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Condotta says 2004
legislative session ended on a positive note
The 2004 legislative
session ended with the Legislature approving several important measures
that will be good for Washington citizens and particularly the people of
Central Washington,
Rep. Cary Condotta, R-East Wenatchee, said today.
“It’s a challenge in a
60-day session to make the sweeping changes many of us would like to see
in state government,” Condotta said. “But we were able to make some
positive steps and achieve some important changes.”
Condotta pointed first to a measure that will have a direct, positive
impact on people in the 12th District: a bill to temporarily reduce
aluminum companies’ business and occupation tax rate and provide some
additional tax exemptions. Condotta co-sponsored the measure in the
House, and the version that passed was a nearly identical one begun in
the Senate.
“This measure will affect the jobs at the Wenatchee Alcoa plant,” said
Condotta. “It could help the company restart the plant and begin making
aluminum again.”
Condotta pointed to other measures that will help employers, including a
bill to squelch employee, employer and provider fraud in the state
workers’ compensation program.
The Legislature also passed other key pieces of legislation in its last
days, including increased penalties for child rapists, a new primary
election system, and a supplemental operating budget plan that doesn’t
raise taxes.
Condotta is also particularly pleased with a bill the Legislature passed
to give local governments control over burning and orchard removal.
Condotta sponsored such a bill in the House, and a companion bill in the
Senate – using Condotta’s language – made it onto the governor’s desk.
Condotta said there were several things the Legislature did not
accomplish this year – issues they should take up again next year.
“Several bills that died this year may have a better chance of making it
next year, in a longer legislative session,” said Condotta. “We didn’t
pass anything related to tort reform, the minimum wage continues to grow
unchecked, and we didn’t put the brakes on state agency rulemaking. We
will take another look at these we come back to Olympia in 2005 under a
fresh, new administration.”
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For more information, contact:
Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer: (360) 786-7252
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