Shelly's Campaign News

economic competitiveness, weaken productivity and cause large scale
loss to manufacturing, burden families with unnecessary, increased
costs, and take away our freedom of choice in where and how we live
and work.

Taxing based upon vehicle miles traveled was a key proposal in forcing
folks to reduce vehicle emissions. Another key proposal was to force all
future development (urban as well as rural) throughout the state into
"transit-oriented development" - living in compact, high-rise dwellings
where everything you need to work and live is within walking, biking or
transit distance. While neither of these proposals survived this past
session, I expect them to be back. I was stunned that there was so little
regard given to the financial security of our families and employers in
the middle of this serious recession.

I can tell you that my years of experience were a tremendous advantage
from the very beginning. Early on, I was chosen by my colleagues to be
the ranking Republican on the Ecology and Parks Committee, unheard
of for an incoming freshman. That committee was center stage
throughout session for the battles on the Governor's signature cap and
trade bill as well as many other climate change related bills. As ranking
member, I was responsible for leading the effort in the House and
mobilizing support from folks and businesses across the state to do
everything we could to kill cap and trade as well as offer solutions of our
own. In the end, cap and trade legislation failed. Unfortunately shortly
after session, the Governor penned an executive order enacting many
of the provisions. So, stay tuned! We're not done yet

It was an incredible moment of reverence and
feeling of responsibility that I will never forget.

This past session in Olympia was marked by a $9
billion deficit (due to excessive overspending),
record unemployment, increased costs through
fees and taxes (if they could have!). Those in the
majority slashed funding from schools, our nursing
homes and healthcare providers, robbed revenue
from anything they could, put off funding state
pensions, supported early release of criminals,
closed state parks and hatcheries, while at the
same time creating new state funded programs.
One such new program - using your taxpayer
dollars to pay ninety-days of rent for felons getting
out of prison.

In my mind, the very first order of business should
have been to determine the basic core services
that the state ought to provide and then prioritize
programs and spending in that manner. I proudly
supported reforms that would have brought
transparency to the budgeting process, including
the requirement that fiscal notes be completed on
bills before the bill be brought to the floor for a vote
and budgets would be released for review 72
hours in advance of a vote. Unfortunately, none of
these proposals even received a hearing by the
majority party.