League of Women Voters of Kitsap

Plan to attend the next League of Women Voters of Kitsap meeting.

Here are the details:

Kitsap County Shoreline Master Plan Update
Wednesday, April 18, 9:30 a.m. to noon
Eagles Nest, 1200 Fairgrounds Road NW, Bremerton
With speaker Dave Greetham, Land Use and Environmental reviewer, Kitsap County Department of Community Development
Greetham will present plans developed over a two-year span, with maps of designated shoreline environmental areas and regulations for each.
Come with questions, suggestions and comments. This is a work-in-process, but due to be completed by December 2012.
For information, call Judy Matchett at 360-830-4154.
The meeting will be videotaped and broadcast courtesy of BKAT.

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LWVK’s next public meeting will focus on health care, specifically on the whether single payer health care could work in our state.
Here are the details:
When: Wednesday, March 28, 2-4 p.m.
Where: Poulsbo City Hall Council Chambers
Speaker: Martha Koester, board member of Health Care for All-WA
Come get your questions answered: and bring a friend.
Some of the topics to be discussed:
What is the Washington State Health Security Trust?
Can Washington create its own universal health care system?
What are the problems with the health care reform act?
What are the differences between publicly funded 
and for-profit health care?
What are the options for paying for a better health care system?
Videotaped and broadcast courtesy of BKAT (Bremerton/Kitsap Access TV)
Presented through a community partnership with the Kitsap Sun
For more information call Pam Hamon at 360-598-3508 or e-mail pchamon@msn.com

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From Eagle Harbor Books:

You are invited to join the authors of Politics of the Possible, Mary Ellen McCaffree and Anne McNamee Corbett, this Thursday for a discussion of positive politics and how to achieve a legislative process that focuses on problem solving with policy in the public’s interest. Also we expect to consider the citizens’ role in the governmental process through greater understanding of how the legislative process really works, especially among younger voters.

The discussion will take place at Eagle Harbor Books, 157 Winslow Way E, Bainbridge Island at 7:30 P.M., Thursday, March 8 and will be based on the new book, Politics of the Possible, the Decade Our American Democracy Worked. .

Mary Ellen is a “life time” member of the League of Women Voters and a member of the Kitsap League for many years following the early 1980′s. Formerly a two term President of the Seattle League, she resigned to seek and did serve four terms in the House of Representative in the State legislature. Mary Ellen pays special tribute to the League, not only in providing her experience valuable in the legislature, but for its efforts and its role in spurring greater voter awareness and involvement and in spearheading change. The book’s “message is as American as they come: citizens can make a difference.”

The book offers a timely and refreshing approach to today’s often frustrating governmental process. The authors tell how collaboration between the political parties was achieved during the tumult of the 1960’s and stands as a model for our times. It shows how politics can be positive and progressive and how a responsible focus on problem solving can overcome partisan ills. You will find more story detail as well as detailed information about the authors on the web site, www.politicsofthepossible.com.

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Our January program planning meeting had to be canceled because of an ill-timed snowstorm. So we’ll spend an hour on program planning at our next gathering, Wednesday, Feb. 29 
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
at The Red Barn at Country Meadows,
12169 Country Meadows Lane (off Silverdale Way).
Then we’ll switch to reaching consensus on the League’s position on privatization. Materials on the subject were included in the February Voter, which is sent to all members. If you don’t have it, find it on our website, www.lwvwa.org/kitsap. Or go to www.lwvus.org and search under privatization.
We plan to take time for informal socializing as well. We hope to see everyone there.
We’ll have a buffet lunch of soups, salads, deli meats and dessert for $15 per person. If you plan to attend and have not yet RSVP’d, please do so by Wednesday, Feb. 22 by calling or e-mailing Ann Strosnider at (360) 871-0908, or astrosnider@mac.com, so we have an accurate count of those planning to attend. You may pay the day of the luncheon/meeting.
And be sure to mark your calendar for our next gathering, a public meeting on health care from 2 to 4 p.m. March 28 at Poulsbo City Hall. Our speaker will be Martha Koester on the topic, “Could Single Payer Health Care for All Work in Washington State?”

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Founded by activists who secured voting rights for women, the League of Women Voters has always worked to promote the values and processes of representative government. The League believes in an open governmental system that is representative, accountable and responsive – one that assures opportunities for citizen participation in government decision-making.

Because of these deeply held convictions, League of Women Voters of WA led the opposition of the two charter school initiatives and the referendum in 1996, 2000 and 2004 that were rejected by the voters. And we oppose HB 2428 and SB 6202 for the following reasons:

• Private boards selected by non-profit corporations rather than publicly elected by citizens will govern charter schools. Voters will lose their right to elect representatives to oversee the spending of their taxes.
• Charter schools will be exempt from state statutes and rules applicable to school districts and boards, creating a separate and unequal school system even though Article IX of the Washington state Constitution requires a general and uniform system of public schools. *
• HB 2428 and SB 6202 will create additional administrative functions and costs for the State Board of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and School Districts at a time when further cuts are proposed for K-12, and the Supreme Court has ruled in McCleary v. State that Washington is failing to provide ample funding for education. *
• There are many successful innovative and alternative schools as part of the public school system in Washington state. Let’s encourage them and work toward full funding rather than be distracted by charter schools that the voters have already rejected three times.

Further points:

* The Washington Supreme Court has stated that a common school is open “to all
children . . . free, and subject to, and under the control of, the qualified voters of the
school district.” (School Dist. No. 20 v. Bryan, 51 Wash. 498)
* Education Week’s Quality Counts report gave Washington an F grade in education
spending and ranked the state 42nd in per-pupil spending and 44th in expenditures
as a percent of state taxable resources.

Catherine Ahl
Education Chair, LWVWA

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The Legislature adjourned the special legislative session on Wednesday, December 14th. The Early Action Budget Bill (Substitute House Bill 2058) reduces the state budget shortfall by $480 million through a combination of cuts, fund transfers and a small amount of additional revenue from the sale of unclaimed property. The regular session begins on January 9, 2012 and legislators will continue work to close the remaining $1.5 billion budget gap.
PRIORITY ACTION ITEM
Budget Issues
During the week before Christmas, please take a minute to contact your legislators and the Governor about your budget concerns and your support for raising revenues to fill the budget holes. Strategies still under discussion include:
Increasing the sales tax by a small amount for a defined time period.
Securitization of bonds.
Closing tax loopholes.
Imposing a capital gains tax.
League Position: State Tax Policy Action to obtain a balanced tax structure that is fair, adequate, flexible and has a sound economic effect.
ACTION: Along with contacting your legislators and the Governor about the need to raise revenue, talk with your friends, neighbors, relatives— everyone—and ask them to also contact your legislators and the Governor with the same message. Legislators and the Governor need to hear from all of us!
LWVWA Contact: Pat Dickason, Action Chair, 360 753-7647

ACTION ITEM

Children and Family Issues
Washington State just won a $60 million federal Race to the Top early learning grant to improve child care and early learning. This grant depends on $1.3 million of state funding for the Child Care Resource and Referral Network. The Governor’s supplemental budget proposal eliminates this funding.
League Position: Action to improve and support child care quality and access for low-income families.
ACTION: Contact your legislators and the Governor before January 9th to request they support maintaining $1.3 million in state funds for this critical child care and early learning program.
LWVWA Contact: Margie Reeves; Karen Tvedt; Pat Dickason; Children and Family Portfolio

This is our last Legislative Newsletter for 2011. We’ll be back with more weekly Newsletters in January: your Lobby Team will work to keep you informed about League positions and legislative activities throughout the 2012 Session. We’ll recommend actions for you to take to support the League of Women Voters of Washington positions. Thanks for helping the League maintain its well-deserved reputation for thoughtful, reasoned legislative activities. Your Lobby Team appreciates your support.

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LWVWA 2012 Legislative Priorities

Strengthen Democracy
• Protect state funding that invests in programs to promote a more positive future for all citizens

Support Education, Early Learning, Families and Children
• Prevent further reduction of services and quality of public education
• Protect funding and programs to meet basic needs of families and children
• Promote policies and programs that promote the well-being and safety of all children
• Improve and support child care quality and access for low-income families

Improve Access to Health Care
• Ensure access for all residents to comprehensive, uniform, and affordable health services
• Use implementation of the Affordable Care Act to:

- Help maintain funding for public health

- Help maintain health coverage for low income populations

- Provide incentives for primary care doctors to work in under-served areas

Protect Natural Resources and Human Health
• Adopt effective programs to clean up and prevent pollutants from entering the state’s air, soil and water
• Reduce and eliminate toxic chemicals in children’s products quickly and effectively
• Continue to support increased fuel efficiency across all modes of transportation

For more information see www.lwvwa.org.

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The League of Women Voters of Kitsap will explore the federal role in public education at its next meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Eagles Nest, 1200 Fairgrounds Road, Bremerton.
A panel of local educators will be on hand to discuss the issues and answer questions. They are Greg Lynch, Superintendent, Central Kitsap School District; Kathryn Simpson, Board President, South Kitsap School District; Wayne Lindberg, Finance and Operations Director, Bremerton School District; and Chris Fraser, President, North Kitsap Education Association.
Please plan to attend and bring your questions. For example, has No Child Left Behind worked? Should the federal government mandate items as a condition for funding or should there be more equity and/or flexibility in funding? Should common standards, assessments and curriculum be required or voluntary in all states?
The gathering is free and open to the public. For information call (360) 697-7924.

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Election season is upon us, and the League of Women Voters of Kitsap will be holding four public forums in October to help voters get acquainted with candidates and issues on the November ballot.

Here’s the schedule:

Oct. 4: Bainbridge City Council Chambers
6:30-9 p.m.

Council District 1 – At Large: Steven Bonkowski and Barry Peters
Council District 2 – North Ward: Anne S. Blair and Melanie M. Keenan
Council District 4 – Central Ward: David Ward and Joe Levan
Council District 6 – South Ward: Sarah Blossom and Robert Dashiel
Bring your questions for the candidates.
Forum will be taped and broadcast later on BKAT

Oct. 6: Port Orchard City Council Chambers
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Port Orchard Mayor: Tim Mathes and Lary Coppola
City Council Position #5: Amy Miller and Cindy Lucarelli
City Council At-Large: Ben Pinneo and Jerry Childs
South Kitsap School Board District 5: Gregory Wall and Adele Macomber LaCombe
Bring your questions for the candidates.

Oct. 10: Norm Dicks Government Center, Bremerton
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Bremerton City Council, District #2: Cecil McConnell and Leslie Daugs
Port of Bremerton Commissioner, District 3: Axel Strakeljahn and Shawn Cucciardi
Discussion of Kitsap County’s proposal for a Veterans Human Services Levy
Bring your questions for the candidates.
Forum will be taped and broadcast later on BKAT

Oct. 13: Poulsbo City Hall
6:30 to 9 p.m.
County Commissioner, District #1: Chris Tibbs and Rob Gelder
Poulsbo City Council Position #2: Mike Dunphy and Connie Lord
North Kitsap School Board, District #4: Scott Henden and Val Torrens
Bring your questions for the candidates.
Forum will be taped and broadcast later on BKAT

For information on forums call (360) 871-3993.

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