WSSRA Message Line Update – Wednesday, September 1, 2010

View results of the August 17^th Primary Election using the following links to the Secretary of State’s web site:

·         State Legislative Primary Election Results

http://vote.wa.gov/Elections/WEI/Results.aspx?RaceTypeCode=O&JurisdictionTypeID=5&ElectionID=36&ViewMode=Map

·         FYI ~ All Primary Election Results:  Federal, Congressional, Legislative, Judicial, Voter Turnout

http://vote.wa.gov/Elections/WEI/?ElectionID=36

County certification of the Primary Election results is scheduled for today, September 1^st, followed by State certification of the Primary Election results on Tuesday, September 7^th.

The General Election is scheduled for Tuesday November 2^nd.   County certification of the November 2^nd General Election results is scheduled for November 23^rd, followed by State certification of the General Election results on January 2^nd.

The “long” 105-day 2011 Legislative Session is scheduled to convene on Monday, January 10^th, and adjourn Sunday, April 24^th.

The 2011 Session will be measured by what benefits of current and future retirees we have been able to fully protect, not by what benefit improvements are enacted.   The so-called “7-11 tax package” (i.e. new and/or increased taxes on candy, gum, bottled water, and selected beer) that passed during the 2010 Session will likely be insufficient over the long-term to meet the State’s revenue needs.  Inadequate revenues, doubling pension costs, increasing health care costs for employees, retirees, and other social services; plus a need for re-prioritization of government that reflects the “new normal” of the state and national economies - will all combine to result in huge challenges for this State.

We must be prepared to address:

·         Responsible pension funding – See the attached 8/12/10 Interim Briefing Paper which addresses this top issue for WSSRA

·         Retention of COLA and other pension benefits for current and future retirees

·         Continuation of the PEBB Medicare eligible retiree “explicit subsidy,” and

·         Establishment of Plan 2 as the default plan for new hires in TRS, SERS, and PERS.  This is a “win-win” proposal as Defined Benefit (DB) pension plans save employers money over Defined Contribution (DC) plans, and increase retirement security to employees.

From now through next spring, WSSRA members must be at the top of their game in their efforts to advocate on behalf of school retirees!  

The key to success during the 2011 Legislative Session will be our efforts NOW in communicating WSSRA issues and exchanging ideas with:

·         the ½ of the Senate whose positions are not subject to election this November

·         incumbent legislators whose positions are subject to election this November (i.e. the entire House of Representatives and ½ the Senate), and

·         challenging candidates running for office.

Senate members’whose term expires in January of 2011, and thus must stand for election this fall include: 

Berkey, Jean (D-38)
Brandland, Dale (R-42) *

Delvin, Jerome (R-8)
Eide, Tracey (D-30)
Fairley, Darlene (D-32) *
Franklin, Rosa (D-29) *
Gordon, Randy (D-41)

Hobbs, Steve (D-44)
Holmquist, Janéa (R-13)

Honeyford, Jim (R-15)
Jacobsen, Ken (D-46) *
Kauffman, Claudia (D-47)

Keiser, Karen (D-33)                           

Kilmer, Derek (D-26)

Kline, Adam (D-37)
Kohl-Welles, Jeanne (D-36)
Marr, Chris (D-6)

McDermott, Joe (D-34) *
Morton, Bob (R-7)
Murray, Ed (D-43)
Oemig, Eric (D-45)
Roach, Pam (R-31)
Sheldon, Tim (D-35)
Shin, Paull (D-21)
Tom, Rodney (D-48)

* = not running for re-election

Update will be as needed.