Republicans to blame for budget delay, State Rep. Ryu says

Democratic State Rep. Cindy Ryu says she was disappointed at the end of the 60-day regular 2016 legislative session, when Republicans, who control the State Senate, could not come to an agreement with House majority Democrats in negotiating a supplemental operating budget.

As a result, she recently told constituents, “The governor had to call us back for special session to finish our work on the budget.

“It took a few weeks of special session for the House and Senate to pass a budget.”

She said that she is pleased that the supplemental budget moves the state forward on many pressing needs without compromising core values.

Ryu said that highlights from the 2016 supplemental budget include money to pay for fighting the 2015 wild fires in north central Washington ($178.3 million), money to pay for narrowing the educational opportunity gap ($1.2 million), to pay for providing para-educator professional development ($1.7 million), to pay for combating the teacher shortage ($2.1 million), to provide state colleges and universities with money for what is called “Tuition Backfill,” to make up for money lost in the 2015 tuition reduction ($7.8 million), and to pay for State Patrol recruitment and retention ($388,000).

She said that highlights from the 2016 supplemental capital budget include added money for K-3 class-size-reduction grants ($34.5 million), additions to the school-construction assistance program ($34.7 million), money for community and technical college student housing and other projects ($70 million), additions to the Housing Trust Fund ($8 million), money for supportive housing and emergency shelters ($2.25 million), money to build facilities for homeless youth ($2.5 million), money to pay for hospital-diversion and crisis-triage centers ($8.5 million), money to provide critical repairs and upgrades at state mental-health facilities and hospitals ($7.9 million), money for mental-health supportive housing ($7.5 million), and added money for the community behavioral-health-grant program (5 million).

She lamented the death of some bills passed by the House that failed in the Republican-controled State Senate, including one to support the solar-incentives bill, another to support the breakfast-after-the-bell program, a third a bill that she sponsored with the aim of creating a fairer system of excise taxation for martial-arts academies, another to support Rep. Luis Moscoso’s Washington Voting Rights Act, and a bill to provide reasonable accommodations in the workplace for pregnant women.

Ryu noted that she had introduced 12 bills this year. Three of them passed the House; one of them became law after passing the State Senate and getting Gov. Jay Inslee’s signature, one failed to come out of the Senate rules committee and one was replaced in the Senate by a companion bill that passed and got the governor’s signature.

Ryu’s bill on to human trafficking passed the House unanimously and was replaced in the Senate Rules Committee with a companion bill that had similar language. It passed unanimously in both houses; Gov. Inslee signed it into law March 10.

Ryu’s bill that creates a joint legislative task force to review current laws, practices and policies regarding the use of deadly force, passed the house unanimously, and the Senate with 46 nays and three nays. Gov. Inslee signed the bill into law April 1.

A bill to change the excise-taxation of martial arts academies passed unanimously out of the House, but failed to come out of the Senate Rules Committee.

Ryu represents the 32nd Legislative District, including Lynnwood, Woodway and nearby unincorporated areas, parts of Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace, the city of Shoreline and part of northwest Seattle. She is chairwoman of the State House committee on community development, housing and tribal affairs, a member of the House Finance Committee and a member of the committee on business and financial services.

Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Police: Teen in stolen car flees cops, causes crash in Lynnwood

The crash blocked traffic for over an hour at 176th Street SW. The boy, 16, was arrested on felony warrants.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.