The legislature is now well into special session. Two weeks ago, WPD organized and showed up in force to address Senator Dino Rossi’s (R – 45th LD) political stunt of sponsoring SB 5929, an identical version of the House Democrats’ revenue package, HB 2186, at the Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing. The hearing room and two overflow rooms were packed, with even more people in yet another room. 77 people signed in to testify pro vs. 49 signed in to testify con, in addition to 186 more who signed in pro versus 40 who signed in con, for a grand total of 263 PRO vs 89 CON, a nearly three to one ratio. Here’s a link to a Seattle Times piece that ran about the hearing, and here is a link to video of the whole hearing.
WPD will continue to advocate during special session(s) and ask you to please take one (or more!) of these Actions 4 Education to amplify our collective voice in calling for new and fair revenue to fully fund education:
1. Attend an Event!
Snohomish County Education Funding Advocacy Party
Tuesday, May 9th, 7-9 pm
Location: Northshore Education Association https://www.facebook.com/
2. Contact your state legislators and ask them to fulfill their paramount duty.
http://paramountduty.org/
3. Learn more about Capital Gains Tax
This is an important read about the capital gains tax and who pays it. Republican legislators and big businesses are spending a lot of money to mislead you into thinking that this would hurt small businesses. It will actually help them, and the tax would be paid by the richest investors and the largest corporations.
We saw these special interests on display at the Senate Ways & Means Committee hearing mentioned above, and we will be working to daylight their efforts to protect their pocketbooks rather than support fully funding education without cutting safety net social services, higher ed and early learning.
4. Join the WPD Dandelion Dash to Olympia
Seattle Public Schools have early dismissal this Wednesday, and we hope you will dash to Olympia in support of the teachers who have been Occupying Olympia since last week. Teachers are maintaining a presence at the Capitol to advocate for amply funding public schools in accordance with our constitutional paramount duty, and we want them to know how much we appreciate their efforts by rallying together in favor of new revenue for our schools! #dandydash