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WAGOP - Dumb, Dumb, Dumbo

Looks like WAGOP's tilting at windmills AGAIN.

GOP lawmakers wrong about estate tax effect on farms

By CHRIS McGANN
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT

OLYMPIA -- Republican leaders vowed Thursday to protect family farms from the ravages of Washington's estate tax as they set their sights on killing the so-called death tax.

But they overlooked one important detail -- farms are exempt from the estate tax. ...

More Stupid Republican Tricks

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POLITICS
Ericksen outlines state GOP agenda
Spending, predator law are priorities


JON GAMBRELL
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

State House and Senate Republicans will join together this legislative session to support their "Commitment to Washington" plan, a set of bills aimed at giving the minority party political traction in Olympia.

Rep. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, unveiled the 11-point plan Wednesday morning. It includes bills to control government spending, strengthen sex offender laws and repeal the state's estate tax.

"It's a call to action. This is what the people of Washington came to us and said they cared about," Ericksen said, speaking before the Whatcom County Association of Realtors at Bellingham's Northwood Hall. "These issues are not going to go away if we wait until next year to get them accomplished." ...

- Notice that Ericksen gave his pitch to his REAL constituents... the Realtors!

... Overall, the plan, set to be discussed by party leaders in Olympia today, is reminiscent of the national Republican Party's 1994 "Contract with America." Then a minority party in Congress, the party used its promises to unify and gain control in that year's election.

While Ericksen said the state Republican plan bore some resemblance to it, he believes the issues cross party lines. ...

- This is just one more Republican scam. Ericksen is trying to put a smiley face on a Party that caters to special interests and cynically whips up distrust of democracy

Campaign news

The beginning of a new year and we're off and running...
state legislature-wise

Tuesday, January 3, 2006
ELECTIONS
Voters may be asked for parks, library levies in 2006



JON GAMBRELL
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

[Todd Donovan, a political scientist at Western Washington University:]

...Most of Whatcom County's state legislators will face re-election this year. State Rep. Doug Ericksen, a four-term Republican, already has drawn Jasper D. MacSlarrow as a competitor in the race. MacSlarrow, a 29-year-old Democrat, serves as an aide to U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen.
State Sen. Dale Brandland will run his first re-election campaign in November. Brandland, a former Whatcom County sheriff, unseated Democrat Georgia Gardner in 2002.

Reps. Kelli Linville, Jeff Morris and Dave Quall also will seek re-election. Thus far, no one has filed to run against them.

Brandland faced a hard campaign in his first election, but Donovan believes he'll have an easier time this year. However, he thinks Ericksen could face a serious challenge from MacSlarrow.

Since becoming House Republican floor leader, Ericksen "could be viewed as a partisan," Donovan said. "Being in the leadership, he can't avoid a lot of what his caucus is backing."

Time for a change

Ericksen faces challenge from aide to Larsen

JON GAMBRELL
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (12/24/05)

An aide to U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen will challenge incumbent state Rep. Doug Ericksen in next year's 42nd District race, potentially setting the stage for a high-stakes campaign.

Jasper D. MacSlarrow, 29, officially filed to run against Ericksen, a Republican, this month. A Ferndale High School graduate, MacSlarrow lives in Bellingham with his wife, Tiffany.

Though Democrats control the state House, Senate and governor's mansion, MacSlarrow said his campaign would focus on issues important to the 42nd District - which includes the northern portion of Bellingham and all of the county west of the Cascades.

"It's not about Olympia, it's about the 42nd District," he said. "It's about our district getting the right representation in Olympia."

Since November 2003, MacSlarrow has worked as Larsen's Whatcom County district representative, serving as his "eyes and ears." He plans to resign his position once his campaign for the state House begins in earnest.

Ericksen, in his fourth term, first won election to the state House in 1998, narrowly beating Democrat Al Jensen for an open seat in the 42nd District. Since then, Ericksen has won re-election to his seat with little problem, garnering 57 percent of the vote in his 2000, 2002 and 2004 campaigns.

"I think we'll take the campaign seriously," said Ericksen, 36. "We'll work hard on this campaign as we have on every campaign in the past."

His experience in the Legislature earned Ericksen the position of floor leader for House Republicans, working to rally colleagues around the caucus' causes. Before that, he served as the ranking Republican member on the transportation committee.

"Over the last seven years, I've stood up for the people in Whatcom County," Ericksen said. "It's not one thing you can point at, it's the experience of all of those years, whether its legislation for the dairy industry, the berry industry or Intalco."

Though only formally filing to run early last week MacSlarrow already has reached out to both local and state party leaders. With few state Legislature seats truly in contention next year, his race against Ericksen could garner attention and large-scale campaign contributions, said Todd Donovan, a political scientist at Western Washington University.

For now, MacSlarrow will focus on forming issues to campaign on and highlight the differences between his and Ericksen's political platforms.

"I really feel we need to continue to provide resources to our schools," MacSlarrow said. "I think we need to continue to enhance our quality of life in Whatcom County, meaning clean air and clean water and making sure we have good jobs and our community remains safe and secure."

It's time for Doug Ericksen to Go. As the Republicans floor leader, he's aligned himself with the worst of the slandering slimers in the WA Republican party.

Doug tends to stay out of the public eye, but he recently surfaced to take a cheap and totally contrived shot at the Democratic party.

In a Seattle Times article about a "poor taste" item offered for sale on the WA state Democrats website, State Rep. Doug Ericksen was quoted:

State Rep. Doug Ericksen, R-Bellingham, put out a news release Tuesday criticizing the Democrats for posting what he described as an "anti-Christian" symbol.

"It's just amazing that they have people sitting in their office who think that way," Ericksen said. "You would never see anything on a Republican Web site demeaning Judaism or the Islamic faith."

And yet, as Brian at Washblog says:

Trying to raise up in righteous indignation over a bumper sticker, Rep. Doug Ericksen? Where were you when in 2003, State Representative Lois McMahan described Islam:

"the Islamic religion is so Â? part and parcel with the attack on America"

And on a radio show shortly after those remarks were made:

She giggled through remarks she made about Mormons and Jews, while maintaining that the Islamic religion worships the wrong God, and is bent on murdering people.

And when her and fellow Republican Gary Condotta walked out of the morning prayer offered by a Muslim cleric? Hmmm?

As distasteful as this cheap-shottism is, Ericksen's voting record is what really warrants his retirement from the state legislature. His one-sided voting record exposes him as an agent of special interests, not a representative of the people of the 42nd District.

A look at how he's rated says it all.

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Association of Washington Business

Pro Business Score 97 %

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Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO

2005 WSLC Voting Records

Ericksen 42 -

2005 WSLC Voting Record 0%

Lifetime WSLC Voting Record 15%

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2003-2004 edition of the Washington
Conservation Voters (WCV) Scorecard.

Rep. Doug Ericksen (R-42) – Score 11%

Rep. Ericksen is in a race to the bottom, dropping from a lifetime high of 55% in 1999-2000 to 22% in 2001-2002 to a new current low of 11%. In a district that historically elects environmentally responsible public officials, it is puzzling why Rep. Ericksen would work against the
interests of his constituents. He voted against virtually every important piece of environmental legislation over the past two years while using his position as Ranking Minority Member on the House Transportation Committee to thwart all of the environmental community’s efforts in advocating for a balanced statewide transportation system.

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Anti-Gas Tax Loonies

The Barbarians are at the gates... and they're filing a law suite!

Anti-gas-tax group asks judge to keep state from collecting new tax

By RACHEL LA CORTE - The Associated Press

OLYMPIA — Opponents of the new gas tax hike have asked a judge to prevent the state from collecting the added revenue prior to a deadline for signatures on an initiative aimed at overturning the 9.5-cent-per-gallon increase. ...

The No New Gas Tax Group is trying to collect 275,000 signatures on Initiative 912 and force a public vote this fall — something the tax foes hope will result in a rollback of the overall 9.5-cent increase.

At this year's legislative session, state lawmakers approved a 16-year, $8.5 billion transportation package anchored by the gas tax, currently at 28 cents per gallon. Automatic increases are authorized annually: an additional 3 cents in July 2006, 2 cents more a year later, and a final 1.5 cents in July 2008.

If it's all imposed, the average motorist will pay $1 a week more in gas taxes. The average impact of the first 3 cents is $16 a year. ...

The Legislature's plan is backed by the governor, key lawmakers, labor, environmentalists, and many business and civic leaders. Advocates have formed a campaign called Keep Washington Rolling.

"I understand how frustrated a lot of citizens are," said Senate Transportation Chairwoman Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, an architect of the tax package. "Nobody ever wants to raise taxes but how do these people expect us to make these safety improvements? The longer you wait the more expensive it is."

Last week, while leading a trade mission to Europe, Gov. Christine Gregoire told reporters on a conference call that Washington's economic future depends in large part on fixing its transportation mess.

"To turn back now would be a terrible mistake," she said.
[ full article ]

These Rabid-Right-wing loonies want to "stick it to" Christine Gregoire and could care less if they ruin our states economy in the process.
You can get some REAL FACTS at Keep Washington Rolling.

Anti-Gas Tax Petitioners Give Me Gas

There are people wondering about with petitions, trying to get signatures to put I-912 on this falls ballot. The purpose of the Initiative is to repeal the increase in the Gas Tax. What a damned stupid idea!

Nobody loves a tax increase of any kind; but if you're an adult, you realize taxes are just part of paying your own way in life.

Projects in the new State Transportation Bill tackle problems that have been put off for many years, but can't be put off any longer without courting disaster. The State Legislature hammered out this bill and it passed by a pretty sizable margin.

TRANSPORTATION REVENUE--FUEL TAX

Passed by the Senate April 20, 2005

YEAS 26 NAYS 22

Passed by the House April 24, 2005

YEAS 54 NAYS 43

The people behind the anti-gas tax initiative [ Whoever they are!... they sure don't make it easy to find out. ] Say, 'the people didn't get to vote on the tax increase' ... but that's just plain silly! We elect our representatives to the State Legislature and they spend time looking into issues and making informed decisions.

The argument that we're paying for Seattles roads is kinda ditsy.
#1 Whatcom County is slated to get $56.6 million in transportation funds
#2 Seattle/King county is the economic engine of Washington state; if they don't do well, we don't do well up here.
#3 If you really crunch the numbers, King county always pays more in taxes than they get back in services.

But hey; If you don't believe me, read up on the subject for yourself.

• News: Tuesday, May 10, 2005
  Governor signs gas tax increase, transportation package
  
  
• 2005 Transportation Partnership Projects
  What does the 2005 Funding Package promise for future transportation investment in Washington?
  
  
• Thursday, June 16, 2005 - Editorial
  I-912 is backward policy on roads
  
  
• Washington State Council of Fire Fighters
  Think Before You Ink: Union Members Urged Not to Sign I-912
  
  
• Washington State Building & Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO
  Decline to Sign I-912
  
  
• Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
  Initiative 912: Don't sign it!
  
  
• 2005 Washington Defense.
  A project of the Northwest Progressive Institute
  DECLINE TO SIGN I-912
  
  
• Fighting Initiative 912

Shopping Mall? Pioneer Plaza? Coming Soon?

A phone call to the Ferndale Planning Dept. produced the following information about the Pioneer Plaza Mall development:

• The Mall developers representatives have submitted an incomplete S.E.P.A. checklist to the City.
  
• Since there are missing element to the S.E.P.A. checklist and no development plan was submitted along with the checklist (as required) - the permitting process is not progressing.
  
• The Mall developers have met with other authorities (state & fed.) about wetland impact mitigation issues - No details known.
  
• The developers are required to submit a development proposal and have a neighborhood information meeting before the permitting process can go forward.
  
• There will (also) be multiple public meetings/hearings held by the City as part of considering the proposed mall development.
  
• Permits for a Mall development the size of the proposed Pioneer Plaza will not be rubber-stamped... There will be an extensive public process to considering the proposal.