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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Due to election-year restrictions, this will be my last e-newsletter update until December. However, I want you to know that I work for you throughout the year, not just when the Legislature is in session. So please feel free to contact my office in Olympia any time. My legislative assistant, Shelby Pelon, will be happy to help you. You'll find my contact information at the bottom of this e-newsletter.
Pike newsletter coming to mailboxes/email inboxes soon
In a few days, I will be sending my 2016 Legislative Review newsletter to households throughout the 18th District. I am also allowed to send that report to you via e-mail, so be looking for it soon in your email inbox.
A quick look at our successes
As we wrap up this e-newsletter for the year, it's a good opportunity to look back at the successes over the past two years. Here's a quick view of some of those accomplishments during the biennium. Click on the links for more information.
- Invested an additional $3 billion into K-12 education, a 19 percent increase.
- Lowered public college and university tuition rates.
- Prevented major tax increases.
- Saved public charter schools.
- Provided pay raises for our hard-working Washington State Patrol troopers.
- Blocked Gov. Inslee's proposed low carbon fuel standard, which would have boosted the price of fuel, clothes, food and energy, without making a meaningful impact on global carbon emissions.
- Passed legislation allowing licensing subagents to keep a portion of fees when issuing a quick title.
- Passed legislation ending costly separation of five- and six-year olds in day care centers from those of the same group enrolled in schools.
- Provided $500,000 in the supplemental capital construction budget for improvements to the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad Museum and a new maintenance facility in Yacolt to preserve steam engines.
- Provided $300,000 in the supplemental transportation budget for permitting and design of reconstruction of the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad bridge trestle at milepost 12.45.
- Stopped the assault on Second Amendment rights against law-abiding firearms owners.
- Named “2015 Legislator of the Year” by the Coastal Conservation Association for my work to expand recreational fishing opportunities in Washington through House Bill 1660.
Go here to see my prime-sponsored bills for 2015 and 2016.
More work ahead
Protecting life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness remains my theme as I work on behalf of our citizens in the 18th District and across the state to make Washington better for us, our children and generations beyond.
It is my greatest honor to serve in the state Legislature. While we've had many successes, there are still plenty more things to do. Here are just a few of those items I call “unfinished business:”
- Bring legislators from Oregon and Washington together, Democrats and Republicans, to seek out and secure affordable cross-river solutions between Clark County and Portland that would provide traffic relief along the I-5 corridor and help move our freight. (I will not, however, support any proposal that contains light rail.)
- Work to lower injury- and fatality rates among young drivers between the ages of 16 and 25.
- Continue my efforts to expand sport-fishing opportunities in Washington state.
- Reform Washington's Growth Management Act to help struggling rural economies.
I want to hear from you!
Some of the best legislation comes from meetings I have with constituents. From educators, business owners, sports fishermen, and many others, I've worked to create a better Washington for us all. I welcome your suggestions, comments and ideas. Feel free to call my office if you have any input or would like to schedule a meeting with me.
Also, I am happy to speak with any groups, agencies or organizations interested in legislative issues.
Thank you for the honor of allowing me to serve you!
Sincerely,
Liz Pike
"Protecting life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!"
