Jolt
Oil Companies Lose One in Olympia
Today's winners: Kids.
With all the budget cuts to education—$216 million cut from class size reduction programs, $6 million was cut from Running Start, and, as usual, $1.2 billion from voter-approved-but-never-enacted I-728, which also reduces class sizes—it's pretty hard to go with kids in the winner spot today. But Jolt did find some good news in the the house budget that was released yesterday.
The budget preserves $3 million for a pilot project in last year's education reform bill —a program that allows schools to tie student test scores to teacher evaluations.
This is good for kids.
Today's Loser: Oil Companies.
[pullquote]Only two senators voted against the legislation—Sen. Jeff Baxter (R-4, Spokane Valley) and Sen. Jerome Delvin (R-8, Richland). According the Public Disclosure Commission, Delvin received donations from Chevron, Conoco Phillips, and BP during his 2010 election campaign.[/pullquote]
The senate approved legislation today that strengthens regulation of oil companies and requires stronger oil spill contingency plans. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Christine Rolfes (D-23, Bainbridge Island). Oil companies have fought the bill for obvious reasons: The companies will have to pay for new equipment. Additionally, Rolfe's legislation raises spill liability costs from $1 to $100 per gallon up to $3 to $300 per gallon. (This piece came from a separate bill that Sen. Kevin Ranker (D-40, San Juan) sponsored in the senate, but just added here.)
Only two senators voted against the legislation—Sen. Jeff Baxter (R-4, Spokane Valley) and Sen. Jerome Delvin (R-8, Richland). According the Public Disclosure Commission, Delvin received donations from Chevron, Conoco Phillips, and BP during his 2010 election campaign.
But even outspoken conservatives such as Sen. Doug Ericksen (R-42, Ferndale) supported the bill. In a floor speech, Ericksen said that while Washington already has the best cleanup plans in the country, he was supporting the legislation because it "builds upon things we've done in the past to build and plan for the worst-case scenario." The legislation "says let's come together and let's plan so that we have the proper equipment on the proper boat," he added.
With all the budget cuts to education—$216 million cut from class size reduction programs, $6 million was cut from Running Start, and, as usual, $1.2 billion from voter-approved-but-never-enacted I-728, which also reduces class sizes—it's pretty hard to go with kids in the winner spot today. But Jolt did find some good news in the the house budget that was released yesterday.
The budget preserves $3 million for a pilot project in last year's education reform bill —a program that allows schools to tie student test scores to teacher evaluations.
This is good for kids.
Today's Loser: Oil Companies.
[pullquote]Only two senators voted against the legislation—Sen. Jeff Baxter (R-4, Spokane Valley) and Sen. Jerome Delvin (R-8, Richland). According the Public Disclosure Commission, Delvin received donations from Chevron, Conoco Phillips, and BP during his 2010 election campaign.[/pullquote]
The senate approved legislation today that strengthens regulation of oil companies and requires stronger oil spill contingency plans. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Christine Rolfes (D-23, Bainbridge Island). Oil companies have fought the bill for obvious reasons: The companies will have to pay for new equipment. Additionally, Rolfe's legislation raises spill liability costs from $1 to $100 per gallon up to $3 to $300 per gallon. (This piece came from a separate bill that Sen. Kevin Ranker (D-40, San Juan) sponsored in the senate, but just added here.)
Only two senators voted against the legislation—Sen. Jeff Baxter (R-4, Spokane Valley) and Sen. Jerome Delvin (R-8, Richland). According the Public Disclosure Commission, Delvin received donations from Chevron, Conoco Phillips, and BP during his 2010 election campaign.
But even outspoken conservatives such as Sen. Doug Ericksen (R-42, Ferndale) supported the bill. In a floor speech, Ericksen said that while Washington already has the best cleanup plans in the country, he was supporting the legislation because it "builds upon things we've done in the past to build and plan for the worst-case scenario." The legislation "says let's come together and let's plan so that we have the proper equipment on the proper boat," he added.
