The local matters that matter most:
NEW COLLEGE: Pursuit of a four-year university for the Snohomish County region enters a critical stage. The governor wants $2 million to decide the nature of the institution and where it might be located.
Some lawmakers want a bigger sum. At their heels are those who argue that any money for higher education dollars should go to existing colleges rather than a startup facility.
U.S. 2: In 2005, the Legislature approved hundreds of transportation projects and raised the gas tax to pay for them.
U.S. 2 did not make the list. Residents are lobbying for help in making the route safer. Since 1999, 43 people have died in crashes on U.S. 2 between Snohomish and Stevens Pass.
It will be a tough sell because the cost of the approved projects is rising, with no new money available to pay for them.
MOBILE HOMES: In Washington, an estimated 21 mobile home parks will close by next fall, displacing 626 families.
More than half of the affected residents live in Snohomish County, officials say. A state fund to help residents relocate is empty. The governor wants to replenish it. Also, efforts will be made to preserve the mobile home parks through zoning law changes.
SNOHOMISH HIGH: Modernization of the historic Snohomish High School campus cannot be completed as planned. Inflation has driven the costs beyond the amount of money raised through a voter-approved bond.
Districts around the state are suffering a similar fate with their bond-financed construction. Lawmakers will be asked to put up enough cash to cover the higher costs.
METHAMPHETAMINE: Last year, an omnibus bill focused on punishing makers of the drug, putting them out of business and cleaning up the mess left behind by meth-making labs.
This year will find an attempt to launch a task force of local, state, federal and Canadian authorities to restrict the importation of meth into Washington.
TRIBAL TAX: The Tulalip Tribes want to retain a portion of sales tax collected in the federal city of Quil Ceda.
They argue cities such as Everett keep sales tax earned within their boundaries, so why not Quil Ceda? Instead, that money goes to Snohomish County. Legislation making the change has passed the House but stalled in the Senate.
Other issues worth watching:
BUDGET: Three budgets – operating, capital and transportation – will be adopted. Attention will mostly be on the operating budget with a focus on what lawmakers decide to do with a projected $1.9 billion surplus.
Democrats and Republicans want to sock away a portion in a “rainy day” emergency reserve. They disagree on how much and what conditions to set for tapping into the fund in the future.
EDUCATION: This is the top policy issue for Gov. Chris Gregoire and will be the dominant subject. She wants to spend on teacher salaries, smaller classes, early learning, all-day kindergarten, special education, math and science curriculum, hiring people to teach those subjects and much more.
Lawmakers will debate the merits of the WASL and changes in the requirement that high school students pass all of its tests in order to graduate. A constitutional amendment to allow a simple majority of voter approval of certain levies will again be on the docket.
TRANSPORTATION: Two years after raising gas taxes to pay for $8.5 billion in transportation improvements, the state cannot do all the projects in the promised time frame.
That’s because rising prices of materials and a lack of workers is driving up the costs.
Legislators will try to revise the order of projects on the list, delaying some. Rebuilding the Alaskan Way Viaduct and the Highway 520 bridge also will be debated.
CRIME: Last year legislators worked to lock up sex offenders longer. This year they will pursue tougher punishment of auto thieves and drunken drivers. Also getting attention will be bills to impede importation of methamphetamine, increase substance-abuse treatment of prisoners and combat recidivism.
ENVIRONMENT: Cleaning up Puget Sound with a $220 million initiative pushed by the governor will top the agenda. Environmentalists are looking for success this year in phasing out flame-retardant materials known as PBDEs.
Clean energy will return. Last year, the state put up money to spur the building of biodiesel plants. This year, the Legislature will be pressed to help Washington farmers who provide the crops used at those plants.
HEALTH CARE: The governor wants to pay to insure several thousand more children in low-income families. Small businesses will again seek changes in law they say are needed before they can afford to provide health care coverage to employees.
Lawmakers again will wrestle with the dilemma of workers of large companies, such as Wal-Mart, getting their health care through the state’s Basic Health Plan rather than their employer’s plan.
ODDS AND ENDS: Among this year’s potential hot-button issues will be legalizing same-sex marriage, requiring background checks of gun buyers at gun shows, banning the use of cell phones while driving, public financing of judicial campaigns and making teenagers wait until they are 16 to get learner’s permits. State help to get a NASCAR track in Bremerton and a new home for the Seattle SuperSonics could add spice to the session.
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