Morning Fizz
"You Can Start by Using Responsible Language"
Apologies for not having as many posts as usual on the site yesterday—although be sure to check out Josh's 1300-word interview with ascendant state senate power broker
, Republican Sen. Joe Zarelli (R-18, Ridgefield).
To make it up, we start today out with a packed Fizz.
1. Trying to convince Republicans that funding transit is the entire community's responsibility—not just bus commuters', Seattle city council member Sally Clark had yesterday's analogy of the day when she testified at a hearing on legislation that would allow King County to pass a temporary $20 vehicle license fee to help fund public transportation.
2. Speaking of testimony on the transit bill: At that same hearing, only one person spoke beyond his or her allotted time and had to be asked to stop talking by committee chair Rep. Judy Clibborn (D-41, Mercer Island)—King County Council member Larry Phillips.
3. In other hearing news from yesterday, we already flagged the Spokesman Review's coverage of Rep. Jamie Pedersen's (D-43, Capitol Hill) surrogacy bill which legalizes paid surrogacy (setting up requirements for surrogacy contracts) and clarifies that biological moms aren't the de facto parent, allowing non-bio mom's in lesbian couples and also gay couples in general to have parental rights at the birth of a child.
Rep. Jamie Pedersen (D-43, Seattle)
Now here's a little behind-the-scenes coverage. (Pedersen's controversial bill, by the way, passed the house late last month 57-41 and was heard yesterday in the senate committee on government operations where opponents of the bill wearing orange "Not for Sale" stickers packed the hearing room, forcing legislative staff to open a second overflow room.)
After the hearing, conservative Sen. Dan Swecker (R-20, Rochester) approached Pedersen and told him politely that he intended to be a "responsible opponent."
Pedersen politely responded: "You can start by using responsible language," pointing out that Swecker is featured prominently on the Christian conservative Faith and Freedom Network Foundation website which says Pedersen is trying to "enslave women" and Swecker himself is quoted saying the bill would: "open up yet another avenue for those who would use their fellow humans as slaves."
Pedersen also addressed the ubiquitous "Not for Sale" stickers, which he noted were worn by lots of older women. "OK, I won't use you for a surrogate," Pedersen quipped, explaining that the bill wasn't forcing anyone to become a surrogate, only those that choose to be. "Last I checked we have freedom of contract," he said.
And another thing: Pedersen noted that while the opponents of the bill were mostly people who don't think gays and lesbians should have kids, most of the people who testified in favor of the bill were straight couples who were infertile .
4. At a house environmental committee hearing yesterday, legislators voiced concern over a senate bill to shut down the TransAlta coal plant in Centralia . And not because they opposed the greening of Centralia, but rather, because they didn't think the agreement was stringent enough. One of the inquisitors , in fact, was Rep. Marko Liias (D-21, Edmonds), the sponsor of an earlier, stricter house version that failed.
Along with committee chair Rep. Dave Upthegrove (D-33, Des Moines), the pair pressed a panel—which included the governor's policy advisor, Keith Phillips, and TransAlta lobbyist Matt Steuerwalt—on whether a senate amendment exempting new natural gas facilities from greenhouse gas mitigation costs was necessary or requested by TransAlta. (The amendment was seen as a must-have by GOP supporters of the bill, but has aroused concern among some lefty Democrats).
When asked point blank by Rep. Liias whether TransAlta had reqeusted the senate floor amendment, Steuerwalt said "no," adding that it would be ok to leave out the provision, describing it as a "small factor" and one that is "not a consequential investment decision."
Phillips sounded a similar note: "In terms of keeping [the provision], obviously we would like to see the bill move forward," Phillips said, adding that "it was outside the agreement and wasn't critical to the parties of the agreement."
5. As the Seattle Times reported yesterday , the anti-tunnel referendum campaign has hired Derek Farmer, who is taking a leave from his job as an advisor at Mayor Mike McGinn's office to work on the campaign. Farmer joins McGinn staffer Ainsley Close, who took a leave of absence to run the campaign.
Question: In this new era of austerity and hyped up concern about city costs, why does the McGinn squad appear to have so many expendable staffers?
To make it up, we start today out with a packed Fizz.
1. Trying to convince Republicans that funding transit is the entire community's responsibility—not just bus commuters', Seattle city council member Sally Clark had yesterday's analogy of the day when she testified at a hearing on legislation that would allow King County to pass a temporary $20 vehicle license fee to help fund public transportation.
I would argue ... that a successful transit system is fundamental to countywide economic success and countywide success in terms of our growth management strategies … and it can't all be carried by the farebox [revenues]. I know this is something you all struggle with in terms of trying to convince people they should pay for public education when they don't have kids in the system, because it is a system that serves us all and fundamentally without it our other strategies fall apart.
2. Speaking of testimony on the transit bill: At that same hearing, only one person spoke beyond his or her allotted time and had to be asked to stop talking by committee chair Rep. Judy Clibborn (D-41, Mercer Island)—King County Council member Larry Phillips.
3. In other hearing news from yesterday, we already flagged the Spokesman Review's coverage of Rep. Jamie Pedersen's (D-43, Capitol Hill) surrogacy bill which legalizes paid surrogacy (setting up requirements for surrogacy contracts) and clarifies that biological moms aren't the de facto parent, allowing non-bio mom's in lesbian couples and also gay couples in general to have parental rights at the birth of a child.
Rep. Jamie Pedersen (D-43, Seattle)
Now here's a little behind-the-scenes coverage. (Pedersen's controversial bill, by the way, passed the house late last month 57-41 and was heard yesterday in the senate committee on government operations where opponents of the bill wearing orange "Not for Sale" stickers packed the hearing room, forcing legislative staff to open a second overflow room.)
After the hearing, conservative Sen. Dan Swecker (R-20, Rochester) approached Pedersen and told him politely that he intended to be a "responsible opponent."
Pedersen politely responded: "You can start by using responsible language," pointing out that Swecker is featured prominently on the Christian conservative Faith and Freedom Network Foundation website which says Pedersen is trying to "enslave women" and Swecker himself is quoted saying the bill would: "open up yet another avenue for those who would use their fellow humans as slaves."
Pedersen also addressed the ubiquitous "Not for Sale" stickers, which he noted were worn by lots of older women. "OK, I won't use you for a surrogate," Pedersen quipped, explaining that the bill wasn't forcing anyone to become a surrogate, only those that choose to be. "Last I checked we have freedom of contract," he said.
And another thing: Pedersen noted that while the opponents of the bill were mostly people who don't think gays and lesbians should have kids, most of the people who testified in favor of the bill were straight couples who were infertile .
4. At a house environmental committee hearing yesterday, legislators voiced concern over a senate bill to shut down the TransAlta coal plant in Centralia . And not because they opposed the greening of Centralia, but rather, because they didn't think the agreement was stringent enough. One of the inquisitors , in fact, was Rep. Marko Liias (D-21, Edmonds), the sponsor of an earlier, stricter house version that failed.
Along with committee chair Rep. Dave Upthegrove (D-33, Des Moines), the pair pressed a panel—which included the governor's policy advisor, Keith Phillips, and TransAlta lobbyist Matt Steuerwalt—on whether a senate amendment exempting new natural gas facilities from greenhouse gas mitigation costs was necessary or requested by TransAlta. (The amendment was seen as a must-have by GOP supporters of the bill, but has aroused concern among some lefty Democrats).
When asked point blank by Rep. Liias whether TransAlta had reqeusted the senate floor amendment, Steuerwalt said "no," adding that it would be ok to leave out the provision, describing it as a "small factor" and one that is "not a consequential investment decision."
Phillips sounded a similar note: "In terms of keeping [the provision], obviously we would like to see the bill move forward," Phillips said, adding that "it was outside the agreement and wasn't critical to the parties of the agreement."
5. As the Seattle Times reported yesterday , the anti-tunnel referendum campaign has hired Derek Farmer, who is taking a leave from his job as an advisor at Mayor Mike McGinn's office to work on the campaign. Farmer joins McGinn staffer Ainsley Close, who took a leave of absence to run the campaign.
Question: In this new era of austerity and hyped up concern about city costs, why does the McGinn squad appear to have so many expendable staffers?
