The Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) currently has an open position for an executive from a large business (50+ employees) from the area west of the Cascades. As an economic development leader in Pierce County, the Chamber wanted to call the board vacancy to our members' attention. Please feel free to distribute to any interested parties.
Community Economic Revitalization BoardThe Community Economic Revitalization Board is Washington's strategic economic development resource, focused on creating and retaining jobs in partnership with local governments. CERB finances public infrastructure to encourage new development and expansion in targeted areas. CERB's objectives are to strengthen the economies of areas of the state that have experienced high unemployment rates or below-average economic growth; to encourage the diversification of economies throughout the state; and to provide incentives for expansion of employment opportunities.
CERB meetings are scheduled six times a year to consider project applications. Please see our schedule of meeting dates and application deadlines.
If you have any questions or suggestions for potential Pierce County applicants, please feel free to contact myself or Stacey Tichenor, the Governor's Executive Analyst for Boards & Commission at (360) 902-4109 or stacey.tichenor@gov.wa.gov.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Sneak Peek #2: Sound Transit Article
Here's another article that will appear later in the Chamber's newsletter:
The 15-year mass transit package will increase express bus and commuter rail service in a three-county area, including Pierce County, and add 55 miles of new regional light rail to the existing system.
If passed, Pierce County residents can expect improvements to regional transit services in Lakewood, Puyallup, Tacoma and Sumner and will potential include expanded parking, pedestrian improvements at or near existing stations, additional bus/transfer facilities for feeder stations, bicycle access and storage at stations, and new drop-off areas for increased ridesharing. In addition, bus and commuter rail service will be expanded, although light rail from here northward will not occur in this package.
The price tag for this measure is estimated at $17.9 billion, which will be paid through a half-of-one percent sales tax increase (about five cents on a $10 purchase) and the continuation of existing Sound Move taxes (a 0.4% sales tax and 0.3% vehicle license tax).
Supporters state the new package will enable greater economic development through the improved transportation of goods and employees; will allow better growth management; could cut car and truck travel as much as 30 percent; expect reduced carbon dioxide pollution by nearly 100,000 tons a year and will likely save consumers $41 million annually in reduced fuel costs if voters approve the plan and commuters switch to transit
Supporters estimate the number of riders will double to 110,000 from the 55,000 riders who use Sound Transit every day due to the 1009 opening of service between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tacoma International Airport.
Critics contend the new package cost much more than expected, ridership will not increase, and this package will ultimately do little to remove cars from roadway congestion. Some critics would rather see more funding for rapid bus service to obtain a bigger bang for the buck.
More information on this package can be found on the Chamber’s Live Wire blog at http://www.tacomachamber.blogspot.com/. [See below for the links.]
After several discussions and meetings, the Public Affairs Council decided to take a neutral position on the Sound Transit 2 measure on this November’s ballot. The Chamber is asking its members to review the package to determine for themselves the best course of action.
The 15-year mass transit package will increase express bus and commuter rail service in a three-county area, including Pierce County, and add 55 miles of new regional light rail to the existing system.If passed, Pierce County residents can expect improvements to regional transit services in Lakewood, Puyallup, Tacoma and Sumner and will potential include expanded parking, pedestrian improvements at or near existing stations, additional bus/transfer facilities for feeder stations, bicycle access and storage at stations, and new drop-off areas for increased ridesharing. In addition, bus and commuter rail service will be expanded, although light rail from here northward will not occur in this package.
The price tag for this measure is estimated at $17.9 billion, which will be paid through a half-of-one percent sales tax increase (about five cents on a $10 purchase) and the continuation of existing Sound Move taxes (a 0.4% sales tax and 0.3% vehicle license tax).
Supporters state the new package will enable greater economic development through the improved transportation of goods and employees; will allow better growth management; could cut car and truck travel as much as 30 percent; expect reduced carbon dioxide pollution by nearly 100,000 tons a year and will likely save consumers $41 million annually in reduced fuel costs if voters approve the plan and commuters switch to transit
Supporters estimate the number of riders will double to 110,000 from the 55,000 riders who use Sound Transit every day due to the 1009 opening of service between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tacoma International Airport.
Critics contend the new package cost much more than expected, ridership will not increase, and this package will ultimately do little to remove cars from roadway congestion. Some critics would rather see more funding for rapid bus service to obtain a bigger bang for the buck.
More information on this package can be found on the Chamber’s Live Wire blog at http://www.tacomachamber.blogspot.com/. [See below for the links.]
Sneak Peek: I-1029 Article
You get a first look at an article that will appear in the Chamber's newsletter later this month about Initiative 1029 (it hasn't even been edited yet).
The Chamber’s Board will be voting on a resolution to oppose Initiative 1029, a state-wide
measure that mandates additional training, additional background checks and disciplinary standards for long-term care workers for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
On the surface, this measure appears worthy of support. But after the Chamber’s Public Affairs Council reviewed the measure, they determined the initiative was too time-consuming (especially for smaller care-giving organizations), burdensome and duplicative.
“It doesn’t make sense to have an FBI background check on care-givers, which adds cost and time constraints, when the State Patrol already does one now,” said Gary Nomensen, Vice Chair of the Public Affairs Council.
The Public Affairs Council determined the initiative will eliminate jobs, limited care options, does not allow training to be tailored to specific situations, and forces expensive training on workers when there is no evidence showing it would actually improve care.
The impact on families was highlighted as well. “This initiative will make it more expensive for families to have basic care provided for their family members,” said Hans Hechtman, who served on the Public Affairs Council. He added, “It will even force paid family members to take unnecessary and expensive training before caring for one of their family members. In other words, a mother who has cared for her child since birth would be unable to provide care services to that same child if they were to become disabled.”
The cost to benefits ratio was a major factor for many Public Affairs Council members. "The Office of Financial Management estimates it will cost taxpayers at least $135 million for the next five years,” said Ray Tennison, a Public Affairs Council member. “This is an expensive solution to problems that don’t exist.”
The Public Affairs Council recommended the resolution to the Chamber’s Board of Directors to oppose this measure and the vote will take place by the end of September (after this article goes to press).
This issue actually began near the end of the last legislative session, when a workgroup selected by Governor Gregoire of senior care providers, elected officials and industry advocates reviewed training issues for Washington State’s long-term care workers. The review process of the workgroup found no evidence that exceptional amounts of training hours would increase the quality of care.
According to sources, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which had participated in the process, turned its back on the work done collectively with these experts. After their legislation was rejected by democrats in the legislature last session, the union collected enough signatures to offer a ballot measure this November.
The measure alarms many long-term care workers and businesspeople in the industry.
“If this initiative passes in November, it will likely put me out of business,” said Randy Walden, owner of Heartwarming Care and recent winner of the Chamber’s Minority-owned Business Award. Mr. Walden fears the excessive training demanded by this measure will burden his business with additional costs and limit his ability to schedule his employees, who work directly in the homes of their clients.
Having spent nearly a year serving on the Governor’s workgroup responsible for reviewing these issues, he expressed his frustration having one of the key partners in that endeavor abandon the group’s collective work.
Mr. Walden will be at the Chamber’s Board meeting when it discusses the resolution to oppose Initiative 1029 and he intends to speak. “This initiative is wrong for the industry, bad for business, but even more, it will hurt the seniors and disabled folks it claims to help. The Chamber’s Board needs to vote for this resolution and its members need to stop this initiative in November by voting NO.”
Go to the Chamber’s Live Wire blog at http://www.tacomachamber.blogspot.org/ for the results of the Chamber Board’s vote and for additional resources. [Ignore that part. The resources are below.]
Office of Financial Management: I-1029 Impacts
No on Initiative I-1029: Community Care Coalitation
Governor Gregoire's Workgroup Final Report
The Chamber’s Board will be voting on a resolution to oppose Initiative 1029, a state-wide
measure that mandates additional training, additional background checks and disciplinary standards for long-term care workers for the elderly and persons with disabilities.On the surface, this measure appears worthy of support. But after the Chamber’s Public Affairs Council reviewed the measure, they determined the initiative was too time-consuming (especially for smaller care-giving organizations), burdensome and duplicative.
“It doesn’t make sense to have an FBI background check on care-givers, which adds cost and time constraints, when the State Patrol already does one now,” said Gary Nomensen, Vice Chair of the Public Affairs Council.
The Public Affairs Council determined the initiative will eliminate jobs, limited care options, does not allow training to be tailored to specific situations, and forces expensive training on workers when there is no evidence showing it would actually improve care.
The impact on families was highlighted as well. “This initiative will make it more expensive for families to have basic care provided for their family members,” said Hans Hechtman, who served on the Public Affairs Council. He added, “It will even force paid family members to take unnecessary and expensive training before caring for one of their family members. In other words, a mother who has cared for her child since birth would be unable to provide care services to that same child if they were to become disabled.”
The cost to benefits ratio was a major factor for many Public Affairs Council members. "The Office of Financial Management estimates it will cost taxpayers at least $135 million for the next five years,” said Ray Tennison, a Public Affairs Council member. “This is an expensive solution to problems that don’t exist.”
The Public Affairs Council recommended the resolution to the Chamber’s Board of Directors to oppose this measure and the vote will take place by the end of September (after this article goes to press).
This issue actually began near the end of the last legislative session, when a workgroup selected by Governor Gregoire of senior care providers, elected officials and industry advocates reviewed training issues for Washington State’s long-term care workers. The review process of the workgroup found no evidence that exceptional amounts of training hours would increase the quality of care.
According to sources, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which had participated in the process, turned its back on the work done collectively with these experts. After their legislation was rejected by democrats in the legislature last session, the union collected enough signatures to offer a ballot measure this November.
The measure alarms many long-term care workers and businesspeople in the industry.
“If this initiative passes in November, it will likely put me out of business,” said Randy Walden, owner of Heartwarming Care and recent winner of the Chamber’s Minority-owned Business Award. Mr. Walden fears the excessive training demanded by this measure will burden his business with additional costs and limit his ability to schedule his employees, who work directly in the homes of their clients.
Having spent nearly a year serving on the Governor’s workgroup responsible for reviewing these issues, he expressed his frustration having one of the key partners in that endeavor abandon the group’s collective work.
Mr. Walden will be at the Chamber’s Board meeting when it discusses the resolution to oppose Initiative 1029 and he intends to speak. “This initiative is wrong for the industry, bad for business, but even more, it will hurt the seniors and disabled folks it claims to help. The Chamber’s Board needs to vote for this resolution and its members need to stop this initiative in November by voting NO.”
Go to the Chamber’s Live Wire blog at http://www.tacomachamber.blogspot.org/ for the results of the Chamber Board’s vote and for additional resources. [Ignore that part. The resources are below.]
Office of Financial Management: I-1029 Impacts
No on Initiative I-1029: Community Care Coalitation
Governor Gregoire's Workgroup Final Report
One-Minute Voter
Secretary of State Sam Reed has a clever new item on the office website, so now all it takes is one minute of your time to become a better informed voter.
Click this link to access a personal website for yourself that includes:
Click this link to access a personal website for yourself that includes:- candidate statements for those appearing on your ballot,
- photos for the upcoming election,
- maps to the nearest ballot drop box location, and even
- online address change forms.
Best of all, the site will contain contact information for the elected officials who represent you.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Advocacy Makes Winner of Ft. Lewis
The area is a “winner” in several years of efforts to realign the Army and improve the nation’s defense posture. Ft. Lewis has and will continue to grow. Like any other major development, that growth will bring challenges along with its benefits.
But this summer, a surge of 10,000 returning soldiers plus possibly family dependents, will be returning from deployments. This “summer surge” will bring the impacts to education, housing and transportation that the community has missed since the post’s growth began in 2003.
In a forum this summer, the Chamber presented a forum of state and local elected officials along with Army leadership. The results:
The most immediate impact will undoubtedly be in transportation. Peaks of congestion are already evident at Ft. Lewis’s five gates. While some smaller new military units are still to come, already 13,000 military-affiliated students attend school districts in Pierce and Thurston Counties. Yet, only seven districts are known to track and seek federal compensation for military-affiliated students’ registration. While 70% of soldiers live off post, the housing impact will be spread around as about 55% of soldiers live in Pierce County and 45% in Thurston, a growing trend over the last few years.
Gov. Chris Gregoire’s keynote presentation at the forum addressed these community impacts and those of associated veterans’ issues. Patrick O’Brien, Director of the Office of Economic Adjustment/DOD gave a responsive keynote for the forum addressing the issues brought forth and challenged local officials.
For those cable subscribers to Comcast On Demand, you will find the video by following this path: Get Local>Around the Sound>Ft. Lewis. Click! Network customers will be able to access via VOD / Click! Local / South Sound Specials. The video is available for On Demand carriage on both cable systems to the Rainier Media Center member jurisdictions of Orting, Sumner, Fife, Pierce County, DuPont and University Place.
Cable viewers should look for the title “Ft. Lewis Growth” and the introductory paragraph: Ft. Lewis is growing, but most impacts have been obscured by deployments. As soldiers are returning it creates impacts on schools, housing and transportation. The forum reviews Ft. Lewis’s growth challenges to the community.
But this summer, a surge of 10,000 returning soldiers plus possibly family dependents, will be returning from deployments. This “summer surge” will bring the impacts to education, housing and transportation that the community has missed since the post’s growth began in 2003.
In a forum this summer, the Chamber presented a forum of state and local elected officials along with Army leadership. The results:
The most immediate impact will undoubtedly be in transportation. Peaks of congestion are already evident at Ft. Lewis’s five gates. While some smaller new military units are still to come, already 13,000 military-affiliated students attend school districts in Pierce and Thurston Counties. Yet, only seven districts are known to track and seek federal compensation for military-affiliated students’ registration. While 70% of soldiers live off post, the housing impact will be spread around as about 55% of soldiers live in Pierce County and 45% in Thurston, a growing trend over the last few years.
Gov. Chris Gregoire’s keynote presentation at the forum addressed these community impacts and those of associated veterans’ issues. Patrick O’Brien, Director of the Office of Economic Adjustment/DOD gave a responsive keynote for the forum addressing the issues brought forth and challenged local officials.
For those cable subscribers to Comcast On Demand, you will find the video by following this path: Get Local>Around the Sound>Ft. Lewis. Click! Network customers will be able to access via VOD / Click! Local / South Sound Specials. The video is available for On Demand carriage on both cable systems to the Rainier Media Center member jurisdictions of Orting, Sumner, Fife, Pierce County, DuPont and University Place.
Cable viewers should look for the title “Ft. Lewis Growth” and the introductory paragraph: Ft. Lewis is growing, but most impacts have been obscured by deployments. As soldiers are returning it creates impacts on schools, housing and transportation. The forum reviews Ft. Lewis’s growth challenges to the community.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Surprise Primary – Not!
The primary election was held with lackluster turnout. No surprise there. Since the primary election was moved to August rather than September, the turnout has decreased. The turnout rate for Pierce County dropped to 20 percent, which is about 4 percent lower than the state rate this time.
The results of the primary were straightforward. Those candidates expected to win, did. Those expected to lose, did. If there was any surprise, it occurred for the voters. This primary was the first time the state has used the Top Two system to determine the candidates moving on to the November general election ballot. Voters were able to vote across party lines for any candidate they chose and, regardless of party affiliation, the top two candidates with votes move on. Theoretically, two candidates could run against one another in the general election. However, no surprises occurred there.
On the federal side, Reps. Norm Dicks (D) and Adam Smith (D) both managed to “eke out” victories enabling them to move on the general election with approximately 58 and 66 percent respectively. Rep. Dave Reichert (R) garnered about 48 percent against his continual opponent Darcy Burner (D), who captured 45 percent of the vote out of a six candidate primary.
State-wide results show the Governor Gregoire (photo, left) with 49 percent of the vote in the ten candidate primary.
Dino Rossi (photo, right) secured 45 percent to allow him a second challenge to the incumbent.
Lt. Governor Brad Owen, Secretary of State Sam Reed, State Auditor Brian Sonntag and Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler all won fairly substantial victories against their primary opponents.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson appears to have a close race after only obtaining 41 percent in a field of six candidates. Her challenger will be former Pierce County legislator Randy Dorn, who managed to capture 33% of vote. The open seat for State Treasurer will have Allan Martin (R) and Jim McIntire (D) against one another in November. Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland (R) will face off against Peter Goldmark (D) after a close primary.
The race for Attorney General will feature AG Rob McKenna (R) and John Ladenburg, current Pierce County Executive, in a race that will certainly be contentious until the very end – which should be expected from two attorneys running against one another.
The state legislative races will show most incumbents in strong positions against their opponents except for two long-time senators. Both Marilyn Rasmussen (D-Spanaway) and Mike Carrell (R-Lakewood) have tighter than expected races.
The results of the primary were straightforward. Those candidates expected to win, did. Those expected to lose, did. If there was any surprise, it occurred for the voters. This primary was the first time the state has used the Top Two system to determine the candidates moving on to the November general election ballot. Voters were able to vote across party lines for any candidate they chose and, regardless of party affiliation, the top two candidates with votes move on. Theoretically, two candidates could run against one another in the general election. However, no surprises occurred there.
On the federal side, Reps. Norm Dicks (D) and Adam Smith (D) both managed to “eke out” victories enabling them to move on the general election with approximately 58 and 66 percent respectively. Rep. Dave Reichert (R) garnered about 48 percent against his continual opponent Darcy Burner (D), who captured 45 percent of the vote out of a six candidate primary.
State-wide results show the Governor Gregoire (photo, left) with 49 percent of the vote in the ten candidate primary. Dino Rossi (photo, right) secured 45 percent to allow him a second challenge to the incumbent.
Lt. Governor Brad Owen, Secretary of State Sam Reed, State Auditor Brian Sonntag and Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler all won fairly substantial victories against their primary opponents.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson appears to have a close race after only obtaining 41 percent in a field of six candidates. Her challenger will be former Pierce County legislator Randy Dorn, who managed to capture 33% of vote. The open seat for State Treasurer will have Allan Martin (R) and Jim McIntire (D) against one another in November. Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland (R) will face off against Peter Goldmark (D) after a close primary.
The race for Attorney General will feature AG Rob McKenna (R) and John Ladenburg, current Pierce County Executive, in a race that will certainly be contentious until the very end – which should be expected from two attorneys running against one another.
The state legislative races will show most incumbents in strong positions against their opponents except for two long-time senators. Both Marilyn Rasmussen (D-Spanaway) and Mike Carrell (R-Lakewood) have tighter than expected races.
No Pierce County races appeared on the ballot due to new Ranked Choice Voting system. You can learn more about this system by reading our previous story about it.
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