Resolutions

WHEREAS I-200 (the initiative that launched the career of Tim Eyman in 1998) has restricted educational opportunity and economic mobility among Washington’s most diverse communities for the last two decades; and

WHEREAS the Washington State Democratic Party believes guaranteeing every resident of Washington State equal opportunity and access to public education, public employment, and public contracting without discrimination based on their race, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or honorably discharged veteran or military status; and

WHEREAS this can be accomplished by restoring affirmative action into state law without the use of quotas or preferential treatment; defining the meaning of preferential treatment and its exceptions; and establishing a governor’s commission on diversity, equity, and inclusion; and

WHEREAS the Washington State Legislature passed the Washington State Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Act (I-1000) during the normal legislative session of 2019, with the overwhelming support of Democratic House and Senate members; and

WHEREAS the Washington State Democratic Party and all Democrats in Washington have a moral obligation to stand up in defense of our friends, family, and neighbors subjected to discriminatory rhetoric, agendas, and action whenever possible;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Washington voters must be given clear instructions on how to vote on this critical issue to avoid any confusion in determining how to vote consistently with their values; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Washington State Democratic Central Committee, urge all Washington voters to vote “Approved” on Referendum 88 on their November 2019 ballots; and

THEREFORE, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be circulated to all Democratic Washington state legislators and members of Congress.

Submitted by Chairwoman Tina Podlodowski and Vice Chairman David Green to the Washington State Democratic Central Committee for consideration at its September 28th, 2019, meeting in Yakima, Washington

(Date Submitted 7/26/2019)

Whereas the Trump administration has, since at least March 2017, enacted a cruel, inhumane policy of separating the children of immigrant families from their parents, and

Whereas the United States of America was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that we interpret “men” to mean human persons, and that all people are endowed with certain unalienable rights; and

Whereas the Constitution guarantees the right of due process under the law, and prohibits discrimination on the basis of national origin or ethnic identity; and

Whereas the Trump administration’s originally stated justification for separating families was that doing so was required by existing US Law, but that explanation has been proven to be unequivocally false; and

Whereas the administration’s actual goal in separating families from their children was meant as a deterrent to keep immigrants away from our borders by purposefully kidnapping and mistreating their children; and

Whereas the administration claimed to have ended the policy of child separation in 2018, but in fact lied about ending the policy, and has continued to detain children and separate them from their families without justification; and

Whereas the administration has repeatedly and consistently failed not only to return immigrant children to their families, but also to identify which children belong to which parents; and

Whereas the administration has, with no plausible justification, deported parents without first reuniting them with or identifying their children; and

Whereas the administration has utterly failed to provide adequate care or supervision for the children that have been taken into custody; and

Whereas the impact of this policy has been proven to be wildly ineffective, incredibly destructive and harmful to the children who have been separated from their families;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE 34^TH Democrats:

1. Denounce and oppose the separation of immigrant children from their parents, except in some circumstances when the parents are charged with an actual criminal felony; and
2. Demand the immediate end to child separation policies at our borders, as well as the reunification of all children with their parents that have been separated; and
3. That all of our federal and state elected officials immediately demand action and pass legislation to end the administration’s child separation policy, censure the administration for its gross miscarriage of the public’s trust, and ensures reunification of separated families; and
4. That all elected officials and candidates for office voice solidarity with us in these convictions; and
5. That all elected officials and candidates for office present plans to end this policy permanently and prevent its reenactment in the future.

WHEREAS the Democratic Party consists of a diverse set of people who must promote a truly representative Party, open to all who support its principles; and

WHEREAS the 34th Legislative District Democrats (34th Dems) are committed to maintaining a welcoming, safe, and hate-free environment where all are comfortable, and ask all members join in efforts to ensure inclusion and equity; and

WHEREAS , in the interest of fostering an open and welcoming environment, all members are expected to make participation in Democratic organizations a harassment-free experience for everyone; and

WHEREAS bigoted, discriminatory, oppressive, or otherwise offensive language is divisive, harmful, and destructive; and

WHEREAS bigotry, discrimination, and oppression threaten our democracy and have no place in American political discourse; and

WHEREAS the 34th Dems define hate speech as “speech that offends, threatens, or insults groups, based on race, color, religion or lack thereof, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, sex, gender identity or expression, LGBTQI (Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual Transexual Queer Intersex), disability, veteran status, or other traits”; and

WHEREAS the purpose of hate speech is to induce fear or intimidate those targeted so as to exclude them from a space or suppress their voice in disagreement; and

WHEREAS disagreement occurs naturally throughout the democratic process and does not justify nor excuse the use of hate speech; and

WHEREAS the 34th Dems strongly encourage members and visitors to call out violations and deterioration of a welcoming, safe, and hate-free environment – especially perceived or actual verbal or physical attack; and

WHEREAS the use of hate speech represents the antithesis of promoting representation, promoting a harassment-free experience for everyone, positive politics, and respect – thereby violating the Code of Conduct of the 34th Dems, King County Democratic Central Committee (KCDCC), Washington State Democratic Central Committee (WSDCC), and the Democratic Party;

NOW, THEREFOR, BE IT RESOLVED that the 34th Democrats:

1. Denounce and discourage bigotry, discrimination, oppression, and suppression; and
2. Reject attempts to justify bigotry, discrimination, oppression, or suppression as acceptable expressions of anger, frustration, or disapproval; and
3. Encourage and support all members and visitors to speak up when violations and deterioration of the values expressed in this resolution occur; and
4. Reaffirm our commitment to the Code of Conduct of the 34th Dems, KCDCC, WSDCC, and the Democratic Party; and
5. Call on elected officials and candidates for elected office to voice their solidarity with us in these commitments.

WHEREAS, a preponderance of scientists working in climate related fields agree that climate change is accelerating at an alarming rate; and

WHEREAS, those same scientists agree that much of that acceleration is due to human activity; and

WHEAREAS, the proposed Green New Deal for Seattle calls for legislation to eliminate climate pollution from Seattle by 2030; and

WHEREAS, the proposed Green New Deal for Seattle calls for legislation to boost our local economy; and

WHEREAS, the proposed Green New Deal for Seattle calls for legislation to address long standing, historical environmental and economic injustices in Seattle; and

WHEREAS, the proposed Green New Deal for Seattle offers some broad ideas on how to fund the implementation of these new programs; and

WHEREAS, given the current political climate in Washington, D. C., we need to act locally as it seems unlikely there will be any national Green New Deal anytime soon; and

WHEREAS, this proposed Green New Deal for Seattle offers a glimmer of hope with a path forward; and

WHEREAS, we recognize and thank the Seattle City Council for signing a letter of support; and

WHEREAS, because there is not yet an official campaign and there is not yet any specific legislation, this resolution does NOT imply an endorsement of any kind. It simply offers support for the concept and asks our legislators at every level to begin drafting any legislation needed to implement these ideas;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the 34^th District Democrats support the call to action for the Green New Deal for Seattle; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the 34^th District Democrats encourage our membership to sign the petition supporting the Green New Deal for Seattle and encourages them to ask friends and neighbors to sign it too; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED the 34^th District Democrats call on our elected representatives at the city, county, state and federal levels to draft and pass any and all legislation needed to implement these proposals.

Here is a link to the referenced proposal   https://seattlegnd.org/

Here is a link to the petition https://seattlegnd.org/#petition

Resolution Opposing New and Expanded Gas Infrastructure in WA State

Considered at the 5/8/19 Membership Meeting

WHEREAS the world’s foremost body of climate scientists, the Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change reports that we have until 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5C to mitigate devastating worldwide climate impacts such as extreme temperatures, heavy rains, drought, biodiversity loss, and depletion of freshwater sources;

WHEREAS if we do not take immediate action to radically reduce our emissions in line with the Paris Target of 1.5C, these climate impacts will intensify, with communities of color, low-income communities, Tribes and coastal communities being often impacted first and worst;

WHEREAS methane has a global warming potential 86 times higher than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period and “natural” gas is comprised of 85-95% methane, and methane leaks from fracking and gas pipelines eliminate any beneficial climate impacts of gas production, and make gas just as bad or worse for the climate compared to coal;

WHEREAS the Interior Department tripled the amount of federal lands leased out for oil and gas parcels in the past fiscal year and simultaneously the EPA rolled back protections for wildlife, air quality, and groundwater supplies, placing the profits of the fossil fuel industry before the health of United States residents;

WHEREAS Washington State is already feeling the impacts of climate change: record-breaking wildfires have devastated our communities and caused toxic air pollution state-wide; our snow packs have plummeted, decreasing available drinking water and hydroelectric capacity; our salmon and orca populations have become critically endangered; our agricultural, fisheries and shellfish industries have suffered billion-dollar losses; and the Quinault Nation has already been forced to relocate two villages because of rising sea levels;

WHEREAS Washington is currently facing multiple proposals for fracked gas mega-projects such as the Kalama methanol refinery and the Tacoma liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility that is currently being built without all required permits on Medicine Creek Treaty Territory and without the Puyallup Tribe’s consent and in violation of treaties;

WHEREAS such fracked gas mega-projects undermine Washington’s climate leadership and efforts to reduce carbon pollution, and pose staggering health, safety and environmental risks to local communities by causing toxic air and water pollution at every stage of production;

WHEREAS there is a well-documented rise in incidents of violence against Indigenous women and women of color in communities near gas extraction sites, including those in British Columbia where the majority of fracked gas consumed in Washington is extracted;

WHEREAS proposed fracked gas projects like the Tacoma LNG facility use non-commercial ratepayer dollars for private gain – 43% of project construction costs are passed on to utility customers, although they will only see 2% of the project’s benefit;

WHEREAS in January 2019, King County Council approved a 6-month moratorium on new and expanded fossil fuel infrastructure, joining four other local jurisdictions in Washington, Portland Oregon, Portland Maine and Baltimore Maryland in enacting a de facto ban on new fossil fuel infrastructure projects;

WHEREAS investment in new and expanded gas infrastructure and exports will lock us into decades of climate pollution and will divert money from renewable energy development, slowing our essential immediate greenhouse gas reduction and repressing the growth of green jobs in Washington;

WHEREAS Washington ports serve as a gateway for fossil fuel companies to export gas from the interior of North America to Asian markets, and by opposing new and expanded gas infrastructure Washington can play a critical leadership role in transitioning our global economy to clean energy and keeping fossil fuels in the ground;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we strongly oppose federal efforts to roll back regulations on gas production, processing, storage and export, especially when those regulatory changes lead to increased health and safety risks for Washington communities;

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call on the Washington State Department of Ecology to consider a proposed project’s complete lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions, including analysis of methane leakage during extraction and transport, and reject permits for any project which would increase emissions;

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call for a permanent moratorium on new gas pipelines, processing, and storage facilities in Washington other than maintenance or replacement for safety purposes, and a stop-work order on projects currently under construction that do not have all their required permits;

THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that we call on each and every one of our Washington State and federal representatives to oppose new and expanded gas infrastructure in WA, including the Kalama methanol refinery and Tacoma LNG facility.

Submitted by Jessica Wallach with co-sponsor Stacy Oaks, 350 Seattle, and Lael White, Environmental and Climate Caucus of the Washington State Democrats for consideration by the Washington State Democratic Central Committee at its April 2019 meeting in Pasco, Washington.

References:

IPCC Report https://www.ipcc.ch/2018/10/08/summary-for-policymakers-of-ipcc-special-report-on-global-warming-of-1-5c-approved-by-governments/

Disproportionate climate impacts: https://cig.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/AnUnfairShare_WashingtonState_August2018.pdf

Methane emissions 86 times higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6398/186

“Natural” gas comprised of 85-95% methane: https://www.sightline.org/2019/02/12/methane-climate-change-co2-on-steroids/;

Methane leakage eliminates promised benefits of gas compared to coal: https://thinkprogress.org/methane-leaks-erase-climate-benefit-of-fracked-gas-countless-studies-find-8b060b2b395d/

Triple the number of federal lands leased for drilling; regulation rollbacks: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/27/climate/trump-fracking-drilling-oil-gas.html

Washington already feeling impacts of climate change: https://cig.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/02/NoTimeToWaste_CIG_Feb2019.pdf

Quinault Tribe relocates two villages: https://earthjustice.org/blog/2018-march/climate-change-forces-the-quinault-tribe-to-seek-higher-ground

Climate change impacts vulnerable communities: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/rosaly-byrd/climate-change-is-a-socia_b_5939186.html

Kalama Methanol refinery: https://www.sightline.org/research_item/fracked-fuel-and-petrochemical-proposals-in-oregon-washington/
; https://www.sei.org/publications/assessing-gas-methanol-plant/

Utility customers bear 43% of construction costs and receive 2% benefit: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/fracked-gas?fbclid=IwAR0oLSCH3zUCll6nn1TG2KeyPekZEBi8YEqFunKiecl0lf_77POCa-8Pg2k

Gas industry’s history of violating treaties: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/BC%20Office/2017/06/ccpa-bc_Fracking-FirstNations-Water_Jun2017.pdf
; https://lrinspire.com/2017/03/13/puyallup-tribes-treaty-right-to-fish-threatened-by-proposed-liquefied-natural-gas-plant/

Toxic air and water pollution: https://www.psr.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/too-dirty-too-dangerous.pdf

Violence, sexual assault near extraction sites: http://www.honorearth.org/man_camps_fact_sheet
; http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/un-special-rapporteur-oil-gas-mining-operations-brings-increased-sexual-violence/

Pro-Primary Resolution submitted by Jeanne Fellin. Below is the amended and approved version.

Resolution Calling on State Committee Members to Vote in Favor of a Primary as the Determining Step for Presidential Delegate Allocation

Whereas the Washington State Democratic Party State Central Committee will vote in April on whether to retain presidential precinct caucuses as the determining step for national delegate allocation or adopt the existing vote-by-mail primary for the same purpose; and

Whereas Washington taxpayers already pay for administration of a statewide Democratic primary by funding state elections infrastructure; and

Whereas, in 2016, approximately 274,000 Democrats participated in the party’s precinct caucuses, while 802,754 Democrats voted in the state’s non-binding primary; and

Whereas the Democratic Party, as the party of workers and working families, believes that working people shouldn’t have to choose between a shift and a vote or find a sitter to feel welcome in the party; and

Whereas the Democratic Party is dedicated to fighting ableism, ageism, and all obstacles to full participation in the democratic process; and

Whereas precinct caucuses have become too large for volunteers to manage effectively, with new DNC rules requiring local parties to raise and spend large sums of money to host caucuses; and

Whereas, to the extent that caucus reforms attempt to mitigate access issues, they will be attempting to replicate the existing primary process at party expense, while falling short of the ease of access and security of the state-run vote-by-mail primary; and

Whereas the state party projects that transitioning to a primary/caucus hybrid system will save the party millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours; and

Whereas party funds and members’ volunteer labor are best spent electing Democrats and fighting for Democratic values;

Whereas the plan to use the primary as the determining step for delegate allocation will preserve legislative district and congressional district caucuses for the purpose of delegate election, community engagement, and party development;

Therefore, be it resolved that the 34th Legislative District Democrats support transitioning to a primary as the determining step in allocating national delegates. and call on their State Committee Members to vote accordingly at the April 2019 State Central Committee meeting. [struck by majority vote].

(For consideration at the September 12, 2018 membership meeting)

34th LD Democrats Resolution 2018-2

WHEREAS housing instability and homelessness continue to grow in our immediate communities and across Washington State as a whole; and

WHEREAS rents in King County are out of reach and King County workers must earn at least $29.40/hour for a modest one-bedroom and at least $36.12/hour for a modest two-bedroom1; and

WHEREAS King County and Seattle both declared a Homelessness State of Emergency in 2015 which is still in effect2; and

WHEREAS lack of affordable homes is the root cause of homelessness and the primary reason that homelessness has increased in our region3; and

WHEREAS communities of color and LGTBQ youth both experience homelessness and housing instability at much greater numbers4,5; and

WHEREAS 12,112 King County residents were experiencing homelessness in the January 2018 Point-in-Time Count, and thousands more households in our region frequently face the impossible dilemma between paying the rent or paying for medicine, child care or groceries6; and

WHEREAS tackling homelessness and housing instability requires regional investments in affordable housing; and

WHEREAS four in ten adults, if faced with an unexpected expense of $400, would either not be able to cover it or would cover it by selling something or borrowing money, putting many of them literally one paycheck away from homelessness7; and

WHEREAS a recent report prepared with King County data for the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce by McKinsey & Company found that

1) The homelessness crisis response system has improved, but cannot meet inflow demand owing to a shortage of affordable housing options

2) There is currently a gap of between 10,000 and 14,000 housing options in Seattle and King County

3) While funding has grown at 2.4% per year, it has not kept up with the growth in aggregate homelessness

4) To house all households entered in HMIS (the homeless management information system) would take $360 -$410 million per year, or double today’s funding8; and

WHEREAS Safeco Field will already receive $175 million from parking and admission taxes to go towards maintenance, plus $1.5 million additional per year, plus $25 million per KC Councilmember Kohl-Welles’s amendment and their lease term can continue to require that the Mariners contribute a percentage of their profit towards stadium maintenance, which all together meet the stated needs9;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 34th Legislative District Democrats support the amendment announced by King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles on July 31, 2018 which represents a fair compromise and allocates an additional $184 million for affordable housing for people earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income and providing Safeco stadium with $25 million additional dollars for stadium maintenance; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 34th Legislative District Democrats requests King County Councilmember McDermott and the King County Executive to support King County Councilmember Kohl-Welles’s amendment; and

THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the 34th Legislative District Democrats request that our Executive Board end a copy of this resolution to King County Councilmember McDermott and to the King County Executive.

Submitted to the 34th Legislative District Democrats meeting of August 8, 2018 by Martha Koester, PCO Aqua Precinct.

Disposition:

1National Low Income Housing Coalition 2018 Out of Reach report: http://nlihc.org/oor

2https://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/constantine/news/release/2015/November/02-homeless-emergency.aspx

3Washington State Department of Commerce, Why is Homelessness Growing?

http://www.commerce.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/hau-why-homelessness-increase-2017.pdf

4Center for Social Inclusion’s initiative Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities Phase One

Study Findings March 2018: http://center4si.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SPARC-Phase-1-Findings-March-2018.pdf

5Voices of Youth Count, Missed Opportunities: LGBTQ Youth Homelessness in America:

http://voicesofyouthcount.org/brief/lgbtq-youth-homelessness/

6Washington State Department of Commerce 2018 Point in Time County Summary:

https://www.commerce.wa.gov/serving-communities/homelessness/annual-point-time-count/

7Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2017,Published May 2018: https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/files/2017-report-economicwell-being-us-households-201805.pdf

8McKinsey and Company, various sources including article McKinsey Quarterly May 2018 Booming cities, unintended consequences: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/meeting-societysexpectations/booming-cities-unintended-consequences

9King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove Facebook post King County can Take Action Now dated June 15th, 2018: https://www.facebook.com/notes/dave-upthegrove/king-county-can-take-actionnow/10157013546873881/