Electronic voting machines - are they trustworthy and secure?
47.2.1 A. Joe: The counties have a major role in this too. But every ballot cast is counted by machines. We need to focus on a verifiable paper trail, e.g. if you touch a screen to vote, there is a paper receipt showing the correct vote.
47.3 Q. Is anything planned to prevent advertising prescription drugs to the public? It is odd that cigarette advertising is prohibited, but advertising of drugs is allowed.
47.3.1 A. Eileen: She doubts anything will happen on this issue. The Feds changed the federal law in 1993 to allow advertising of prescription drugs. Congress and federal law control this, not the Sate. As a humorous aside, Cialis commercials do put the romance back in advertising!
47.4 Q. How can we stop the construction of a tunnel as a replacement for the Alaskan Way viaduct?
47.4.1 A. Eileen: She is not a tunnel supporter - we need to build what we can afford, and sufficient funds do not exist at the present time to construct a tunnel. The legislature passed a bill to give City Council a say in this decision. The Council can either vote on a recommendation to the State itself or put an advisory measure on the November ballot. Mayor Nickels has stated he'll abide by the election result. The Legislature did a gas tax increase last year to provide $2 billion for the route, but won't provide more. If the City wants the tunnel option, it will need to find the additional funding.
47.5 Q. The State employee pension fund not fully funded - how do we meet this obligation?
47.5.1 A. Eileen: The Legislature put $350 million in a pension stabilization account for next year. It was only last year -- 2005 -- that this obligation was under funded.
47.6 Q. The Sonics want a rebuild of Key Arena - will that go to the voters?
47.6.1 A. Erik: No. The Legislature ran out of time on this issue. A proposal from the City received hearings in the House and Senate. The bigger issue, in his mind, is the question of when the government should provide support for for-profit private businesses. We do $40 billion in tax breaks every two years - classrooms for Boeing and freeways to Microsoft. Every industry gets breaks. Q. How can schools provide free breakfast for 15 cents?
47.7 A. Joe: Some local school district money is also involved. It can be as simple as a banana and carton of milk or container of cereal.
47.7.1 Q. The Executive Director of the White Center food bank thanked the delegation for Legislative Action providing full funding for a new walk-in center for the White Center food bank.
47.8 Q. What is the Massachusetts plan for FairShare healthcare? And why force only large employers to provide health insurance coverage rather than having a complete state-sponsored single-care plan.
47.8.1 A. Eileen: Businesses not ready to go to a universal plan yet. More businesses than ever want to talk about it, but they are not ready to support such a sweeping measure.
47.9 Q. The increases in State healthcare coverage are good but are pretty modest.
47.9.1 A. Joe: Universal healthcare - single payer - is a long way away. Incremental progress such as better funding of the basic health plan and the small business plan are what we can expect over the next few years. Erik: There used to be only two countries which didn't fund healthcare for all their children - S. Africa and the United States. South Africa has funded it, so the United States is now alone among industrialized nations. Eileen: Nothing can happen on this until we get business to the table. Wisconsin is working on a bill with labor and business at the table.
47.10 Q. Will the State fully fund health insurance for its own employees? Full-time State employees now pay $280 a month for Regency care for an individual and child.
47.10.1 A. Eileen: This probably will not change. State employees pay 17% of the premium, state pays 82%. Very very few employers have full funding. State employees are still paying less - percentage wise -- than they did 20 years ago.
47.11 Q. Will there be statewide mail-in balloting next year?
47.11.1 A. Joe: Yes, probably, in the next year. King County is already going to all-mail-in balloting
47.12 Humorous comment from Nels Ekroth: With mail-in ballots you better be damned sure there aren't any Republican postmen.
47.13 Q. Felon rights restoration - what are the chances of something happening next session?
47.13.1 A. E ileen: The Democratic party leadership thinks this makes us look soft on crime. It is unknown if it can pass next session.
47.14 Q. Why are private schools part of the voting structure at the state school board?
47.14.1 A. Joe: There are functions of the state board of education which do dictate to and control private schools around the state. So they get to elect one member.
48. Precinct Committee Officers. There were no new PCO applications.
49. Old business: None.
50. New business:
50.1 Motion of Appreciation.
50.1.1 Robin Hess moved we of the 34th district express our appreciation to our three legislators for giving us the best representation in the legislature. Seconded.
50.1.2 Voting on this motion at this meeting requires suspension of the rules. The vote to suspend was unanimous.
50.1.3 Georgie Kunkel suggested a friendly amendment: Substitute the term "highest quality" for "best". Robin Hess accepted this amendment. The original motion passed unanimously.
51. Good of the order.
51.1 Dina Johnson: Sat Apr 29th is national party's neighbor-to-neighbor day. No one in West Seattle is signed up to participate at this time. Dina will help coordinate. Information about this event is on the website.
51.2 Dina Johnson: Dina is very upset with the situation regarding Representative Jim McDermott. The federal appeals court ruled this week against him -- that he did violate Federal law in making public taped cell phone conversations. His legal expenses are over $700,000. We take him for granted. For example, he appeared in Fahrenheit 911 and in Baghdad before the Iraq war attempting to stop it. Dina is planning a benefit for McDermott in August at Columbia City Theater -- a performing arts event by the Seattle performing arts community. Call Dina if you can help plan the event. Ivan noted that we've had at least four fund raisers for McDermott's legal fund in the district.
51.3 Linda Johnson: Tonight we have at the meeting the first woman to serve on the State Court of Appeals. She's also climbed every volcano in the state and kayaked Puget Sound. Linda asked for a hand of applause for member Ethel Williams.
51.4 Beth Greiser: Beth co-chairs the West Seattle Democratic Women. This month's meeting theme is "Women's Right to Choose". A speaker from Planned Parenthood will speak. The Meeting is Thursday April 17, 11:30AM, Daystar on Barton.
52. Alan Munro moved adjournment at 8:48PM, and it passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Schrier, Secretary
Informal Notes and Photos
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Representative Eileen Cody addresses the 34th District while Ivan Weiss, Tanya Aguilar, Sen. Erik Poulsen and Rep. Joe McDermott look on (click to enlarge the photo). |
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Rep. Joe McDermott addresses the 34th, with Vice-Chair Tanya Aguilar, Sen. Erik Poulsen and Rep. Eileen Cody in the background. Click to enlarge. |
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Rep. Joe McDermott addresses the 34th District membership. Click to enlarge.
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Agenda
Meeting of Wednesday March 8th
The Hall at Fauntleroy
9131 California Avenue S.W.,
West Seattle, Washington
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS
"All The Democracy You Can Handle"
• 6:30 PM - Social - drinks provided, please bring potluck food to share
• 7:00 p.m. - Call to Order
• Flag Salute
• Approval of Agenda
• Approval of Minutes (February meeting)
• 7:05 p.m. - Chair's Report
• Note: Other reports from State Committeepersons, County Committeepersons, Treasurer, Outreach Committee, etc. will not be rendered in person at the meeting. See the newsletter for these reports, or click on the links to go to a page on the website with the latest reports.
7:30 p.m. - Program - Legislative Session Recap
• Our legislative delegation, State Senator Erik Poulsen and State Representatives Eileen Cody and Joe McDermott, will give us a recap of the recently concluded legislative session, and will lead a discussion of issues raised during that session as well.
• More details: see the Chair's message.
8:20 p.m. - New Business
• PCO Appointments
8:55 p.m. - Old Business, Good of the Order, Adjourn
Next Meetings:
• April 22nd - Legislative District Caucus
• May 10th - Transportation forum
Message From the Chair
April 2006
"The Session, the Caucus, the Campaign, and Some Fun"
Ivan Weiss, Chair, 34th District Democrats
Our State Legislature had a great session, and the state and the 34th District benefited from their work. All around Washington, the reports are in: The House and the Seante accomplished more in this short session than past Legislatures had during "full" sessions.
At our April 12 meeting, Senator Erik Poulsen and Representatives Eileen Cody and Joe McDermott will brief their 34th Distrcrict constituents on what the helped get done, where expectations fell short, and where we need to focus for 2007.
Without any exception that I am aware of, Democratic legislators are unanimous in giving credit to Governor Christine Gregoire for her role in getting deals done. She helped negotiate the final version of medical malpractice legislation. She helped get legislation providing unemployment insurance relief for seasonal workers. She took an active part in getting a water-storage bill passed, which had eluded lawmakers for years.
And it was a great day for Washington State when she signed into law the bill extending state anti-discrimination protections to our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered citizens.
Erik, Eileen and Joe will have all the facts and figures at their fingertips. This is always one of our most informative and most productive meetings of the year, so come prepared. Let's use this meeting as a springboard for the next session, when, with the Governor's help, we WILL pass Fair Shre Health Care.
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Mark your calendars for the 34th Legislative District Democratic Caucus, Saturday, April 22, at 9 AM, Chief Sealth High School. The King County Democratic Convention will be Saturday, May 6, at the Machinists' Hall in South Park.
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The Democratic Party's 2006 Coordinated Campaign is up and running. The 34th has not been assigned a Field Organizer yet, but the Campaign has hired our active member, Patrick Wicklund, as a Field Organizer. I had hoped the Campaign would assign Patrick to the 34th, but he will be working in Pierce County.
That assignment means the Campaign holds Patrick in high regard indeed. Pierce County is Ground Zero for this state strategically, and the Republicans think they can make inroads there, all the more so after Dino Rossi carried the county in 2004.
Although we will need to take care of business at home, it never hurts to build goodwill among Democrats by putting "boots on the ground" in Districts that need more help than ours does. We'll be exploring ways to do that, and I hope Patrick can call on us if needed.
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I might risk getting my brains beat in if I wrote "For a good time call Cherisse or Liz," so I won't. Instead, e-mail them at burien@drinkingliberally.org, and let them know you'll be joinging us at Mick Kelly's Irish Pub in Burien, the fourth Wednesday of every month.
Drinking Liberally is great! The food and beer are first-class. Mick's is a terrific place, and the company is great. We're drawing heavily from the 33rd and 11th Districts, and last week the 47th was represented, too. Reps. Shay Schual-Berke and Dave Upthegrove were there from the 33rd, and Rep. Zack Hudgins from the 11th. I didn't see any of our elected, though. Hmmm.
Well, we will see them at the April 12th meeting, where we will give each other "all the democracy you can handle."
Ivan Weiss, Chair, 34th District Democrats
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