Day 15 of special session: Democrats wasting time when they could be helping create jobs
March 30, 2010
OLYMPIA…Today is the 15th day of the special session called by Gov. Christine Gregoire. Sen. Janéa Holmquist, R-Moses Lake, today called Democratic lawmakers to task for wasting tax dollars in a “do-nothing” session, while ignoring several bills aimed at spurring job creation.
“It’s day 15 of this costly and unproductive special session, and the majority party has still failed to fulfill its primary responsibility – adopting a balanced budget,” said Holmquist. “Neither the Democrat majority nor the taxpayers of this state have much to show for the estimated $180,900 it has cost so far.”
Holmquist noted that tomorrow the Senate is once again convening solely for the purpose of adjourning until Wednesday, with no floor action scheduled other than the standard read-ins and referrals.
“This highlights what a waste this special session and the entire 2010 regular session has really been,” said Holmquist, the ranking Republican on the state Senate Labor, Commerce, and Consumer Protection Committee.
“To reduce the burden on our struggling businesses and allow them to move forward with job creation, we should be passing workers’ compensation and other necessary reforms to improve our business climate. Instead, we were told there is not time for these much-needed reforms.”
Holmquist cited comments reported in the media by the chair of the Senate labor committee:
“I know—for sure—that there will be no (workers’ compensation) policy bill going forward,” said Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle), who chairs the Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce and Consumer Protection.
Kohl-Welles said revising the workers’ compensation system is too large an undertaking for a short legislative session.
“There’s not enough time,” she said. -Puget Sound Business Journal, February 4, 2010
“My Republican colleagues and I examined the best practices of other states and made several recommendations to improve the business climate and job creation,” Holmquist said.
Among the Republican reforms introduced during the regular 2010 session:
- Comprehensive workers’ compensation reforms (Senate Bill 6638/House Bill 2950)
- UI “smoothing” bill (Senate Bill 6587/House Bill 2920)
- A business and occupation tax exemption for new businesses (Senate Bill 6645)
- Creation of a Competition Council to review opportunities for private businesses to offer some services now offered by state government through private competition (Senate Bill 5409)
- A measure to consider economic realities in the state’s minimum wage law (Senate Bill 6534)
“The majority party could provide immediate relief to our employers, but, as of yet, it has failed to deliver,” Holmquist concluded. “Instead, Democrats have backed down in favor of special interests, refused to consider anything beyond meaningless task forces, and just focused on trying to squeeze even more money out of your wallets.
“I'm encouraging my colleagues to move forward with passing substantial reforms to improve our business climate. We need to provide immediate relief to our employers so that they can put Washingtonians back to work.”
- 30 -
For more information contact Booker Stallworth
at (360) 786-7536 or stallworth.booker@leg.wa.gov.