Senate passes second part of Swecker’s flood-response package

March 12, 2009

OLYMPIA… With its passage Wednesday of Substitute Senate Bill 5705 the state Senate has adopted Sen. Dan Swecker’s package of bills that would let Lewis, Thurston and Grays Harbor counties create one group to make important flood-prevention decisions.  

Senate Bill 5704, which would change state law to let more than two counties form a flood district, was passed last week. That bill specified members of the district board would be appointed, then elected by voters from the three counties in the Chehalis River Basin. Swecker wants all three counties to participate in decisions dealing with flood prevention. 

“I am happy that the Senate has unanimously passed both bills. Clearly flooding is something legislators all over the state are concerned about,” Swecker said. 

While crafting SB 5705 Swecker noted how votes are allocated under current law: citizens owning more than 10 acres of benefited lands within a flood control district are entitled to one additional vote for each additional 10 acres or major fraction held. 

“With smaller flood districts, establishing voting rights based on land parcel size is appropriate. But in this tri-county flood control district we have rural, urban, suburban and tribal lands. We also have landowners, renters, schools and highways that affect everyone, so let’s allow the people to vote equally,” Swecker said. 

“The answer was the bill adopted yesterday, which would give equal voting power concerning the flood district to all registered voters in the flood district,” Swecker said. 

The bills now move on to be considered by the House of Representatives.  

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For more information contact
Ashley Forsyth
 (360) 786-7037