Sen. Mark Schoesler offered this statement about state Rep. Roger Freeman, who passed away late this morning. The Federal Way Democrat, serving his first term in the House of Representatives, was 48 and had been fighting cancer since just after the 2013 legislative session.

“Representative Freeman was the sort of person you liked from the moment you met him – a warm and decent man who held fast to his convictions in a positive way. It’s fitting that the piece of legislation he got through Olympia earlier this year was about services for people with developmental disabilities who have children; you could tell how deeply he cared about families, children and the more vulnerable residents of our state, and I was glad to help that bill become law.

“I knew he was in a tough fight, health-wise, but we all hoped – as he did – for the best. Our condolences go to his family at what is not only a loss for them but also for the people he served, for the Legislature and for our state.”

Schoesler, R-Ritzville, is Senate Republican leader.

A University of Oregon study widely cited by Gov. Jay Inslee’s administration in promoting climate-change policies is the subject of a blistering attack from the Washington Policy Center, and Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler calls the indictment “disturbing reading.”

“It is chilling to think our state is considering policies based on a study that so seriously distorts the true picture,” Schoesler said. “These policies will impose billions of dollars in costs on Washington taxpayers, yet it appears the scientific calculations were scribbled in crayon.”

The Oregon study figured prominently in Inslee’s April 29 executive order launching the Carbon Emissions Reduction Taskforce, which is considering a raft of ambitious policies aimed at clamping down on carbon emissions. These include cap-and-trade, low-carbon fuel standards, and an effort to ban the import of electricity generated by coal from other states. CERT members, hand-picked by the governor, will meet Tuesday in Seattle to discuss a draft report of their recommendations and advice.

Inslee’s office has used the Oregon study to claim the effects of climate change will cost Washington a whopping $10 billion annually by 2020. But the analysis authored by the WPC’s Todd Myers traces footnotes back to their sources, finding Oregon researchers exaggerated those effects and misinterpreted the studies they cite. Since the study was released in 2010, real-world data has contradicted its findings.

“This is a classic case of the misuse of science for political ends,” said Schoesler, a wheat farmer from Ritzville.  “Can we really expect rational policymaking when this kind of scaremongering is taking place?”

Inslee’s executive order said “Studies conducted by the University of Oregon found that the effects of climate change on water supplies, public health, coastal and storm damage, wildfires and other impacts, will cost the state of Washington almost $10 billion a year after 2020, unless we take additional actions to mitigate these effects.”

That $10 billion figure has become a major talking point in the effort to promote climate-change policies. However, the WPC report identifies serious flaws in the study. Among them:

• The study is based on an outdated worst-case scenario laid out by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007. The latest report from that agency backs away from those numbers. Authors of the Oregon study had trouble finding research backing up those old predictions of high temperatures, so they took other studies and adjusted the numbers upward to compensate.
• The study manipulated data on human health effects, citing high-end projections from other research rather than a range – potentially exaggerating results by nearly 250 percent.
• The study fails to explain its methodology or show how its conclusions were reached – offering no way to check the work.

In his report, Myers outlines exaggerations he calls unusually brazen. And he observes that if more recent U.N. climate data had been used, estimates of potential harm would have had to be dramatically reduced. An estimate of premature deaths would have to be cut by 90 percent, for instance, yet even that number is suspect.

“Climate change is a subject that deserves serious consideration, but the Oregon study can’t be considered reliable,” Schoesler said. “We should be very nervous about the way sloppy science is being used to promote political aims.” 

Schoesler noted the governor’s order directs the state Office of Financial Management to consider the costs of inaction.

“I sure hope they won’t use the Oregon report,” Schoesler said. “That would be appalling. At the very least, we ought to be able to check the work.”

Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler today offered the following response to a Seattle radio report that a division of the state Department of Social and Health Services is spending an estimated $600,000 to put on staff workshops in Tacoma.

“The Community Services Division can’t get a handle on the fraud and abuse involving the EBT cards it issues, yet it has no problem bringing thousands of its employees from around the state to a convention center – just so they can spend two days getting ‘engaged’ with their work, at taxpayer expense.

“If DSHS has 600 thousand dollars to splurge on staff workshops, its managers might want to think twice about the requests they bring before our legislative budget committees this next year. And how exactly does this help preserve the state’s ‘safety net,’ which is what people are always asking the Legislature to do?

“The division director indicated these workshops are focused on helping managers communicate the agency mission and vision and goals to their employees. In this day and age, with all the technology that is available to save time and money, it’s hard to understand why DSHS can’t use basic tools like e-mail and webcasting – or even traditional staff meetings – to accomplish that. If this is what the governor meant when he talked about bringing ‘lean management’ to Olympia, it doesn’t seem to be working.”

Schoesler, R-Ritzville, also is a member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville and Senate Republican leader, offered the following comment after organized-labor representatives stepped forward today to discuss how changes in state water-quality standards could cost jobs and hurt Washington families. The issue is known among legislators as “fish consumption” because water-quality standards are influenced by the amount of fish people in Washington consume annually.

“Our Senate majority coalition wants to encourage job creation across our state, which is why we’ve adopted reform after reform that would help Washington’s employers be more competitive and put more people back to work. Labor unions want their members to be working too, which is why some of their representatives stood up today to point out the connection between water-quality standards and jobs. They have good reason to dive into this discussion publicly, and to do so now, before the governor takes a position.

“We all want clean water. I want the fish I catch, and any fish taken from Washington waters, to be safe to eat. At the same time, people need jobs, and services that are reasonably priced. The city of Bellingham has estimated that what is now a 35-dollar monthly sewer bill could exceed 200 dollars a month depending on how the water-purity standards change. It isn’t difficult to understand how devastating an increase like that would be to the families of union members and non-union members alike.

“The union representatives who spoke out today recognize, as our coalition does, that any changes in the water-quality standards need to be levelheaded, attainable and affordable. They raised valid questions; the question now is whether Governor Inslee and his people at the Department of Ecology will seek changes to suit certain political forces or propose levels that make sense for our state as a whole.”

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville and Senate Republican leader, offered this remembrance of tribal leader Billy Frank Jr., who passed away today at 83.

“For my first 17 years representing the 9th District I stayed with my uncle, Ed Heinemann, during legislative sessions. Uncle Ed’s place was along the Nisqually Reach of Puget Sound, a couple of doors down from Billy’s house; between conversations on the beach or on the porch and my work at the Capitol, Billy and I came to know each other.

“Billy was the kind of leader that any community would be fortunate to have. While we didn’t always agree on the specifics I had great respect for his passionate support of salmon recovery and his leadership in general on natural resources. Billy’s knowledge of the issues was unsurpassed and his intentions were always honorable.

“He was a fine gentleman and a respected leader. I’m glad to have known him and sorry that he has passed.”

Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, offered this statement today following reports that the latest setback to the downtown Seattle tunnel-boring project could add $125 million to its cost:

“Is anyone surprised that the tunnel-boring project is falling way behind schedule and racking up tens of millions in added costs? No one likes to see delays like this, but as I’ve said all along, the law makes it clear that Seattle is responsible for picking up any cost overruns. A deal is a deal.

“This only adds fuel to our Senate majority’s drive to improve the way roads are built and maintained across Washington. If Olympia wants more money to pay for more transportation projects, it needs to enact reforms first, not later. It’s no coincidence that the day after the bad news about the ‘Bertha’ drilling machine was disclosed, a majority of King County voters said they don’t want to hand more money to Metro. That’s what happens when the people lose trust in their government. The Legislature can’t force Metro to run a tighter ship, but we can do more to hold our state transportation department accountable.

“Our majority’s case for reforms is stronger than ever. Those who continue to resist transportation reforms at the state level simply need to look at the King County transit vote to realize that they’re on the wrong side of the people.”

By a 4-3 vote the state Senate Facilities and Operations Committee today supported a $30 increase in the amount senators may collect each day for expenses while the Legislature is in session. Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler of Ritzville was among those to vote against boosting the per diem rate to $120. Also opposing the change were Senate Majority Leader Rodney Tom, D-Bellevue, and Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, R-Wenatchee, who chairs the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus. Schoesler offered this statement regarding the decision:

“I see no need for the Senate’s per diem rate to increase, even though the House of Representatives moved to $120 per day as of 2014. This decision sends the wrong message to taxpayers. Also, considering the Legislature has yet to grant pay increases to teachers and other state employees, it’s premature and irresponsible for this committee to approve a 33 percent increase in the per diem rate.

“The question of legislators’ expenses does need to be addressed – in the meantime, this rewards legislators whose homes are closer to the Capitol and are less likely to have housing-related expenses during a session than those who come from farther away, such as Republic or Spokane or Bellingham.

“I will continue to accept per diem at the $90 rate it’s been since I became a senator in 2005, and let others decide whether to pick more from the taxpayers’ pockets.”

The per diem rate for the Senate and House increased to $90, from $82, in 2005; the House rate increased to $100 for 2008 and 2009, then reverted to $90 in 2010.

Residents of the 9th Legislative District need not travel to meet with Sen. Mark Schoesler on Tuesday, Feb. 18 – except to find a telephone. Starting at 7 p.m. that day Schoesler will host a town hall meeting conducted entirely by phone, using a format the Senate Republican leader sees as ideal for his legislative district.

Many residents will receive reminders by phone just before the meeting begins, inviting them to stay on the line; those wishing to call in directly should dial 877-229-8493 (toll free) and press 17455 when asked.

“It’s always enjoyable to meet in person with the people I serve,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville, “but when we’re in session at the Capitol, and the weather is cold and the roads are treacherous, a traditional town-hall meeting at the local school library or the fire hall just isn’t very practical – especially for a district as large as ours, which includes part or all of Adams, Asotin, Franklin, Garfield, Spokane and Whitman counties.

“A telephone town-hall meeting allows thousands of people to listen to me answer questions, ask their own questions and participate in opinion polls – all from the comfort of their homes. It’s no wonder this approach has proven to be very popular in recent years.”

Lawmakers are nearing the halfway mark of the 2014 legislative session, which is scheduled to end March 13.