News and information from the Senate Republican Campaign Committee http://www.srcc.org/news.xml http://srcc.org/images/srccheader.jpg http://www.srcc.org Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown is doing something that would make many a politician squirm: going to court to make it easier to raise taxes. http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=16286 Sun, 24 August 2008 Just how business-friendly is Washington? The answer may not be what you expect http://www.washingtonceo.com/home/story-display/article/312/state-of-con.html Fri, 22 August 2008 Republicans are always gunning for state Sen. Marilyn Rasmussen, an Eatonville Democrat who has beaten all comers in four campaigns for the Senate and three for the House. http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/election/local/story/436611.html Thur, 7 August 2008 Two years ago, state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen put her hand in a hornet nest. In response to requests for transportation improvements in and around the ports of Tacoma and Seattle, the Senate Transportation Committee chairwoman suggested imposing a $100 fee on each 40-foot shipping container loaded and unloaded. http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/columnists/callaghan/story/422046.html Thur, 24 July 2008 Few state offices have seen their budgets grow as much as the one closest to the governor.Her own. The governor's-office budget has more than doubled under Gregoire, to about $73 million for the 2007-09 biennium. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008061870_spendingoffice20m.html Sun, 20 July 2008 As much as anything, Gov. Christine Gregoire's first term in office is notable for one number: $8 billion.That's how much state spending has increased since Gregoire, a Democrat, was elected in 2004. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008061912_spending20m0.html Sun, 20 July 2008 Gregoire and the state Legislature have approved tax increases that total about $150 million a year and reinstated an estate tax that brings in another $100 million annually. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008061881_spendingtaxes20m.html Sun, 20 July 2008 Tax collections over the past month were $60.8 million below forecast, according to figures just released. http://www.tri-cityherald.com/olympiadispatch/story/236992.html Fri, 11 July 2008 The state Information Services Board has approved spending $3.1 million in taxpayer money on a banking computer that might never be used. http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/503908.html Thur, 10 July 2008 The state Department of Health found itself under the "Watching Your Tax Dollars" spotlight last week, when a state senator questioned two of its contracts. http://www.theolympian.com/stateworkers/v-print/story/499665.html Sun, 6 July 2008 The agency that administers Washington's programs for children and families is facing renewed election-year pressure over how well it protects vulnerable children. http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/06/06242008_Legislator-rebukes-childrens-agency.cfm Tues, 24 June 2008 When state revenue forecasters announced on Thursday that the treasury will take a $167 million revenue hit over the next three years because of the economic slump, one of our first thoughts was the unresolved paid family leave bill. The only good thing that can be said about this turkey is that it's unresolved. It should be dropped. http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2008/06/06212008_In-our-view-Bad-idea-gets-worse--Lets-abandon-paid-family-leave-notion.cfm Sat, 21 June 2008 Fred Walser pleaded guilty to a gross misdemeanor on Thursday for providing false information to city officials while he served as Chief of Police for the City of Sultan. For violating the public's trust, he was sentenced to 240 hours of community service, a $20,000 fine, and a year of probation. http://heraldnet.com/article/20080605/NEWS01/652305873/-1/news01 Fri, 6 June 2008 The state's economy grew 4.3 percent in 2007. As Seattle P-I reporter Dan Richman reports, that's good, but it's been better. We'll have to grow a lot faster than that to overcome the projected $2.5 billion shortfall the nonpartisan Senate Ways and Means Committee identifies for the coming biennium. http://www.olympiabusinesswatch.com/2008/06/washington-econ.html Fri, 6 June 2008 Senator Linda Evans Parlette announced her intention to seek a third term. Parlette plans to focus on relieving the burden that high property taxes are having on working families. http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080529/NEWS04/371985584 Thur, 29 May 2008 Senate Republican Leader Mike Hewitt announced his re-election campaign. Hewitt, first elected in 2000, is seeking a third term. http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/05/29/local_news/080529local06hewittannounce.txt Thur, 29 May 2008 Senator Mark Schoesler announced his re-election campaign. In addition to a solid record of achievement in Olympia, Schoesler has earned a reputation for his work ethic and willingness to put partisan concerns aside to find common ground on difficult issues. http://www.ritzvillejournal.com/archives/2008/05-2008/WebNews05-29-08/News/schoesler.htm Thur, 29 May 2008 A bipartisan group of state legislators, including Republican state Sen. Joe Zarelli, Tuesday urged voters not to sign Initiative 1000, the assisted suicide petition circulating in Washington. http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/21/area_news/doc483318d29f55d128012543.txt Failed leadership by Mary Margaret Haugen and Washington State Ferries has crippled local economies and left many wondering about the future. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004422060_ferry18m.html Martin Hash, the animation software developer who announced in February that he would put $100,000 of his own money into a campaign to unseat Republican Sen. Don Benton, has withdrawn from the race. http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/05/05142008_Hash-drops-out-of-senate-race-to-unseat-Benton.cfm Wed, 14 May 2008 Disgraced State Senate candidate Fred Walser faces criminal charge for improper conduct as public official. http://www.monroemonitor.com/Issues/051308issue/chief.html Tue, 13 May 2008 Mary Margaret Haugen spends $58,000 a year on new taxpayer funded campaign office and staffer. http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/whidbey/swr/news/18864534.html Mon, 12 May 2008 Democrat Fred Walser was charged with providing false information to a public servant. If convicted, he could face up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine. Walser plans to continue his campaign despite facing jail time. http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080509/NEWS01/962259662#Former.Sultan.police.chief.charged Fri, 9 May 2008 Senator Cheryl Pflug's opponent, Phyllis Huster, told Democrat activists that she would like to build a magnetic levitation train between Seattle and rural King County. The activists had to bring her "back down to earth" - no estimate yet on the cost of Huster's magnetic levitating train. http://snovalleystar.com/2008/05/07/incumbents-in-5th-legislative-district-have-challengers Wed, 7 May 2008 Senator Curtis King announced his re-election bid in Yakima after his first session in the legislature http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/3773 Tue, 6 May 2008 State Senate candidate Linda Haddon called upon ferry officials to abandon plans to build a clone of the Steilacoom II ferry in favor of building a larger boat. http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/news/18219974.html Sat, 25 April 2008 Here's a little advice to Democrats: When you've dug yourselves into a hole, stop digging. Democratic lawmakers have totally mishandled efforts to create a family-leave law in this state. They created a program in 2007 that gives employees paid time off to care for a newborn or adopted child. Lawmakers, however, were unable to figure out how to cover the $40 million to $45 million in annual costs for the family-leave program. http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/414468.html Thur, 10 April 2008 In a dazzling display of spinelessness, Democrats in the Legislature managed to push most of the important and contentious issues they faced in January into the next session. http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/09/pam-dzama-pre-election-legislators-dodged-hot/ Senate Democrats announced yesterday plans to try to overturn Initiative 960, paving the way for massive tax increases in 2009. Senate Democrat Leader Lisa Brown is suing Democrat Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, asking the courts to invalidate I-960's provision requiring a two-thirds majority to raise taxes. http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/299024.html Mon, 3 March 2008