OLYMPIA…A grassroots effort to promote historic U.S. Highway 10, one of the nation’s 10 original interstate highways, has found an ally in Sen. Mark Schoesler, whose legislative district is home to much of the Washington part of the route that once connected Detroit and Seattle.

Schoesler secured $50,000 in the new state transportation budget to install U.S. 10-related signs on Interstate 90 between Idaho and the Columbia River. While I-90 often overlaps the historic route, it bypasses Schoesler’s hometown of Ritzville and other communities that had been stops on the old highway.

“There are bicyclists and motorcyclists and classic-car clubs who plan trips around historic highways, and U.S. 10 is certainly historic, as part of the original numbered-highway system conceived in 1925,” said Schoesler. “I think this could turn out to be a real draw for small towns that used to be on the beaten path and are waiting to be rediscovered and properly appreciated.”

Linda Kubik and John Rankin have long promoted what they call “Historic 10,” which passes through downtown Ritzville less than two blocks from their Flying Arts Ranch and King Mercantile. The couple were elated to learn about the budget appropriation and appreciate that Schoesler also sees the potential benefits of calling more attention to the old highway. They compare it to how the state of California promotes the historic U.S. 99 route and associations in Arizona and several other states promote Route 66, which opened a year after U.S. 10 was designated.

“Historic 10 doesn’t have the cachet of Route 66, but most people probably don’t realize that Route 66’s visibility is also the product of a grassroots effort,” said Kubik, referring to how the town of Seligman, Ariz., established the first Route 66 Association only 30 years ago.

Kubik and Rankin have traveled on the scattered pieces of Route 66 enough to appreciate the ease of access to U.S. 10, whether it’s in downtown North Bend, the stretch between Cle Elum and Vantage (signed as State Route 10), Third Avenue in Moses Lake, First Avenue in Ritzville, Main Street in Sprague or Main Street in Cheney.

“Adams County has 14 signs for the historic route from county line to county line and six signs through Ritzville. We have handed out Historic 10 bumper stickers for years along with replica highway signs and T-shirts,” Kubik added. “Now, thanks to Senator Schoesler, Washington can be the first state to embrace and celebrate U.S. 10.”

From Michigan, U.S. 10 passed through Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana and the Idaho panhandle before entering Washington at Spokane.

OLYMPIA…Knowing that rural areas face special challenges when it comes to emergency responders, Sen. Mark Schoesler has successfully proposed a change in state law that eases the first aid-training requirement for volunteer ambulance drivers.

The governor signed Senate Bill 5751 last week following its unanimous passage by the Legislature. The change will take effect July 23.

State law requires an ambulance driver to have at least a first-aid certificate recognized by the state Department of Health, unless there are at least two emergency medical technicians present to attend to a patient.

That standard can be a challenge to meet in areas that rely on volunteers as first responders, said Schoesler. The change made by his bill will allow rural ambulance services to use drivers who don’t have medical training as long as an EMT is also present, and the driver doesn’t provide medical care.

“I think many of us would rather have a volunteer ambulance driver with less training if it allows the ambulance to get rolling sooner,” said Schoesler, who is Senate majority leader.

Schoesler, R-Ritzville, also noted a hometown connection to the policy change.

“My work on this legislation was inspired by folks like Maynard Lund of Ritzville, who gave up so much personal time over 15-plus years as a volunteer emergency responder and still has ideas for keeping volunteer services strong,” Schoesler said.

“It would be nice if every person driving an ambulance had medical or first-aid training, but Mr. Lund and I know that isn’t realistic in rural areas like ours,” he explained.

Unique ‘Cougar Nation appropriation’ included in final 2017-19 plan

OLYMPIA… A unanimous vote by the Senate this evening completed the Legislature’s work on the state’s transportation budget for 2017-19. Sen. Mark Schoesler says the new budget has much to offer the 9th Legislative District in terms of highway-safety projects and work to improve the area’s rail infrastructure.

“The transportation budget approved by the Senate earlier this month was a strong one for our area, and I’m pleased the list of projects remained intact through the process of negotiating a final plan with the House of Representatives,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “These will be good solid investments in safety and efficiency.” Continue reading →

Unique appropriation would let WSDOT, WSU team to address concerns

OLYMPIA… At Sen. Mark Schoesler’s request, the new transportation budget adopted today by the Senate adds $400,000 for safety improvements in the State Route 26 and U.S. Highway 195 corridors. The two roads carry the majority of in-state travelers headed to and from Washington State University’s Pullman campus.

The Senate’s 2017-19 transportation plan contains more than $42 million for transportation-related activities in the 9th Legislative District, including highway and rail projects. The WSU-related appropriation is unique because it is not earmarked for specific projects but would be spent by the Washington State Department of Transportation “in consultation” with WSU stakeholders.

Schoesler’s legislative district includes WSU’s Pullman campus and much of the two highways. He said the appropriation stems from a meeting he and Sen. Curtis King, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, had with WSU student leaders in late February at the Capitol.

“Every year it seems there’s at least one fatal crash on SR 26 or US 195 associated with ‘Cougar Nation.’ The challenge of making those corridors safer is recognized by everyone I’ve talked to at WSU, from President Schulz to the student leaders who came over to share their concerns,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville, who is Senate majority leader. “It’s a unique situation among our state’s higher-education institutions, in my experience, and the budget we approved today offers a unique answer.”

The Legislature has designated funding to address road conditions that may be factors, Schoesler said, such as adding climbing lanes between Dusty and Colfax, but that work is still several years away.

“The other side of the highway-safety equation involves drivers, and that’s where the university comes in. Let’s bring WSDOT and WSU together, with some money available for investing, and see what kind of innovative ideas emerge. I’m betting they will come up with more than one way to reduce the risks,” he said.

The budget appropriation approved by the Senate today is expected to get a warm reception from Cougar students in the Palouse.

“We came away from our meeting with Senator Schoesler and Senator King knowing they are as concerned about the safety of WSU students as the students themselves are, and optimistic that they would do everything possible to speed up the search for solutions. The students will be very pleased,” said Paige Campbell, ASWSU director of legislative affairs.

The Senate budget includes $15 million over the next four years to add acceleration and deceleration lanes, improve existing left-turn lanes, and construct safety improvements on U.S. Highway 395 between Pasco and the Franklin County line north of Connell. It also includes $10.1 million to add passing lanes on U.S. 195 between Colfax and Spangle, which also will help with WSU-related traffic.

Rail improvements in Schoesler’s legislative district account for more than $17 million in the Senate transportation budget. Projects include continued work on improving and easing congestion at the rail interchange in Connell, and keeping the three lines of the state’s longest short-line freight-rail system – the Palouse/Coulee City Railroad – in operating condition.

The PCC’s Central Washington, Palouse & Lewiston, and PV Hooper branch lines operate within Grant, Lincoln, Spokane and Whitman counties; the Senate-funded projects include repairing 11 bridges on the Palouse & Lewiston branch.

“In our part of the state you can’t overstate the importance of rail when it comes to efficiently moving important agricultural commodities to market. These dollars will be well spent,” said Schoesler, who farms wheat and canola in Adams and Lincoln counties.

OLYMPIA…The Senate this evening voted to extend a temporary increase of local school-levy authority, but only after including reforms that would force school districts to closely account for locally generated dollars to ensure they are not used for basic-education expenses.

Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler said the near-unanimous passage of Senate Bill 5023 is in keeping with the levy-authority provision contained in the Education Equality Act passed Feb. 1 by the Senate. He views the vote as another step in moving the funding approach for K-12 education back to constitutional ground, as called for in the state Supreme Court’s 2012 McCleary decision.

“The bill that came over from the House regarding the so-called ‘levy cliff’ would have done nothing to wean school districts off the use of local dollars to pay for basic education. The changes we made to the Senate version of that bill, before passing it tonight, bring in the accountability needed to help put the K-12 funding system back onto solid constitutional footing. The bill is now in line with the levy-authority reforms that are part of Senate Bill 5607 – the Education Equality Act that has been on the negotiating table for weeks.

“My colleagues across the aisle seemed convinced that school districts would have been making deep cuts had we not taken this vote tonight. My legislative district includes 29 school districts, and none of the superintendents who talked to me seemed panicked about it. But we managed to turn a ‘kick the can’ bill into a worthwhile reform, and hopefully get others in the lawmaking process to return their focus to the real task at hand – a constitutional approach to funding our schools.”

Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler is encouraging Department of Corrections employees in the 9th Legislative District to help reform their own agency. Schoesler said more than 300 DOC employees have already responded to an e-mail invitation to share information and their opinions at the www.FixDOC.org website launched by the state Senate last week.

The website, which allows for anonymous reports, represents the latest stage of the Senate’s independent investigation into the DOC-management fiasco that set some 3,700 felons free too early, starting in 2002.

“This is a rare opportunity for DOC employees who see problems but can’t fix them to say something to people on the outside who are in a position to reform the way things get done. I can understand that people may be reluctant to get involved, out of fear of being punished by agency management, but that’s why they have the option to remain anonymous,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. Continue reading →

Legislators serving the 9th District will hold a town-hall meeting by telephone on the evening of Monday, Feb. 22. The conversation will begin at 6:30 p.m. and last approximately an hour; Sen. Mark Schoesler, Rep. Joe Schmick and Rep. Mary Dye will participate from the state Capitol, where the 2016 legislative session has reached its halfway point.

Many residents will receive invitations by phone just before the meeting begins; those wishing to call in simply need to dial 1-800-269-1146. To participate online, go to listen.townhallinteractive.com and use 742951 as the PIN.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to discuss the issues that matter most to the citizens of the 9th District during our telephone town hall,” said Dye, R-Pomeroy. “With Olympia being so far away from our district, I’m looking forward to answering questions people have as well as getting to hear straight from them about legislation that impacts their daily lives. I’m lucky to be joined by my colleagues, Representative Schmick and Senator Schoesler, and am looking forward to the discussions that will take place between us all.”

“These events have been very successful in the past and serve as a convenient way to reach a large number of 9th District residents,” said Schmick, R-Colfax. “Our district is quite large. This give folks from all over the district the opportunity to speak with their representatives in Olympia.  I’m looking forward to a robust discussion as our citizens are very involved in their state government.”

“This will be a great time for us to visit because budget proposals should be on the table by then, and we will have a good idea about which bills are likely to reach the governor’s desk,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville, who is in his second year as Senate majority leader. “We can also talk about some of the state-agency issues that have cropped up and how we have stepped in to bring more accountability to Olympia.”

The 2016 legislative session is scheduled to end March 10.