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April 28, 2016
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
A month ago, when my fellow legislators and I finished our work
in Olympia, I reported that we had – once again – reached a
bipartisan budget update that didn't raise taxes and was in line with our
state's unique 4-year balanced-budget law.
Despite the fact that lawmakers from both chambers and both
sides of the political aisle had agreed to this sensible supplemental operating budget,
the governor chose to veto sections of the budget, throwing it out of balance.
I wish I could say I was surprised by this decision, but I'm not. It's well known in Olympia that the governor is trying to set the stage for tax increases to address education
funding during the 2017 session.
Our Senate Majority Coalition Caucus has already prioritized education and directed an additional $4.6 billion toward K-12 education over the past three years. We also established a task force to address education funding that will meet over the next eight months.
Section of Klickitat County Highway named for fallen deputy
On Sunday, April 17 I was honored to attend the highway naming ceremony for Klickitat County Sheriff's Deputy Michael J. McNabb, who had been killed in the line of duty exactly 30 years earlier. McNabb's family and community members gathered at the Lyle Secondary School gym to pay tribute to the fallen deputy. I was touched to see how many people turned out for this event.
The proposal to name a section of State Route 14 was backed by Deputy McNabb's sister, family friends, local officials, legislators and the local community. Signs were installed Monday on a section of SR 14 between Lyle and Murdock (pictured above).
Deputy McNabb was a 1977 graduate of Lyle High School and returned to Klickitat County to serve as a law enforcement officer. He was killed in the line of duty April 17, 1986 when his patrol car was struck head-on by a drunk driver on SR 14. He was only 26 years old.
Legislative office open to serve you
It has been a pleasure to be back home where I
can visit with my friends, neighbors and community groups.
If you would
like to meet with me to discuss a legislative matter or are
having difficulty navigating an issue with a state agency, please give my
office a call at 360-786-7626.
In
closing...
I hope you find my Olympia Update informative and that you
will continue to contact
me with your thoughts, opinions and concerns about state or district
issues. Your opinion is of great value to me. It truly remains my honor to
serve you in the Washington State Senate.
Sincerely,
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