Yesterday was CRC Project day at the Capitol

Sen. Annette Cleveland & Reps. Jim Moeller and Sharon Wylie
at the Columbia River Crossing Information Exhibit

Many lawmakers in both chambers, as well as the general public got a chance to get a better understanding of the Columbia River Crossing Project yesterday at the CRC Information Exhibit in the Columbia Room. The Columbia River Crossing Coalition organized the event and brought pictures, brochures, and CRC engineers to answer questions and provide information.

The section of I-5 just north and south of the Columbia River has major safety and congestion problems that, experts say, will only worsen unless something is done pronto. The solution put forth after ten years of considering other options is the Columbia River Crossing Project, which, according to its proponents, will reduce crashes, provide predictable travel times, add travel choices, prevent traffic backups, and benefit the economies of Oregon and Washington.

The CRC project could begin creating thousands of much needed jobs on both sides of the river as early as next year if the funding is secured. Oregon has already committed to its share ($450 million) in order for the CRC Project to get $850 million in federal dollars; if Washington doesn't do its part, those federal funds will go to other states.

Secretary of Transportation, Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood, who a year ago said that the CRC is a great project anyway you can describe it, and Federal Transit Administrator Peter M. Rogoff were also in Olympia yesterday. They met with House and Senate Transportation chairs and with Southwest Washington legislators to talk about the regional and national importance of the CRC project. The Columbian ran this story shortly after the meeting.

For more information on the CRC Project, please visit the CRC Website.

You can also get the handouts from the 49th Legislative District CRC Town Hall hosted by Reps. Jim Moeller and Sharon Wylie and Sen. Annette Cleveland on March 16 here.

Read the Columbia River Crossing "Factbook" released last week.

Read this story in Spanish.

Saturday, March 30, Traveling Town Hall: Perhaps a small step toward a healing

All of us -- as parents, as children, and as fellow members of our Seattle and Washington and American neighborhood -- grieve over the terrible, very recent accident involving a motor vehicle hitting pedestrians on a street in North Seattle.

Two people were killed, and two others were very critically injured. They were innocent pedestrians, minding their own business and simply crossing a road not far from our community's Eckstein Middle School. Though we don't know for sure, as the police investigation is ongoing, it does look as if the driver was severely impaired by alcohol or other drugs.

In the very neighborhood of this awful tragedy, Representative Gerry Pollet will host the latest in his series of Traveling Town Halls Saturday morning, March 30, from 10 to noon.

 

The Town Hall will happen at Top Pot Donuts, 6855 35^th Avenue Northeast (between 68^th Street and 70th Street). Rep. Pollet and constituents will talk about proposals for stronger DUI laws, of course, as well as other issues. As we endure the aftershock of yet another grievous heartbreak, perhaps coming together in this way, as a community, can be a small step, a little fragment of help toward a healing.

Stonier to host telephone town hall tonight

Residents of the 17th legislative district are invited to participate in Rep. Monica Stonier’s (D-Vancouver) live telephone town hall at 6 p.m. tonight. The conversation will focus on issues currently before the state Legislature, including education, transportation, jobs, and the economy.

17th-district residents should receive a call at about 6 p.m. tonight. Those wishing to participate can simply pick up the phone and follow the prompts. Stonier will deliver a short opening statement followed by a Q&A session until the town hall concludes at 7 p.m.

Constituents who don’t receive a call can still take part by calling 1-877-229-8493 between 6 and 7 p.m. and entering 18646 when prompted.

It's town hall weekend

Tomorrow, March 16, many legislators will be will be holding town hall meetings in their respective districts. 

Constituents are invited and encouraged to participate in the discussion. It's an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on the issues before the legislature this year.

Here are the scheduled town hall meetings for House Democratic legislators this weekend. We hope to see many of you there.

Read this story in Spanish.

A Legislative town hall meeting may be coming to your neighborhood....

Next Saturday, March 16, is Legislative Town Hall Day -- and many Representatives and Senators will be coming home from Olympia to meet with constituents in person. 

These local meetings are an opportunity for you to ask questions and give input about the pressing issues in state government.

Here is the current list of town hall meetings scheduled by Democratic legislators right now. There may be additions later in the week -- if so, we will repost.

People are talking: Good turnout so far for Pollet's 'Traveling Town Halls'

Rep. Gerry Pollet

State Rep. Gerry Pollet's Traveling Town Halls are proving to be a pretty decent ticket for folks who have something to get off their chest on Saturday mornings.

The46^thLegislative District meetings stem from Pollet’s past experience organizing carpools of parents and others into a three-to-four-hour weekday excursion to Olympia -- for just a few minutes of face time with legislators. These Traveling Town Halls allow constituents to meet with Pollet most every Saturday morning from 10 to noon at various locations around the district, instead of trekking to Olympia.

Pollet has already welcomed three-dozen citizens to his first two meetings earlier this month: the premier 2013 get-together at the U-Village Burgermaster and his most recent constituent-conversation at the Lake Forest Park Town Center. Pollet's informal meetings -- you might even call them "Flash Town Halls" -- start at 10 most every Saturday morning. The next one is this Saturday, Feb. 2, at Diva Espresso, which is located at 8014 Lake City Way Northeast (between north 14th Avenue and north 15th Avenue). Pollet and Kenmore Mayor David Baker will hold a joint Traveling Town Hall on Saturday morning, Feb. 9, at Espresso Works, which is located at 6734 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore.

"We’ve covered local issues, for sure," he said of the meetings so far, "such as the red-light-camera authority at the 'Five Corner' intersection of Sand Point Way Northeast and Northeast 45th Street. And we’ve engaged in spirited discussions on statewide issues, such as potential reforms in the revenue system, funding for education, and reducing gun-violence."

Pollet launched his traveling-office tradition last year, holding Saturday-morning meetings all over the 46th District during the 2012 legislative session. With the 2013 session now in full swing, he said he wants residents from 46th District neighborhoods to have an opportunity to speak their minds without having to travel to Olympia.

Folks can always find information on Pollet's in-district meetings -- as well as information about a wide variety of community, legislative, and state-government issues -- at his legislative website.

Meet the new member: Jessyn Farrell

Rep. Jessyn Farrell on Opening Day

This year the HDC welcomed nine new members to the House of Representatives. In an effort to better acquaint our readers with the newest faces around town, last week we began rolling out a series of “Meet the New Member” posts.  New members Reps. Gael Tarleton and Steve Bergquist were featured last week.  Our next in the series is Representative Jessyn Farrell of the 46th legislative district.

Jessyn grew up in the Seattle’s Lake City neighborhood and Lake Forest Park, attending local public schools and the University of Washington. An attorney by trade with a focus on mediation, she worked on youth civic engagement with Seattle City Club before joining the HDC.

Jessyn is perhaps best known for her prior role as the executive director of Transportation Choices Coalition, where she brought together transit and road advocates in support of transportation initiatives that secured billions in transit funding. During her career she has worked for Pierce Transit, the Washington Public Interest Research Group, AmeriCorps, and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Taking a moment to answer a few questions, here is what Jessyn had to say after her first week as a legislator:  

Q: Is there a moment, or an image, you’ll remember most from your first day as a lawmaker?

A: It’s one week in and I don’t really remember the first day! But something that has really stuck with me about the first few days is hearing the former governor referred to as “Her Excellency” and recalling the huge debates that our founders had about how to refer to President Washington.Adams wanted some pomp and circumstance and others accused him of being a royalist.I felt a strong connection to those men who set up our commitment to self-government over 200 years ago and how cool it was to be a part of that inspiring tradition!  

Q:What inspired you to run for office?  

A: I really believe we need more moms at the table – we make major policy decisions that affect working families and it’s important to have the perspective of those who are on the front lines of trying to make a living, take care of kids, and give them the very best. Now I get to actually try to be a working mother in this very intense, demanding environment. That alone will be a great challenge.  

Q: Imagine being governor for a day, and able to pass any legislation. What problem would you fix?  

A: Climate change – it is settled science that we are in a 13 year window – give or take a few years – to cut our carbon emissions drastically to ensure that we don’t completely wreck our climate (the threshold being keeping the earth’s global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius). The climate has already warmed and we are already seeing the effects of that with extreme weather events. But if warming goes beyond 2 degrees Celsius it is predicted that we will experience extreme heat-waves, declining global food stocks, loss of ecosystems and biodiversity, and life-threatening sea level rises. This is very real to me as my kids won’t even be twenty by the time that window will have closed.

Q: If we peeked at your iPod, who would we see?  

A:The eensy weensy spider and other favorites of the 2-4 year old age group.

Read this story in Spanish here.

Meet the new member: Gael Tarleton

This year the HDC welcomed nine new members- and one familiar face- to the House of Representatives. The newly-minted lawmakers come to us from across the state and bring a wide variety of valuable experience to Olympia.

In an effort to better acquaint our readers with the newest faces around town, we’ll be rolling out a series of “Meet the New Member” posts in coming weeks. First to step up to the plate: Representative Gael Tarleton of the 36th legislative district.

Gael comes to the HDC from the Port of Seattle, where she served as a commissioner since 2007. Gael also works as a strategic advisor for the Institute for National Security Education and Research at the University of Washington.

She began her career as a senior defense intelligence analyst for the Pentagon, working on security issues affecting ports across the country and other critical facilities. After a decade working at the Pentagon, Gael ran two international subsidiaries of a Fortune 500 company in Russia.

Gael took some time this week to answer some of our most pressing of questions:

• HDC: Is there a moment, or an image, you’ll remember from your first day as a lawmaker?
• GT: Taking the oath of office and then immediately getting to work in our committees on behalf of the people.
• HDC: If you could be any West Wing character, who would it be?
• GT: Always sympathized with CJ – she knew how to deliver the bad news and to help families deal with bureaucrats.
• HDC: The House and Senate are interesting places with their own language. Which words and phrases baffled you until somebody explained them -- are you itching to drop a few bills in the Hopper, carpet bomb a senate bill with amendments on second reading and push the nuclear button by moving to the Eighth Order of Business?
• GT: Never heard a military reference I didn’t understand J - but the difference between “blue slips” and “pink slips” still not clear.
• HDC: What inspired you to run for office?
• GT: To help create a more sustainable, fair economy and livable neighborhoods

Another fun fact about Rep. Tarleton- She was the youngest person ever to receive in public the Director of Central Intelligence’s “National Intelligence Medal of Achievement” for recognition of her exceptional contributions to protecting vital national interests.

Welcome to the House, Rep. Tarleton! We look forward to your exceptional contributions here in Olympia.

Rep. Tarleton and Sen. Nick Harper check out the new voting system in the House ahead of Gov. Jay Inslee's inaugural address

Read this story in Spanish here.

49th LD town hall video available online

 If you missed Saturday's 49th Legislative District Town Hall Meeting, don't feel left out!

CVTV covered it from start to finish, so get in on the conversation with Reps. Sharon Wylie, Jim Moeller, and Senator-elect Annette Cleveland. It may take a little bit to load, so please be patient.

Read this story in Spanish here.

49th District Town Hall TOMORROW!

Representatives Sharon Wylie and Jim Moeller, and Senator-elect Annette Cleveland will hold a town hall meeting for 49th Legislative District residents this Saturday at the Community Library from 10 to noon. Check out the details in the e-flyer below. For more information, contact Megan Walsh at (360) 786-7924 or Megan.Walsh@leg.wa.gov

Pair of 46th Legislative District Town Halls set for Saturday, Jan. 12

Rep.  Pollet

Come one, come all! Sen. David Frockt, Rep. Gerry Pollet, and Rep.-elect Jessyn Farrell are looking forward to hearing from their 46th Legislative District neighbors in one or both Town Hall meetings next Saturday morning and afternoon, Jan 12. The three Democratic lawmakers will meet with interested citizens:

• From 10 a.m. to noon in the cafeteria at North Seattle Community College. North Seattle Community College is located at 9600 College Way N., Seattle.

• From 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the Upper Level at Third Place Commons in the Town Center at Lake Forest Park. The Town Center is located at 17171 Bothell Way N.E., Lake Forest Park.

Rep.-elect Farrell

Frockt, Pollet, and Farrell welcome discussions about these and additional key issues they will join other legislators in facing this year in Olympia:

• Funding our K-12 schools.

• Strengthening access to our colleges and universities.

• Preserving health care for our children, and for our disabled and elderly fellow citizens.

• Developing our transportation options.

Sen. Frockt

For more information, contact either Sen. Frockt at 360-786-7690, or Rep. Pollet at 360-786-7886.

Rep. Probst hosts town hall Sat., June 2

Rep. Probst

Rep. Tim Probst of Vancouver looks forward to meeting constituents from his 17^th Legislative District at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 2, in a town hall meeting in the district. Rep. Probst will discuss the issues that matter most to the community and will be happy to answer questions about state government and his work in the Legislature. The meeting will take place at the C-Tran Transit Center, 3510 SE 164^th Ave., Vancouver.

To read this story in Spanish, please click here.

Rep. Hansen hosts telephone town hall

Rep. Drew Hansen of Bainbridge Island will host a telephone town hall 6-7 p.m. Thursday, May 31. He looks forward to a live conversation with his constituents about the issues that matter most to his district and the state.

Under the telephone town hall format, thousands of constituents will receive telephone calls to their homes in Rep. Hansen’s 23rd Legislative District just before 6 p.m. May 31. The constituents may ask questions for him to answer by pressing *3 on their phones during the call, and they may listen to the live conversation to hear questions from others and answers.

Residents who do not receive a phone call may participate in the meeting by calling 1-877-229-8493 and entering the ID code 18646 when prompted.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Telephone-town halls bring government home

TTH with Rep. Jeff Morris

Since you’re reading this blog post, chances are you actually have been to a town hall meeting with one of your elected officials. The Advance thanks you and your work to make government better, but this post is about those not usually in the room.

In the last few years, House Democrats have embraced a new way of reaching out and talking with their communities. As you’ve seen on the blog, many members like telephone-town halls (TTH) as a way to complement their constituent outreach. At the beginning of each TTH, calls are placed into the district inviting people to stay on the line if they’d like to join the discussion. An hour-long question-and-answer session then takes place.

“Enabling the people of my district to engage from home, if it’s a convenient time for them, has brought hundreds of new voices into the political dialogue,” said Rep. Marko Liias. “It’s great to give updates from session, but I believe there is incredible value in neighbors listening to the other questions and concerns brought up in the meetings.”

Rep. Marko Liias at a live town hall

On a TTH last week, Liias had a question from Robin in Everett wondering how to deal with the speeding problem near her home and an elementary school. Robin stated that she’s “not real politically inclined” before asking how she should go about making the area safer, possibly through installing speed bumps.

“Robin has already talked to local law enforcement about the problem, had already come up with a possible solution, and was ready to take her community problem on,” Liias said. “That’s politics and being engaged, so it was great to have the opportunity to connect with Robin and hopefully help her lead on that issue.”

On the call Liias, familiar with school walking and biking safety issues, offered to come out to check out the problem with Robin and help brainstorm ways to make the streets there safer for children getting to school.

To read this story in Spanish, please click here.

Tonight, back by popular demand: 24th District telephone town hall

Rep. Steve Tharinger

Back in March, Representatives Steve Tharinger and Kevin Van De Wege held a town hall by phone, and over 8500 constituents participated in it.  The response to that event was so positive that the two legislators have decided to hold another town hall by phone to discuss the recently-concluded legislative session.

Tonight, beginning at 6:00 p.m., they will call residents of the 24th Legislative District - which includes all of Clallam and Jefferson counties, as well as parts of Grays Harbor County.  Anybody who wants to participate in the town hall needs only to pick up the phone.  To ask a question, participants can press STAR 3 (*3) on their phone.  While Reps. Tharinger and Van De Wege will try their best to get to everyone's question during the one-hour event, there is also an opportunity to leave a voicemail at the conclusion of the call with questions, comments or feedback.

Rep. Kevin Van De Wege

Also, if you live in the 24th District, be sure to check your mailbox to see if you've received this year's Legislative Report from Reps. Tharinger and Van De Wege (together with Sen. Jim Hargrove).  It was mailed at the beginning of May, and includes information about the state budget and government reform efforts, as well as newly-passed legislation.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Rep. Hunter hosts telephone town hall

Rep. Ross Hunter of Medina will host a telephone town hall 6-7 p.m. Monday, May 14. He looks forward to a live conversation with his constituents about the issues that matter most to his district and the state.

Under the telephone town hall format, thousands of constituents will receive telephone calls to their homes in Rep. Hunter’s 48th Legislative District just before 6 p.m. Monday. The constituents may ask questions for him to answer by pressing *3 on their phones during the call, and they may listen to the live conversation to hear questions from others and answers.

Residents who do not receive a phone call may participate in the meeting by calling 1-877-229-8493 and entering the ID code 18646 when prompted.

To read this story in Spanish, please click here.

Friends indeed for secluded senior citizens

Take a look around your town and country. Chances are, says the recent Washington Census, that upward of 10 of every 100 households you see are occupied by senior citizens who are living alone. It's a fact, too, that the senior-citizen population is exploding. Baby boomers among us who haven't OD'd on teeth-whitening treatments or been sent off to that Great Woodstock Revival in the Sky on account of power-yoga mishaps are swelling like nobody's business the ranks of the Matlock-TV set.

Your friendly neighborhood HDC Advance here maintains that most senior citizens, all apologies to Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, don't want to be alone.

State Rep. Jim Moeller in recent years has won widespread public, legislative and gubernatorial support for the writing of laws designed to halt exploitation of senior citizens and other potentially vulnerable men and women. He's worked with a task force of southwestern Washington citizens and other concerned individuals and organizations to build protective standards against that very immoral, criminal behavior. And Moeller along the way has seen all too well the pain that torments folks who live in seclusion, who lack for companionship. Today he welcomes a powerful new ally.

ElderFriends is a Southwest Washington program launching this month, according to its website, "to relieve isolation and loneliness among elders who wish to live in their own homes and remain independent for as long as possible." Single people 65 or older are matched with a volunteer who visits them every week, maybe playing games or sewing together, doing some light cooking, going for a little walk, or perhaps just chatting. The younger friends are not there to do chores or run errands. What the program is about is companionship. It's about something as basic, as fun and as fundamental as friendship.

Here's a Columbian newspaper item -- Program helps seniors who need a pal -- that's chock-full of info about ElderFriends.

Photo credit: Pacian

Continuing his work to strengthen Washington laws protecting vulnerable adults, Moeller in the recent legislative session steered House Bill 2578 unanimously through the House of Representatives. He worked to get House Republicans as steadfastly on board as his own House Democrats. Unfortunately, though, the measure fell victim to Senate Republican shenanigans toward the end of session. Moeller said he'll work to overcome such GOP hijinks in the next Legislature.
   
His 2012 vulnerable-adults measure would have directed the state Department of Health or health professions boards or commissions to suspend a health-care provider's license if the provider is barred from employment in caring for vulnerable adults based upon a finding of neglect, abuse or financial exploitation of vulnerable adults.

Moeller explained that "there's currently some confusion among employers and the public as to why someone who is prohibited from working unsupervised with vulnerable adults could still have a license from the Department of Health to practice his or her profession. The bill would immediately suspend the person's license until there has been a fair disciplinary hearing with full due-process. The legislation establishes a dependable, consistent standard to strengthen patient safety."

Town hall meetings -- giving citizens a voice

Reps. Roger Goodman and Larry Springer
taking citizen questions at a town hall
meeting in Kirkland City Hall.

You may have participated in a town hall meeting via telephone.

Town hall meetings with lawmakers now happen in person, over the phone or through the web. People are also using email, Twitter, Facebook and other tools to have a dialogue with their local lawmakers.

This is a new twist on an old idea: bringing citizens together to discuss issues -- or decide things.

Typically, you hear the phrase "New England-style town hall meeting." It's true that small towns in New Hampshire, Vermont and elsewhere holding town hall meetings more than 300 years ago. Every citizen got the chance to talk, debate and vote on issues.

Yet this idea goes back even longer.

It's inspired by the ancient democracy in Athens and the notion that every citizen should have a say. The Swiss towns of Glarus and Appenzell have been Langsgemeinde -- town hall meetings -- for 700 years.

Lawmakers in the House and Senate, from both parties, are embracing modern twists on this old idea. Technology may be improving it. But the notion behind it, that every citizen counts, is as strong as ever.

Rep. Hans Dunshee will be calling constituents in the 44th Legislative District on May 7 at 6PM to host a tele-town hall.

Rep. Tami Green will be hosting her own tele-town hall for the people of the 28th Legislative District on May 9 at 6PM.

Seaquist hosting final telephone town hall Wednesday

Residents of the 26th Legislative District may be getting a call from their state representative tomorrow. Rep. Larry Seaquist will be hosting his final telephone town hall forum of 2012 on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

While telephone town halls are not designed to replace in-person meetings, they provide a cost-efficient forum for legislators to connect with and hear from their neighbors. Participants will get an update on how the 2012 legislative session ended and what’s in store for higher education down the road. Participants will also have opportunities to ask questions to Rep. Seaquist during the hour-long call.

Registered voters within these districts will be called when the telephone town halls begin. Those that do not receive a call and would like to participate can call 1-877-229-8493 and enter the ID code “18646.”

To read this post in Spanish, click here.

Lawmaker reaching out to keep in touch with citizens

Heads up, good people of the 49th Legislative District. Tuesday night, May 1: Put your lucky pants or pantsuit on, set the dog/cat up with a good chew toy, and keep your phone handy. Thousands of folks in Vancouver and the surrounding Clark County communities are encouraged to join in the civic fun of a Telephone Town Hall.

That's right. You read right. State Rep. Jim Moeller is hosting an hour-long tele-forum that evening from 6 to 7. Moeller and the 146 other lawmakers just recently wrapped up the 2012 legislative session. The May 1 event is a grand chance for citizens to engage Moeller in a frank conversation about what in the world is going on in the state of Washington.

Shortly before 6 o’clock the night of May 1, thousands of 49th District citizens will receive telephone calls inviting them to stay on the line and participate in the tele-Town Hall. People who want to join in will be given simple, down-to-earth instructions on what to do. Oh, wait! What if you're a 49th Legislative District resident and you want to join in but you don't get the call between 5:45 and 6 Tuesday night, May 1? In that case, simply call this toll-free telephone number directly, 1-877-229-8493, and then enter PIN code No. 18646 when prompted. And you'll be in!

Moeller emphasized that citizens should always feel free to contact him whenever they want to ask a question and/or share an opinion.