A bill to force Pierce County to close its polling places and join the rest of the state in all-mail voting appears to have died for a second session in a row.

House Bill 1572 would reverse state policy that allows each county to decide if it wants to offer in-person voting as well as vote by mail. Only Pierce County has chosen to give voters a choice and Olympia Rep. Sam Hunt decided the Legislature should end that choice. The bill passed the House and also cleared a Senate committee.

But when today's cutoff for bill action came and went, the bill remained on the Senate's floor calendar. Absent divine intervention or extraordinary action, the measure is dead. That preserves - at least for another year - polling places that were used by 52,000 county voters in 2008.

The House just voted 52-46 in favor of a bill that authorizes early tolling on the Highway 520 bridge, as well as the imposition of variable tolls -- charges that will vary depending on the time of day and level of congestion.

House Bill 2211 also sets a maximum state expenditure on the project of $4.65 billion. It now goes to the Senate.

"Today, we're taking the first step and it's a historic time," said Rep. Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, chairwoman of the House Transportation Committee. "It's important that we get started, that we build the pontoons and get the bridge in place before a storm (sinks it)."

The bill no longer sets specific toll amounts, but a companion measure, House Bill 2326, will authorize the borrowing of $1.9 billion and as much as $1.2 billion of that amount would be paid off with tolls. So tolls have to be set high enough to raise enough money to pay off that much of the loan.

If the Senate goes along with the bill, the state Department of Transportation will ask the federal government for a grant of $139 million, of which $86 million would pay for installation of the gantries and other tolling equipment. Most of the rest would be used to purchase 45 buses.

DOT officials expect to install the equipment and begin toll collections in late 2010.

Rep. Jay Rodne, R-Snoqualmie, said he objected to early tolling because it will cost Seattle-bound commuters in his district more money to go to work and to see a Mariners game. And they will be paying before the replacement bridge is finished, he said.

"It's going to make it more expensive to live in this state," he said. "It's going to hurt families."

Rep. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, welcomed East King County to membership in the "tolling caucus" -- the group of lawmakers from Pierce and Kitsap counties whose constitutents have been paying tolls to drive across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge since July 2007.

"Nobody, nobody, nobody wants to pay tolls," she said. "But . . . the more, the merrier, to some extent."

Rep. Jaime Pedersen, D-Seattle, said he wished the House has approved a bill to impose tolls on both the 520 and Interstate 5 bridge. That is something that is likely to happen in the future, many lawmakers say.

Clibborn said the average tolls paid by 520 commuters will be comparable to those paid by Narrows Bridge commuters when one takes into account the 520 tolls will be paid in both directions, while the Narrows tolls are collected only on eastbound traffic on Highway 16.

The standard toll on the Narrows is expect to rise to $4 for everyone next year.

I've been trying to get to this all week, and I finally have a o moment.

Lobbyist Melanie Stewart told me this event raises money for those extra kinds of things that government programs can't do for foster kids -- a prom dress, stuff like that.

The late-June Leonard was a longtime legislator who had an abiding interest in the welfare of foster kids, hence the event is named for her.

Todd Myers was kind enough to put together all the information for me.

Legislators and Public Play Mini-Golf in the Capitol
for Kids in Foster Care
Fourth Annual June Leonard Memorial Mini-Golf Tournament Raises More than $60,000 for Programs that Support Foster Kids in Washington

On Monday, April 13, hundreds of legislators, staff and members of the public put their putting skills to the test in the Capitol building in Olympia to raise money for children in foster care. The Fourth Annual June Leonard Memorial Mini-Golf Tournament raised more than $60,000 for non-profit organizations across Washington State that provide vital services to foster children. Treehouse, the state’s leading and largest non-profit serving children in foster care, produced the event and will distribute the proceeds.

“This is a fun way to raise money for education and enrichment programs that make a difference in the lives of foster children,” said Treehouse Executive Director Janis Avery. “The money raised helps provide services that fulfill key material needs, helps foster kids learn and helps give them a real childhood and hope for the future.”

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A county employee has filed a discrimination and harassment complaint against Assessor-Treasurer Dale Washam – and Washam is spreading the word.

The new assessor has posted a notice of the complaint on his web site (you can also download a copy here). The letter from county Human Resources Director Betsy Sawyers notifies Washam of the complaint, which claims age and gender discrimination and retaliation. It does not name the employee.

The letter also requests the assessor’s cooperation and says a contracted investigator will handle the complaint. The cost: $15,000 to $30,000.

On the web site, Washam called the complaint “bogus.” He also noted the irony that the investigation comes after several state agencies have told him they won’t investigate tens of thousands of skipped property inspections in Pierce County.

The House just voted 52-46 in favor of a far-reaching bill that would give local governments the authority to raise some taxes and greater flexibility to decide how to spend tax money they already collect.

Senate Bill 5433, originally sponsored by Sen. Debbie Regala, D-Tacoma, will have to go back to the Senate for approval because the House made several changes. Here is the roll call vote on final passage by the House.

The newest taxing authority mostly would benefit transit agencies such as Pierce Transit, King County Metro Transit, Intercity Transit and Sound Transit. Thanks to an amemdment offered by Rep. Geoff Simpson, D-Covington, the bill would let transit agencies ask voters to approve a $20-per-year annual registration to raise more money for bus and other transit services.

UPDATE: King County would benefit twice from provisions in the bill. It could raise up to $30 million a year from the car tax and up to $25 million a year from the property tax authority listed further below.

"This is an issue of local control" and timeliness, Simpson said. "Ridership on transit is up by double digits and their revenues are down by double digits."

Rep. Dan Roach, R-Bonney Lake, opposed the expansion of transportation benefit districts, a taxing entity now allowed only for cities or counties. Cities and counties currently can impose a $20 annual tax on passenger vehicles with a councilmanic vote, but would have to put any higher increase on the ballot for a public vote.

"Why are we considering more taxing authority on top of what we've already got?" Roach asked during the debate. "We're in difficult times."

That amendment passed on a 49-47 vote just a few minutes ago.

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The committee hearing on House Bill 2377 is under way now. I stuck my head in for a bit, but now I'm watching it on TVW.

While I was there, Jeff Chapman of the Washington State Budget and Policy Center (here's a link to its blog, Schmudget) passed on to me a new set of updated numbers he got from the Office of Program Research. OPR is the non-partisan committee staff for the House.

The estimated take from raising the state portion of the sales tax to 6.8 percent from the current 6.5 percent on Jan. 1, 2010 and keeping it in place for three years is now $1.087 billion.

Chapman is a lot better with graphs and charts than I am, so I commend his site to you.

Remy Trupin, executive director of the policy center, is one of the people who testified in favor of the temporary tax hike this morning. His focus was mostly on the Working Families Tax Rebate, a component of HB 2377.

"Twenty percent of the taxes raised would go back to those who need it most," Turpin testified. He said there are an estimated 370,000 families in Washington who would be eligible for the rebate.

Basically, the average family would get about $80 the first year and $160 the second year. It would be pegged to the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, so eligible families would be those who earn $40,000 or less.

Amber Carter of the Association of Washington Business and the chambers of commerce testified against the proposal. It won't solve the state's $9 billion budget problem, she said.

"We see a 31 percent overpayment at the federal level," she said, referring to the error rate for the EITC program.

House Bill 1939 is just one of several bills on tap for action at 3 p.m. today by Gov. Chris Gregoire. That's the one that would let dealers triple the $50 document fee they now charge their customers to $150.

Here is the story I wrote in February.

The bill passed the House on a 73-22 vote and the Senate on a 42-3 vote. The higher fee would take effect in late July and would stay on the books until July 1, 2014.

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire on Friday will take action on several bills.

3 p.m. Gov. Gregoire takes bill action
Governor’s Conference Room
Legislative Building- 2nd Floor
Olympia

Gregoire will take action on the following bills:

Substitute House Bill No. 1621, relating to regulating the business practices of consumer loan companies for compliance with the secure and fair enforcement for mortgage licensing act of 2008.

Substitute House Bill No. 1825, relating to identifying specific facilities planning requirements under the growth management act.

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There's a hearing on House Bill 2377 at 8 a.m. today, followed by the news conference. And, of course, next Tuesday we'll find out whether the coalition in support of the 3-year sales tax increase decides to go full speed ahead.

Advocates will discuss plan to fund health care services Friday morning

This week, State Rep. Eric Pettigrew (D-Seattle) introduced HB 2377, a bill to fund health care and the Working Families Tax Rebate with a voter-approved temporary sales tax increase.
Pettigrew and other supporters will be available for press questions following the bill’s 8:00 a.m. hearing in the House Health and Human Services Appropriations committee tomorrow.
Who:
Rep. Eric Pettigrew
Remy Trupin (Budget and Policy Council)
Leo Greenawalt (WA Hospital Assn.)
Nora Gibson ElderHealth Northwest Executive Director
Thomas Trompeter Healthpoint CEO (also on Board of Community Health Network)
Sofia Aragon Washington State Nurses Association, Senior Governmental Affairs Advisor
Konnie Campagna RN Labor and Delivery at Valley Medial Center
Meta Hogan case worker, Behavioral Health Resources
When: Friday, April 17 at 9:45 a.m.
Where: John L. O’Brien Building, House Briefing Room (across from the Security desk)

The League of Education Voters sent this out yesterday.

News Release: April 16, 2009

Remarks from education advocates on the passage of ESHB 2261

Education advocates celebrate the passage of the basic education finance reform legislation, ESHB 2261, by a vote of 26 to 23. Our broad-based coalition includes Washington State PTA, League of Education Voters, State Board of Education, Washington Stand for Children, Washington Roundtable, TechAmerica, Partnership for Learning, Black Education Strategy Roundtable, numerous school boards and superintendents from across the state, and countless others.

Outlined below are quotes from the various coalition members.

Mary Jean Ryan, Chair, State Board of Education

“The State Board of Education strongly commends the Senate for taking this historic action. This is exactly the demonstration of leadership that the children of Washington State deserve. We urge the House to concur with this revised bill. This action will propel us forward. We are now committed and accountable to ensuring all students leave high school, college, or work ready. After too long a wait, Washington's educational system is once again moving in the right direction."

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