In the year’s first Legislative session, will anything else get done besides balance the state’s $23 billion budget? The 26th and 35th District legislators have a few ideas.

Lois McMahan is the only Republican house member in the 26th and 35th Districts but is joined by Beverly Woods in the 23rd District. McMahan returns to the House after a stint from 1994 to 1996.

The Olalla resident has reduction of the B&O tax on her mind, as well as passage of a “Harmful to Minors” law relating to access to pornography. Both are long-held goals for her.

“I believe we have to do something immediately to ease the regulatory and the tax burdens on business before even more leave the state,” McMahan said.

In 2003, the state House and Senate are not deadlocked. Each has a majority, with Republicans in control of the Senate, by a 24-25 margin, and Democrats leading the house. Despite this, McMahan is expecting is one special session after the regular session, Jan. 13 to April 27.

“It’s not going to be easy,” McMahan said of the 2003 session. “But since I’m not expecting it to be easy I’m going into it with a lot of satisfaction.”

On Dec. 17 Gov. Gary Locke proposed a bare bones $23 billion budget, which cut 2,500 state jobs, and results in less money in the take-home checks for teachers.

“The process that the governor has gone through is the process we need to go through,” McMahan said. “It is unlikely the Republican-led legislature will agree with his priorities.”

There is expected to be a fight over Locke’s proposed cuts in the state’s Basic Heath Care plan. Patricia Lantz (D-Gig Harbor) can be expected to be a strong voice against other proposed cuts in secondary education enrollment and funding.

Other items are also likely to come to the forefront during the session. As clearing work begins in Gig Harbor for a parallel Tacoma Narrows Bridge, how the money will be monitored by the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Legislative Oversight Committee, chaired by 26th District Sen. Bob Oke (R-Port Orchard). Other members of the committee are Sen. Betti Sheldon (D-23rd District), Rep. Mark Miloscia (D-30th District) and Rep. Tom Mielke (R-18th District).

The committee is charged with monitoring the progress, execution and efficiency of the design-build contract

Oke can also be expected to renew his efforts to end the wide distribution of tobacco samples, which failed to get to the House floor last session.

Secretary of State Sam Reed’s plan to move primary elections to June will likely be addressed. It may not receive quite as much contention as the effort to end Washington’s blanket primary system. Rep. Dave Schmidt, R-Bothell has already agreed to sponsor it.

McMahan said she is reworking other bills that she supported back when she was voted out of office, losing to Lantz. Two of them are an un-funded mandate bill and an alternate certification bill for teachers.

Jim West, Senate majority leader can be expected to bring forward the recommendations of the Competitiveness Council to the floor for an up or down vote, according to the Washington State Republican Party platform for the session.

Those recommendations include streamlining state bureaucracies and regulations, and making state agencies more citizen-friendly,” the WSRP platform states. “The bipartisan proposals will encourage family-wage jobs.”

(Editor’s Note: Temple A. Stark is a free-lance writer living in Port Orchard. Reach him at writer@templestark.com)

Area Legislators

26th District
Pat Lantz (D) — 360-786-7964 — lantz_pa@leg.wa.gov
Lois McMahan (R) — 360-786-7802 — mcmahan_lo@leg.wa.gov
Sen. Bob Oke (R) — 360-786-7650 — oke_bo@leg.wa.gov

35th District
Kathryn Haigh (D) — 360-786-7966 — haigh_ka@leg.wa.gov
Bill Eickmeyer (D) — 360-786-7902 — eickmeye@leg.wa.gov
Sen. Tim Sheldon (D) — 360-786-7668 — sheldon_ti@leg.wa.gov

23rd District
Phil Rockefeller (D) — 360-786-7934 — rockefel@leg.wa.gov
Beverly Woods (R) — 360-786-7842 — woods_be@leg.wa.gov
Sen. Betti Sheldon (D) — 360-786-7644 — sheldon_bepa@leg.wa.gov