School levies passing easily statewide (WSLC Reports

February 10, 2010

Feb. 9: Rally Monday to Protect Our Future

Feb. 8: "Undercover Boss" is a fairy tale

Feb. 5: Get trained, informed and active

^{RSS
2.0 feed}

Updated DAILY... Almost Every Day!™ by 9 a.m. Pacific
Links are functional at date of posting, but sometimes expire.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Teabag THIS!

Voters across Washington approve higher taxes to avoid more school cuts

► SCHOOL LEVIES APPROVED -- As reported in today's newspapers, here are just some of the school districts that have approved levies (and the winning margins):

Bainbridge Island (73%), Battle Ground (52%), Bellevue (66%, bond-61%), Bremerton (63%), Brewster (61%), Bridgeport (66%), Brinnon (60%), Camas (59%), Cape Flattery (81%), Centerville (64%), Central Kitsap (62%), Cheney (bond-65%), Cle Elum-Roslyn (66%), Damman (74%), East Valley (67%), Easton (61%), Edmonds (65%), Ellensburg (59%), Entiat (70%), Enumclaw (56%), Everett (63%), Evergreen (62%), Ferndale (65%), Fife (60%), Finley (64%), Goldendale (64%), Grandview (60%), Granger (65%), Great Northern (82%), Griffin (54%), Highland (65%), Issaquah (64%), Kelso (56%), Kennewick (62%), Kent (53%), Kiona-Benton (60%), Kittitas (55%), La Center (53%), Lake Stevens, Lake Washington (59%), Lynden (63%) Meridian (bond-68%), Marysville, Medical Lake (bond-62%), Mercer Island (67%), Mt. Adams (76%), Mukilteo, Naches Valley (66%), North Franklin (67%), North Kitsap (72%), North Thurston (59%), Northshore (65%, bond-61%), Okanogan (57%), Olympia (bond-65%), Omak (54%), Orondo (67%), Oroville (55%), Palisades (76%), Pasco (56%), Pateros (63%), Prosser (71%), Rainier (54%), Richland (65%), Ridgefield (68%), Riverview (57%), Rochester (59%), Rosalia (63%), Seattle (72%), Selah (66%), Sequim (60%), Shoreline (68%, bond-61%), Snoqualmie Valley (60%), St. John's (61%), Sultan, Snohomish, Tahoma (54%), Tekoa (76%), Tenino (54%), Tukwila (53%), Tumwater (54%), Union Gap (62%), Vancouver (68%), Vashon Island (69%), Wahluke (55%), Wapato (63%), Washougal (58%, bond-61%), Waterville (59%), West Yakima Valley (61%), Woodinville (bond-61%), Woodland (59%) and Zillah (71%).

* Don't see your district? Go here to find a link to your County Auditor's web site for results.

► SCHOOL LEVIES THAT FAILED -- The staff of WSLC Reports Today couldn't find any reports of school districts whose operations and maintenance levy failed yesterday. Not... one.

► In today's Yakima H-R -- Straight A's: All Yakima Valley levies passing -- Despite belt-tightening times, it's a resounding yes. Maintenance and operations levies at 12 school districts in Yakima County are passing -- most of them by more than 60%. So are levies at another nine school districts in neighboring counties. In all, each of the 23 local proposals are passing.

► In today's Columbian -- A stellar night for Clark County schools -- A wave of relief and joy washed over Clark County schools Tuesday night, as preliminary vote returns showed all eight replacement school levy measures passing, despite rocky economic times.

► In today's Olympian -- Thurston County school levies passing -- Rochester and North Thurston failed to get 50% in February 2008, but this time, both passed with more than 59% approval.

► In today's Kitsap Sun -- With levies approved, school districts look to Olympia -- Legislators may cut levy equalization funds that go to about two-thirds of the state's 295 school districts.

WSLC Legislative Reception tonight; Conference Thursday

Priorities and progress in the efforts of the Washington State Labor Council to promote job growth and protect essential public services will be discussed at the WSLC's 2010 Legislative Conference beginning at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Olympia Red Lion Hotel, with registration starting at 7:30 a.m. As always, there will be a reception the preceding evening (TONIGHT!) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at hotel. Many legislators and other state officials will be in attendance, making it a great opportunity to meet and mingle with lawmakers and other trade unionists. Reception/conference pre-registration will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. today in the hotel lobby and registration will continue outside the reception at 6 p.m. Get details, including the agenda.

Legislative news:

► In today's Olympian -- Senate will try again to suspend I-960 -- State Senate Democrats say they flubbed their vote on suspending the two-thirds vote requirement in Initiative 960 for tax increases, and they need to vote again as soon as today on a broader measure. The Senate voted 26-23 on a largely party-line basis to suspend the supermajority vote requirement for I-960. But they really intended to suspend the entire initiative and will have to vote again, says Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Margarita Prentice (D-Renton).

Balanced approach needed on U.I.

It's difficult to swallow the idea of another major unemployment insurance tax cut for business after the Legislature approved a permanent $1.5 billion cut just last year, while a temporary $45-a-week stimulus benefit increase has already expired. But labor understands, and has sympathy for, businesses paying higher rates this year because they had to lay off workers last year. Organized labor supports a balanced approach to U.I. that would necessarily couple any additional tax cuts for business with stronger benefits for workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Read our Feb. 5 Legislative Update.

► In today's News Tribune -- DSHS chief says agency split won't help matters -- A bill to split it into four departments got another hearing, where critics said it’s too big and unwieldy and its mistakes have cost the state in the form of lawsuits. DSHS Secretary Susan Dreyfus acknowledges problems -- and that’s why lawmakers should leave it alone.

► In today's News Tribune -- State rules hurt private-sector jobs (guest column by Sen. Mike Hewitt and Rep. Richard DeBolt) -- It’s time to lower the cost of doing business and get a handle on government bureaucracy so our employers can put people back to work.

Local news:

► In today's Tri-City Herald -- Shortage of skilled workers worries energy industry -- Energy producers and suppliers are optimistic about their long-term future in Washington, but are concerned about shortages of skilled workers and developing adequate training programs for them, according to a survey of energy employers. Growth in the clean energy industry depends on the state’s ability to train workers who need to be a “jack of all trades” to build, operate and maintain plants and equipment.

► In today's (Everett) Herald -- High schools need more vocational training (editorial) -- Perhaps a silver lining of this recession is the realization that schools need to better blend academic and technical training. The idea that technical or vocational training is only for students who are at-risk academically is old thinking. So is the idea that a person needs a college degree to make a good wage. Recombining the best of the old and new, integrating the technical and the academic, will give students the most opportunities after high school.

► In today's (Aberdeen) Daily World -- State uncovers millions in fraudulent UI benefits, unpaid taxes -- In 2009, state investigators detected more than $10 million in benefits that individuals acquired through fraud, officials say. Department auditors also discovered 7,671 workers whom employers had failed to report -- which amounted to nearly $2 million in unpaid taxes.

► In today's Bellingham Herald -- Bellingham council to discuss big-box options Thursday -- The city currently has a 90,000-square-foot limit on new large retail stores, and Mayor Dan Pike has proposed relaxing the size cap if stores meet certain conditions.

► In today's Olympian -- State parks its 2010 Prius fleet -- All six of its Priuses (of about 1,800 vehicles as part of the state motor pool) have been pulled from service until they can be fixed.

Boeing news:

► At SeattlePI.com -- Union chief to Boeing: "Quit picking fights with us" -- Labor's history in the 21st century will be a story of partnership with communities, government, other unions and, especially, employers, IAM District 751 President Tom Wroblewski wrote in the latest edition of the union's newsletter. "So I call today on Boeing managers to quit picking fights with us and instead join us in this kind of partnership," he wrote. "Instead of battling over outsourcing, let's work side-by-side for new business. Don't nickel-and-dime us on benefits, but work with us to make them more affordable. And even though you're dumping billions into this South Carolina adventure, you should still invest a few million to make our shared future brighter here in Puget Sound."

► In today's (Everett) Herald -- Experts now favor Boeing to win tanker -- Three out of three industry analysts speaking at the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance conference agree that Boeing is poised to win the roughly $35 billion tanker contest. Doing so would secure Boeing jobs on the 767 line here in Everett for years into the future. Boeing’s chances at winning the tanker contract could get a significant boost if Rep. Norm Dicks succeeds Rep. John Murtha, who died Monday, as chairman of a powerful House appropriations defense subcommittee. Murtha had been a strong supporter of splitting the Air Force contract between Boeing and Northrop.

Health care news:

► At SeattlePI.com -- Health care poll: 63% say "keep trying" -- A 63% majority of Americans, notably Democratic and Independent voters, want Congress to "Keep Trying" to pass a comprehensive health care reform plan, according to a new ABC News poll.

► In today's Seattle Times -- The sting of a broken system (Danny Westneat coilumn) -- Medical spending rose faster in 2009 as a share of the economy than at any time since the issue was first tracked in 1960. Some say slow down on reforms. Leave health care until we repair the economy. At $8,200 for a bee sting, health care could become all that's left of the economy.

National news:

► At AFL-CIO Now -- AFL-CIO/NEA labor solidarity partnership agreement extended -- AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel have agreed to extend the NEA/AFL-CIO Labor Solidarity Partnership until June 30, 2010. As a result of the historic agreement, signed in February 2006, 20 NEA local associations–representing more than 30,000 members in five states and the District of Columbia–have directly affiliated with the AFL-CIO and its state and local bodies. The partnership was to have expired on Dec. 31, 2009.

► In today's NY Times -- U.S. trade deficit widened in December -- Rising demand for foreign goods in the United States caused the trade deficit to widen more than expected in December, the government said Wednesday, suggesting that American businesses and consumers were growing more confident about spending.

► In today's NY Times -- Hungry in America (editorial) -- As the recession and high unemployment take their toll, families are going hungry because the government safety net is failing.