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Quest to create jobs and
restore trust in government guides lawmakers in 2004
by Rep. Richard DeBolt
The last several years
have been challenging for our state's economy and the families in our
communities. The effort to diversify and strengthen our economic climate
is a challenging one, but we believe we are on a path that will lead to
new job opportunities for citizens.
A healthy economy not only
brings prosperity to families, it supports our efforts to create good
schools, provide access to health care, maintain parks and open spaces,
and enhance our quality of life.
With a strong emphasis on
bringing jobs to Washington, we made some progress in our ongoing effort
to create a more competitive business climate in our state. But results
were mixed.
We renewed expiring tax
incentives that help employers that locate in rural, distressed areas,
as well as those that provide high-tech, high-wage jobs that will drive
our economy in the future. Some 560 companies are using these tax
incentives, and business leaders believe them important for our state to
be competitive.
The Legislature came up
short in other key areas, however, including its failure to adopt
reforms to improve our state’s regulatory climate, changes needed in our
workers’ compensation system, and perhaps most important, meaningful
reforms to our state civil justice system that is strangling consumers,
businesses and health care providers.
Civil litigation abuse and
exposure to liability dramatically affect the ongoing costs and risks
for health care providers and employers doing business in Washington.
Large jury awards and settlements have created a lottery-style civil
justice system that has led to skyrocketing insurance premiums. This
harms all of us as consumers by preventing access to affordable health
care, increasing the cost of housing, and hurting our economy.
House Republicans fought
hard for reforms to our tort system to make it more fair, predictable
and timely. But in the end, only incremental changes were approved,
falling far short of the bold reforms needed to address this crisis.
Part of lifting our state
out of economic distress means making sure government is doing its part.
That’s why Republicans think it’s essential that we protect taxpayers
and preserve core services for those who truly need government
assistance by maintaining a fiscally responsible and sustainable budget.
In 2003 House Republicans
fought for and successfully adopted a balanced budget that did not raise
general fund taxes. In 2004 the challenge before us was to adjust the
two-year budget to cover costs over the remainder of the biennium
without abandoning the sound budget principles in the original budget.
Budget negotiators reached
a compromise that attempts to strike this balance. The 2004 supplemental
budget funded many worthwhile services, such as health care for
low-income children and services for the developmentally disabled. But
the truth is we are spending more than we can afford over the long term.
Tough decisions will have to be made in 2005 to balance the next budget
without tax increases.
Some of this year’s most
significant achievements were not found in the ledgers of the state
budget. We made some historic policy changes that will enhance
opportunities for working families and improve our quality of life.
After years of effort the
Legislature authorized the establishment of a limited number of charter
schools – independent public schools that are exempt from many rules and
regulations traditional schools adhere to, but are held to the same
standards of achievement and accountability. These schools give parents
a new educational choice and local educators another tool to achieve
excellence by using proven, innovative models to meet the educational
needs of students in their communities.
The cornerstone of this
legislation is local control. Authority and oversight of charter schools
will continue to rest with the locally elected school board, and the
decision to enroll a student in a charter school rests solely with the
parent or guardian.
The most gratifying
surprise of the session was adoption of the Child Protection Act of 2004
(HB 2400). The measure toughens the law against child molesters. It also
provides major revisions to the state’s Special Sex Offender Sentencing
Alternative law (SSOSA), which has allowed serious offenders to avoid
lengthy prison sentences by opting for community-based treatment. This
policy of returning sex offenders to the streets has haunted victims and
their families.
The bill makes serious
offenders ineligible for SSOSA, establishes longer minimum sentences and
gives victims a voice in offender supervision and treatment.
These were significant
achievements for our state. And while we know there is more work to do
in areas such as tort reform, we think the state of Washington is on the
right track. We have brought spending under control, avoiding the need
for general fund tax increases at a time when families are already
struggling. And we have started on reforms that will help create jobs by
fostering an economic climate where businesses are hiring instead of
firing.
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State Rep. Richard
DeBolt, R-Chehalis, represents the 20th Legislative District, which
includes Lewis County. He is the House Republican Leader, the top GOP
leadership post in the state House of Representatives.
For more information, contact:
John Rothlin, Staff
Director - (360) 786-7254
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