Legislative Update: Stay Informed, Stay in Touch

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Education continues to be the main focus this legislative session as we work to find ways to ensure students across Washington have access to a great education.
Republicans in the Senate finally released their proposal last week to address underfunded schools, following a plan released by Democrats on Jan. 9. Now that both parties have proposals ready, negotiations for a final bipartisan solution can hopefully get underway.

Here I am speaking with affordable housing advocates on their lobby day. If you plan to come down to advocate for a cause, please make sure to let us know. I would love to see you.

I appreciate the Republican’s recognition that our education system and funding mechanisms are not producing equitable outcomes for low-income communities and students of color. However, schools need to be funded fully and fairly through a holistic approach and targeted investments that will close the achievement and funding gaps we have now while not creating others.

Concerns I have about the Republican plan include:
• Increased reliance on property taxes, and hundreds of millions in cuts to services in order to fund schools.
• Eroding standards for those allowed to teach in classrooms.
• Dependence on a per-pupil funding model that would potentially leave special education students and English language learners with far fewer resources when funded at the level Senate Republicans have proposed.

By contrast, the Democrats’ plan:
• Reduces class sizes.
• Ensures teachers and school staff are paid as professionals.
• Revenue options include making polluters pay, closing tax loopholes for corporations and for the one percent.

There are some areas of common ground however, which can serve as the starting place for negotiations. I will continue to update you on the progress of education funding as session moves along.

In addition to education, I have also been working on legislation to help ensure immigrants working in our communities aren’t unfairly targeted, a bill to expand interpreter services in certain state agencies and a bill to streamline the process for survivors of human trafficking to get their convictions vacated.

As always, I hope you will call, write or meet with me to share your thoughts, ideas and concerns.

Regards,