Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected to speak at Wednesday morning’s ceremony that marks the mid-summer closure of Maple Lane School at Grand Mound. The one-time school for delinquents that morphed into a medium security youth prison is a victim of budget cuts budget cuts and an early closure in June that saves more than $3 million more than a later closure.

Both Republican 20th district Reps. Richard DeBolt and Gary Alexander wrote Gregoire today to say they are declining invitations from the state Department of Social and Health Services to attend. The …

Read more »

After hearing from the public about its proposed ban on e-cigarettes in all public places in the county, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has backed off – at least slightly.

At its meeting Wednesday, the Board of Health will consider a revised regulation that would still ban “vaping” in many public places, but would make exceptions for “public places where minors are lawfully prohibited, places of employment that are not public places and retail outlets that exclusively sell or promote electronic smoking devices.”

In a press release on its website, the department acknowledges the comments from vapers who use the e-cigarettes as a way to quit or cut down on smoking.

We still believe there is a lack of hard data to assure the public that e-cigarettes are safe for the user and bystanders, but at the same time we acknowledge that there is a similar lack of data that they are in fact harmful. While the scientific and regulatory communities will surely examine the safety of e-cigarettes for many years, we feel it is still appropriate to advance regulations that prudently protect the public from a risk that is not fully quantified.

The department still recommends a total ban on sales of e-cigarettes to minors.

Read on to view the full press release from the Health Department.
Read more »

Sen. Debbie Regala penned an interesting blog post this week defending lawmakers’ special session to deal with the budget.

The Democrat from Tacoma notes that the cost of the 30-day overtime period comes out of the Legislature’s budget. Lawmakers don’t appropriate extra money to pay for it. She says that means “tax payers contribute no more than they already do,” because the Legislature makes do with less the rest of the year.

The cost of special sessions over the past 25 years has not required any additional tax payer dollars. Both the House and Senate absorb the cost of special

…

Read more »

Had I heard what Pierce County Council Chairman Roger Bush had done? Had I heard the chairman was concerned that Republican incumbents were being drawn out of their districts and wanted changes made? Had I heard that he summoned the appointed Districting Committee master to go over the proposed districts?

No, I hadn’t heard about that. If true, it would be a problem because while the Pierce County Charter doesn’t use the word “Independent,” it is sort of assumed that the committee that redraws county council districts should be insulated from the politicians.

The committee isn’t non-partisan so much as it is bipartisan. There are two Republicans and two Democrats who then appoint a chair. And since it takes three votes to approve a plan (and four votes to amend maps presented by the appointed master) cooperation is required.

I left a message for Bush and called committee Chairwoman Karen Seinfeld. She wasn’t aware of any meetings between master Steven Garrett and Bush. The committee has had three public hearings and has heard about some concerns with early maps. In each case the committee asked Garrett to find solutions, which he has.

For example, an early draft split Summit and Waller. It also placed Steilacoom, Ketron Island and Anderson Island in a district with Gig Harbor when local leaders thought it fit better with Lakewood and University Place.

While Seinfeld said she isn’t focused on “incumbent protection,” the committee would entertain concerns by elected council members about how new districts effect them. But the proper setting is a public hearing. That’s where Councilmember Dick Muri appeared to talk about the Steilacoom issue.

I reached Garrett Friday afternoon to ask him about the rumored meeting with Bush. He said he wondered why it had taken me so long to call since he too had heard the rumors.

Only one thing. They aren’t true. Garrett said he doesn’t think he has ever met Roger Bush and certainly didn’t spend hours meeting with him about districting plans.

“If such a request came my way, I would decline,” Garrett said. “I’d be uncomfortable with it.” Council members “have a stake in the result, as does the public. They’re welcome to come to the hearings.” Read more »

For the record, here is the sine die edition of roll call, highlighting key votes from the 2011 special session, provided by WashingtonVotes. For a database of legislation, see their website.

Y = Yes, N = No, E = Excused, X = Not Voting

House Bill 1087, Adopting the state’s Operating Budget for the 2011-13 biennium and 2011 Supplemental Budget
2ESHB 1087, which passed the House by a vote of 54 to 42 and the Senate by a vote of 34 to 13, establishes the state’s operating budget for the 2011-13 biennium and enacts a 2011 supplemental budget. The bill sets the final spending levels for 2009-11 budget at $30.4 billion and authorizes $32.2 billion in spending for 2011-13. The proposal leaves $723 million in reserves. In addition, the new operating budget makes a variety of cuts to social welfare programs, like the state’s Basic Health Plan and suspends voter approved education initiatives. 2ESHB 1087 has been delivered to the Governor for her signature.

HOUSE VOTE
Rep. Jim McCune, (R-Graham) E
Rep. J.T. Wilcox, (R-Yelm) N
Rep. Sam Hunt, (D-Olympia) Y
Rep. Chris Reykdal, (D – Olympia) Y
Rep. Bruce Dammeier, (R-Puyallup) N
Rep. Hans Zeiger, (R-Puyallup) N
Rep. Jan Angel, (R – Port Orchard) E
Rep. Larry Seaquist, (D-Gig Harbor) Y
Rep. Jeannie Darneille, (D-Tacoma) Y
Rep. Laurie Jinkins, (D-Tacoma) Y
Rep. Tami Green, (D-Lakewood) Y
Rep. Troy Kelley, (D-Tacoma) Y
Rep. Steve Kirby, (D-Tacoma) Y
Rep. Connie Ladenburg, (D-Tacoma) Y
Rep. Katrina Asay, (R – Milton) N
Rep. Mark Miloscia, (D-Federal Way) Y
Rep. Cathy Dahlquist, (R-Enumclaw) N
Rep. Christopher Hurst, (D-Enumclaw) Y
Rep. Tina Orwall, (D-Des Moines) Y
Rep. Dave Upthegrove, (D-Des Moines) Y
Rep. Mark Hargrove, (R-Covington) N
Rep. Pat Sullivan, (D-Covington) Y
Read more »

The state Public Disclosure Commission has closed the books on most of the complaints by the Evergreen Freedom Foundation about unreported, publicly funded lobbying, and slapped two agencies with four-figure fines.

While that may not sound like much money out of a big government agency’s budget, the penalties are bigger than the $100-$125 fines the PDC levied earlier this year in some of the other cases.

Cities and government agencies are supposed to report their lobbying of the Legislature, whether it involved hiring a lobbyist or just sending an employee to talk to lawmakers.  The conservative watchdog group, now simply the Freedom Foundation, alleged that …

Read more »

Tim Eyman reassured supporters in an e-mail today, telling them to “breathe a sigh of relief,” because state lawmakers left town last night without going on “a tax-hiking binge.” He credited the 64 percent of voters that backed his Initiative 1053 last November.

Guess what? Some of Eyman’s opponents also want to give him credit for what happened with the $32.2 billion operating budget that passed Wednesday night in Olympia.

Read full post. 

The Republican state lawmaker is having a “telephone town hall” meeting today at 7 p.m.

The call lasts an hour and is open to Zeiger’s constituents in the 25th Legislative District, which includes Puyallup and parts of Milton, Edgewood, Summit, Midland and Fife.

Call 1-877-229-8493 and enter pin 17545 to listen, ask questions and answer poll questions.