2011 Legislative Session Report

After months of debate, the state legislative session has come to a close with legislators agreeing on a budget. Unfortunately, the budget does not end corporate tax breaks. Sadly, the budget relies on massive cuts to education, public health and safety. However, what was most notable was that tens of thousands of people rallied to say that we are fed up with an economy that allows corporations to skip out on billions of dollars of taxes while our communities suffer.

As the ONLY union representing education workers at every level – from infant care to PhD programs – our union played a pivotal role in this year’s budget fights. In all parts of the state, members demanded accountability from legislators, and from corporations, insisting that legislators end corporate tax loopholes and invest in education and our communities.

Due to our hard work, and that of many of our allies around the state, we shifted the debate. Thanks to your postcards, calls, emails and persistence, House bill 2078 to close tax loopholes for Chase Bank and other out of state banks came to a floor vote. A majority of the House voted in favor, but the bill failed to get the 2/3 vote now required by Eyman’s corporation-protecting I-1053. Had this passed, instead of $100 million in tax breaks for Wall Street, we would have $100 million to fund smaller class sizes in elementary schools across the state. 

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Choose schools over Wall Street banks

Karen Hart, President of SEIU Local 925 urges legislators to choose schools over Wall Street banks.

Which is more important for families across Washington -- tax breaks for highly profitable Wall Street banks or high quality education for our children?

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SEIU 925 members testify before Senate Ways and Means Committee

SEIU 925 members Nicki Lenssen, her daughter Isabelle Johnson, and Robin Hobbs from the Nooksack Valley School District, and Eric Wiessenborn from the Bellingham School District, testify before the Senate Ways and Means Committee asking for tax loopholes to be closed.

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Victory for Child Care in Olympia

Dear SEIU Local 925 Child Care Providers

I am so happy to say that we have passed three important child care bills this year. Taken together they eliminate unnecessary paperwork, lighten the administrative burden on providers and refocus the state's limited resources on child safety and high quality care. Three important bills have passed the House and Senate and will be signed into law on May 10th. The first  is one that many of you have asked about - the non expiring license bill (SB 5625) sponsored by Senator Harper and Representative Roberts. With the passage of this bill, fully licensed child care providers are no longer required to reapply for license every three years. Instead, full licenses will remain valid so long as licensees submit routine information to DEL each year. This bill will improve efficiency so that we can focus on providing the highest quality care to children.

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Activists call for 'moral,' humane cuts

A five-day, 50-mile march ended for one advocacy group and a five-day fast began for others Monday at the state Capitol.
The few dozen activists were making a statement about the harm they expect pending budget cuts to inflict on the social safety net and on those who depend on government for housing, food and medicine.

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Senators Propose Referendum That Would Require Simple Majority To Close Tax Loopholes

Thirteen senators led by Sen. Phil Rockefeller (D-23, Bainbridge Island) gathered Wednesday afternoon to offer an alternative approach to balancing the state’s budget through a set of bills to close tax loopholes and a referendum that would require only a simple majority to eliminate tax exemptions.

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Seattle City Council Public Employee Appreciation

While events in Wisconsin and other states threaten the rights of hard-working public employees, today the Seattle City Council unanimously approved Resolution 31271 honoring and supporting public employees and declaring March 8, 2011, as "Public Employee Appreciation Day" in Seattle.

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28,000 Petitions in Support of Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes Delivered on First Day of Session

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Win on Working Connections Child Care

As many of you know, the Governor had proposed an emergency rule to go into effect on Feb 1st that would have resulted in only TANF and TANF eligible parents being able to get on the Working Connections program. This would have been devastating to the parents we serve. Today, I am happy to deliver good news: the messages our providers and parents sent to our elected officials via calls, emails and in-person testimony have made a huge difference and the Governor has decided NOT to enact the emergency rule. Thank you to Senator Lisa Brown and Representatives Frank Chopp and Ruth Kagi who worked with the Governor to rethink TANF reform. 

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