Click here for a copy of the minutes in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF).
Minutes of the 34th District Democrats
Meeting of May 9, 2007
Chairman Ivan Weiss called the meeting to order at 7:04 PM.
• The flag salute was led by Kathy Keene.
• The proposed agenda was amended to omit Carol Frontiero who was unable to attend. The amended agenda was moved, seconded, and passed.
• The minutes and the Treasurer’s Report were moved, seconded, and passed.
Chairman's Report
• Ivan introduced guests Matt Perry, Political Director for the 9th District, U.S. Representative Adam Smith and former 34th District State Representative Georgette Valle.
• Don Webb, PCO for Evergreen, has announced his candidacy for one of two at-large positions in the election for the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council.
• Cherisse Luxa will be holding a workshop on becoming a National Convention Delegate. She circulated a sign-up sheet – date to be announced.
First Chair's Report
• Tanya Aguilar reported that the 15th District is having a PCO training on Saturday, June 2nd in Toppenish.
• Klickitat County’s Annual 13 Mile Garage Sale will be on June 9th. All 34th District members are invited. For more information call Tanya or see the City of Goldendale website at www.cityofgoldendale.com.
• The White Center Heights Park renewal program will be needing volunteers June 8-15th. For details call Tanya.
• Ivan also urged a big turnout for the Annual White Center Clean-up on Saturday, May 19th. See www.wccda.org or call Ivan.
Legislative Session Debriefing
• Senator Erik Poulsen was welcomed with a song by the Vashon/Maury Island Democrats to thank him for his hard work and support.
• Senator Poulsen described the session as being historic (elimination of the super majority in school levies, controlling certain emissions which contribute to global warming, banning unhealthful PVD’s, adopting paid family leave) and heartbreaking (Maury Island defeat and the failure of the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights).
• Representative Joe McDermott described significant progress in education including an increase in all-day kindergarten, a WASL math and science delay, and one billion dollars in new dollars for education. He also thanked the 34th District for its support in passing the Domestic Partner Bill.
• Representative Eileen Cody spoke about health issue successes. Her bill will change how health care is purchased, reducing the inequity among large and small employers. Other successes include an electronic database of medical records, improvement of chronic care, expanding dental care for the low income, and expanded mental health care for children.
There were no PCOs to appoint.
There was no Old Business or New Business.
Candidate appearances:
• Seattle School Board: Lisa Steubing, Steve Sundquist, and Sherry Carr.
• Seattle City Council: Sally Clark (inc), Tom Rassmussen (inc), and Tom Burgess.
• Port Commissioner: Gael Tarleton
• King County Council: Dow Constantine (inc). Dow also announced an event to raise funds for the arts at West Seattle High School on Thursday May 17th. For more information call Dick Lee at 206 252 0476.
Good of the Order
• Ann Martin announced a serious need for poll workers. Call Ann at 935 4693.
• Terry Holm spoke of the enormous environmental problem being caused by automobile use. Reduction of this problem must be dealt with.
• Cherisse Luxa said the Burien City Council is planning a tear-down of 162 units of affordable housing at the Lora Lake Apartments in favor of higher income usage. Community reaction has been negative and action needs to be taken.
• Susan Harmon seconded the need for action on this issue.
• Dan Fievez spoke in support Alec Fisken’s re-election to the Port of Seattle Commission.
• Marcee Stone announced a fundraising event for Washington Public Campaigns at the Comedy Underground on Tuesday, May 15th. More information available on the website www.washclean.org.
• Former 34th District Washington State Representative Georgette Valle spoke about her political experiences and her new book Always A Rebel And Never Without A Cause.
Informal Notes and Photos
Click any photo to enlarge it.
Above: Joe McDermott addresses the membership
Left: Vashon Dems sing the praises of Senator Erik Poulsen
Right: Seattle Councilmember Rasmussen
Left and Right: Representative Eileen Cody talking about the recently concluded legislative session.
Left: Sen. Erik Poulsen discussing legislative successses
Right: Seattle City Councilmember Sally Clark
Left: County Councilmember Dow Constatine.
Right: Tim Burgess, candidate for Seattle City Council
Left: Terry Holm addresses the membership
Right: Candidate for Seattle Port Commission Gael Tarelton
Left: Ann Martin questioning
Right: Peggy Tlapak questioning
Left: Member Susan Harmon asks a question of the legislators
Right: Former Rep. Georgette Valle and her new book
Candidates for Seattle School Board
Left: Steve Sundquist
Right: Sherry Carr
Agenda
Meeting of Wednesday, May 9, 2007
The Hall at Fauntleroy
9131 California Avenue S.W.,
West Seattle, Washington
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS
"All The Democracy You Can Handle"
Introduction
• 6:30 PM - Social - drinks provided, please bring potluck food to share
• 7:00 PM - Call to order, by Chair Ivan Weiss, Flag Salute
• Minutes of April meeting
• Committee reports.
• Chair's remarks
• First Vice Chair's remarks
Program
• Legislative Wrap Up by Senator Erik Poulsen and Representatives Eileen Cody and Joe McDermott. Also invited: Speaker Frank Chopp.
• Carol Frontiero (PCO Burton) will be giving an update from SIEU Local 775.
Business meeting
• Appointment of PCOs
• Old Business
• New Business
• Good of the order
9:00 PM - Adjourn
Next Meetings:
• June 13: Candidates' Forum
• July 11: Primary Endorsements' Meeting
Message From the Chair, May, 2007:
Give them a Hand
Another Legislative session has come and gone, so Senator Erik Poulsen and Representatives Eileen Cody and Joe McDermott will join us at our May meeting to report on the session and what they accomplished in Olympia for the 34th District.
Come on out and give them a hand. They did plenty.
Space will not permit an in-depth analysis in this newsletter, but:
We got a paid family leave law that pays employees $250 a week for up to five weeks of leave when they need to care for a new child, including adopted children. Washington joins California as the only two states to have this benefit.
We got a domestic partner bill that will give gay people the right to visit a partner in the hospital, inherit a partner's property without a will, and make funeral arrangements. And similar to California law, unmarried heterosexual senior couples would also be eligible for domestic partnerships if one partner were at least 62.
Lawmakers added an additional 39,000 children to the state's basic health plan, froze ferry fares for another two years (after this year's increase), created the Puget Sound Partnership for Sound cleanup, established a "rainy day fund" for budget surpluses, voted to delay the math and science graduation requirements in the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, passed a measure that encourages the use of cleaner-burning fuels, and allowed a liquor surcharge of 42 cents per liter to expire.
Some of the news wasn't so good. After heroic efforts by Senator Poulsen and Majority Leader Lisa Brown, the Maury Island Marine Reserve bill passed the Senate, only to run aground in the House, where it didn't get to the floor for an up-or-down vote.
Vashon/Maury Islanders who I have talked to are determined to carry the fight for the Reserve through the interim and into the "short" Legislative session that begins in January 2008. This issue also will weigh heavily on the 2008 elections for Governor and Commissioner of Public Lands.
We'll be discussing strategies for mobilization against a major environmental threat to the 34th District.
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To continue our series of updates from local unions that serve our communities, our PCO from Burton, Carol Frontiero, will give us a brief update from SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Local 775, which represents 28,000 nursing home and home health care workers in Washington. Carol is on her local's Executive Board. She helped organize her fellow employees at the Vashon Community Care Center, in a memorable success story of community mobilization.
See you Wednesday, May 9, for "all the democracy you can handle."
Ivan Weiss
Chairman, 34th District Democrats
PO Box 860
Vashon WA 98070
206-463-4647
"When they're working, we're working
When they're sleeping, we're working."
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