Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! With the next legislative session starting next week, I want to inform you of what I have been working on the past few months.

 Limiting Property Taxes

I have been very busy since my last e-newsletter. In late November, the Governor called the legislature in for a special session to reinstate the one percent cap on property tax increases that had been thrown out by the state Supreme Court. This limit had been voted into law by the voters - I was pleased to vote for this legislation as it was important that we reinstate the will of the voters.

We passed two pieces of legislation during the special session: House Bill 2416 and Senate Bill 6178. House Bill 2416 reinstates the 1 percent property tax revenue growth measure exactly as the voters overwhelmingly approved it in 2001.

Senate Bill 6178 extends a property tax deferral program for seniors and people with disabilities to families with an annual income of $57,000 or below. People who meet the income limits are allowed to defer up to 50 percent of their property taxes until their property is sold. I supported this measure because it provides immediate relief to individuals who are in danger of losing their homes.

Besides addressing property taxes, the Legislature has spent many months this interim preparing for our upcoming Legislative session. With the session approaching next week, I’d like to update you on other issues that I will be working on.

UW-North Update

Earlier last month, the work group examining sites for the University of Washington’s new branch campus, UW-North, released its final recommendations of four “viable” sites: one is near Lake Stevens, two are near Everett, and one is near Arlington.

Many residents, cities and businesses have been involved in the selection process, and I appreciate the efforts of everyone involved. As the Legislature begins the process of picking a site and securing funding, I hope that we all remain focused on the goal of the new university – better meeting the needs of the historically underserved students of Skagit and Island Counties.

I have decided to support the Everett Station site because I believe it best meets the needs of the most number of students. It received the highest recommendation from the work group and has outstanding community support. In order to make sure our state competes with the rest of the world, I want to make this new campus the MIT of the west.

High Demand Job Skills Bill

Washington employers currently import graduates from across the United States because there simply are not enough Washington graduates to fill the job openings in high demand fields like engineering and computer sciences. Employment projections estimate that almost half of the job openings in Washington between 2007 and 2012 will be in high technology fields -- requiring an education that places a greater emphasis on math and science.

This past year, I sat on a task force addressing this need. We are committed to a multi-faceted approach that sparks an interest in young students, and provides opportunities for them to explore these interests throughout their education. We also recognize the importance of crafting an approach that pairs schools with private businesses that can show students the real-world opportunities that are open to those who excel in math and science.

In addition, I am committed to funding a marketing campaign to increase student interest and public awareness of high demand fields and degrees. Increased interest and awareness will help to ensure that high demand enrollments are largely filled by Washington students. Fixing this problem is vital to keeping Washington’s economy strong and I will be making this a high priority this session.

Creating a Rainy Day Fund

In November, voters approved a constitutionally mandated rainy day fund. This constitutional amendment requires that 1 percent of the state’s general state revenues – or about $130 million – be saved each fiscal year. The money could be accessed by a majority vote of the Legislature if:

• Forecasted state employment growth for any fiscal year is less than 1 percent, or
• The governor declares a catastrophic emergency requiring immediate government intervention to protect life or public safety.

This year will mark our first deposit into the rainy day fund. We will also be setting aside approximately $1 billion to make sure the state does not suffer if we have an economic downturn.

I am very pleased to see that the Legislature is creating a savings account and being cautious in our spending. We all need to be prepared for a downturn in the economy and this is a good first step.

Recruiting Senate Pages

The Washington State Legislature has a nationally-respected page program offered to 14-16 year old students. Pages come to Olympia for a week at a time to learn about the Legislature while also keeping up with their schoolwork. Applications can be found online and must be returned to my office. I hope young people from my district will be interested in this opportunity to learn more about the inner workings of our democracy.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with your questions or concerns. I can be reached at 360-786-7640 or shin.paull@leg.wa.gov.

It is my privilege to serve you.

Sincerely,

Paull Shin
State Senator, 21st Legislative District

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