Tag Archives: 9th Legislative District

Sen. Mark Schoesler

Schoesler to continue serving on budget, labor and commerce committees

Sen. Mark Schoesler will continue his long streak of serving on the Senate Ways and Means Committee when the Legislature convenes in January.

The 2021 legislative session, which starts Jan. 11 and lasts 105 days, will mark the 17th straight year Schoesler has been a member of the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee since joining the Senate in 2005.

“I’ve taken great pride in serving on the Ways and Means Committee, and I’m pleased to continue doing so,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Tax and spending issues have always been among my highest priorities as a legislator, and by serving on Ways and Means, I can provide a voice for families and businesses in my district and our state to keep taxes and spending in check, and I will strongly oppose creating a state income tax.”

Schoesler has been named the Ways and Means Committee’s ranking Republican on the capital budget, which helps fund construction projects for state government buildings, state parks and colleges and universities.

“This role will allow me to work with my fellow Republicans and lead Democrats on the committee in producing a list of worthwhile projects to include in the state capital budget for the next two years, including those impacting local school districts and higher education institutions like WSU,” said Schoesler, whose district includes the Pullman-based Washington State University.

Schoesler also will continue serving on the recently renamed Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee. He says he will continue advocating for regulatory reform and other issues that will benefit Washington’s job creators and working families.

“My years of experience in the business of farming have helped me understand regulatory issues, which along with workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance are among the high-profile topics this committee addresses. I know how overzealous regulations imposed by government agencies can be as hard on employers as taxes. The more money and time you have to spend complying with rules, the less likely you are to prosper or even survive as a business owner, especially during this difficult period with COVID-19,” said Schoesler.

Schoesler said the labor and commerce panel needs to focus on shrinking and simplifying Washington’s vast, complex regulatory system.

“Washington’s regulatory code has over 196,000 separate regulations, which is more than all but five states. That should tell you there is serious need for reform – and this committee is the place to start,” added Schoesler.

Schoesler represents the 9th Legislative District, which covers all or part of Adams, Asotin, Franklin, Garfield, Spokane and Whitman counties.

 

9th District legislators ask governor to let Whitman County partially reopen

When Gov. Jay Inslee announced Friday that 10 Washington counties may be allowed to partially reopen amid his stay-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 9th Legislative District team of Sen. Mark Schoesler, and Reps. Joe Schmick and Mary Dye immediately noticed Whitman County was not on the list.

The omission prompted the lawmakers to send a joint letter to Inslee yesterday, asking him to add Whitman to the list of counties that can seek a variance from the governor’s Proclamation 20-25, allowing them to reopen parts of their economies soon.

“We think the governor isn’t using fair criteria to judge which counties can partially reopen their economies during his shutdown, especially in regards to Whitman County. We think Whitman should be allowed to partially reopen now, and Representatives Schmick and Dye and I wanted to let the governor know it,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville.

“Whitman County has two cases that are being monitored and staying home. All other cases have recovered. It makes no sense to close the county for two. The recovery numbers are not being published and I think they should be in every county. Our families, small businesses and employees want – and need – to get back to work. I trust our citizens to be smart, deliberate and thoughtful of others as we emerge from quarantine,” said Schmick, R-Colfax.

“We have had weeks to better understand the nature of the pandemic. It is self-evident that we must protect vulnerable elderly populations in assisted living and nursing homes,” said Dye, R-Pomeroy. “Our communities in Whitman County need to be freed from the governor’s restrictions in order to save our rural hospitals and our rural economy. We are better able to respond to the virus when our communities are allowed to recover financially as well.”

The 10 counties that can partially reopen are Columbia, Ferry, Garfield (which is in the 9th District), Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kittitas, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Skamania and Wahkiakum.

The text of the 9th District legislators’ letter to the governor is below:

May 5, 2020

Governor Jay Inslee
PO Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002

Dear Governor Inslee,

We are writing to respectfully ask you to add Whitman County to the list of Washington counties that may seek a variance from your Proclamation 20-25, toward reopening parts of their economies sooner.

We are encouraged by your recognition of the fact that not all areas of the state are experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic in the same way and agree with you that some counties should have an opportunity to reopen earlier. However, we are disappointed to learn of the disclosed criteria that lead to inclusion of some counties while excluding Whitman County: Counties under 75,000 in population are eligible to apply for a variance if they have not had a single positive COVID-19 case in the last three weeks. (We were told Whitman County had none over the last week, but had one the prior week, so it needs to go two more weeks without a positive test.) We think this is the wrong criteria to use and we are disappointed Whitman County is not being given that opportunity – because the data indicate it should.

For instance, Jefferson County made the list despite having had twice as many confirmed cases (28) of COVID-19 as Whitman County (14). (According to the Whitman County Health Department, there currently are two active COVID-19 cases in this county, as the others diagnosed with it have recovered.) Grays Harbor County is on the list despite having a population roughly 50 percent greater than Whitman County. Kittitas County is eligible despite having a slightly higher rate of confirmed cases per 1,000 people (0.30) than Whitman County (0.28). In fact, Whitman County has the 11th lowest rate of confirmed cases per 1,000 people of all 39 counties in our state. It is also noteworthy that Whitman County, like all of the 10 counties being allowed to seek a variance, has had no deaths caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

We also note that with Washington State University having canceled in-person classes for the rest of the current academic year, Whitman County’s largest city, Pullman, is now home to only a small fraction of the student body. Forcing many Pullman businesses to remain closed for several more weeks at a time when they prematurely find themselves with far fewer customers to protect will needlessly bring them closer to the edge of failure.

It’s worth noting that Whitman and other border counties have faced very tough stay-home restrictions over the past several weeks, while our neighbors in Idaho have endured far fewer restrictions. Unlike in Washington, you can buy a car in Idaho, which seems like a very reasonable and sensible approach considering auto dealerships typically have very few customers in the building at the same time. Outdoor activities like golf, which by its very nature employs physical distancing, have been handled far differently in Washington than in Idaho. While you can play golf in Lewiston, you haven’t been allowed to play it in Clarkston, even though the two towns are just across the river from each other. At least you are finally somewhat relaxing your shutdown on golf and other outdoor activities.

During your Friday announcement that Proclamation 20-25 would be extended, you spoke of your desire to bet on success rather than failure. We would bet that if Whitman County is granted the same opportunity as the 10 counties you designated already, its leaders, merchants and residents will deliver. It would be fair and consistent – and they, too, would rather succeed than fail.

Please reconsider your decision and allow Whitman County to also apply for a variance so it can finally, if slowly, start its reopening process.

Sincerely,

MARK SCHOESLER
State Senator
9th Legislative District

 

JOE SCHMICK
State Representative
9th Legislative District

 

MARY DYE
State Representative
9th Legislative District

 

Cc: Whitman County Commissioners
Art Swannack, District 1
Dean Kinzer, District 2
Michael Largent, District 3

 

Schoesler encourages people to access COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide

State Sen. Mark Schoesler wants residents of the 9th Legislative District and other rural parts of Washington to know the U.S. Department of Agriculture has created a guide with links to various federal agencies and programs that rural areas may need during the COVID-19 situation.

People may access the COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide by going to https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/USDA_COVID-19_Fed_Rural_Resource_Guide.pdf.

“This online guide by the USDA includes links for businesses, consumers, families, agriculture, nonprofits and tribes about technical assistance, financial assistance and general state and local government resources,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “The guide covers a wide range of resources that can help so many of us here in our district and other rural areas of our state. These are tough times for so many of us, so I encourage people to take a look at the guide and see how it can help them.”

Schoesler applauds Legislature’s passage of supplemental capital budget

Sen. Mark Schoesler is pleased with the Legislature’s unanimous passage of a compromise state supplemental capital budget that funds several projects in the 9th Legislative District.

The capital budget funds the construction and maintenance of state buildings, public schools, higher education facilities, public land, parks and other assets throughout Washington.

The Senate today voted 49-0 to pass the final version of the capital budget, Senate Bill 6248. The House approved it 97-0 Wednesday. It now goes to Gov. Jay Inslee for final consideration.

“Representatives Dye and Schmick and I asked capital budget leaders to put several local and community projects in either the House or Senate version of the capital budget this year,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “I’m pleased these projects are included in the final version of the budget, because several of our communities will benefit.”

The capital budget includes $25,000 in funding that Schoesler requested for emergency structural repairs to the Van Marter Building in Lind. In May 2019, the building underwent a structural engineering assessment, which determined that five heavy timber supports and new concrete footings must be replaced immediately to prevent the loss of the building’s main floor.

“The engineer who performed the assessment determined these repairs require urgent attention for safety reasons,” said Schoesler, “I’m glad the capital budget provides funding so these repairs can be done soon.”

The Adams County Historical Society hopes to renovate the Van Marter Building so it can become the Adams County Museum.

The capital budget appropriates nearly $1.27 million for the 9th District, including these other local projects:

  • Pasco Landfill ($1 million)
  • Design and construction of a pipeline and pump station as part of the Odessa groundwater replacement program ($175,000)
  • Pataha Flour Mill elevator in Pomeroy ($40,000)
  • Pomeroy Booster Pumping Station ($16,000)
  • Asotin County Library meeting space in Clarkston ($13,000)

9th District legislators secure support in new capital budget for local projects

The 9th Legislative District team of Sen. Mark Schoesler and Reps. Mary Dye and Joe Schmick applauded today’s passage of a new two-year state capital (construction) budget that includes funding for dozens of projects in the district.

The $4.9 billion capital budget funds the construction and maintenance of state buildings, public schools, higher education facilities, public lands, parks and other assets throughout Washington. 

The Senate voted 48-0 to pass the final version of the capital budget (Substitute House Bill 1102) Saturday night. The House approved it 97-1 today.

“There were many local and community projects that Representatives Dye and Schmick and I asked to be put in either the House or Senate version of the capital budget early this session, and I’m pleased to see they are included in the final version negotiated during the past several days,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “It’s good to see that this budget will help fund our local projects.”   

“Citizens across the 9th District send a lot of their hard-earned money to Olympia in the form of taxes. The capital budget is a way to get some of that back to provide needed improvements and projects that create jobs and benefit the folks back home,” said Dye, R-Pomeroy, and a member of the House Capital Budget Committee. “I’m honored to be able to work with my seatmates and colleagues on the Capital Budget Committee to help fund these projects in the 9th District.”

“Local projects such as these help strengthen our rural communities and provide much-needed infrastructure improvements that might otherwise be financially unattainable,” said Schmick, R-Colfax.  “Legislators from the 9th District work as a team to get these needed projects into the budget.  I’m pleased with the results and know our citizens will benefit from our efforts.”

Nearly $85.7 million is appropriated for 9th District projects funded in the final capital budget, including these local projects:

  • Pullman Airport Utility Extension – $1.626 million
  • Asotin Masonic Lodge – $62,000
  • Colfax Pantry Building – $247,000
  • Garfield County Hospital HVAC system, Pomeroy – $250,000
  • Washtucna Historical Museum and Community Center roof replacement – $24,000
  • Othello regional water project – $425,000
  • Pomeroy booster pumping station – $96,000
  • Prairie View Schoolhouse Community Center, Waverly – $112,000
  • Ritzville Business and Entrepreneurship Center – $350,000
  • Rosalia sewer improvements – $500,000
  • Lions Park infields and restroom renovation in Othello – $347,000

The capital budget’s Library Capital Improvement Program provides $923,000 for the Asotin County Library Building Phase II project.

The capital budget also funds several projects at Washington State University, including $36.4 million for its Global Animal Health Building, $700,000 for improvements to facilities related to animal care, $800,000 to replace the Dairy Heifer Barn, and around $20 million for more than a dozen infrastructure or minor works projects on the Pullman campus. 

The budget provides $1.75 million for the Student Activity Center project at Walla Walla Community College’s Clarkston campus.

A request by Schoesler and 13th District Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, for funding for the North I-90 Odessa Aquifer Groundwater Replacement Project was successful, as the final capital budget provides $15 million for it.

The Othello Aquifer Storage and Recharge project receives $500,000 through the Columbia River Water Supply Development Program.

Brown, Schoesler, Walsh to hold ‘Benton-Franklin County’ telephone town hall

State Sens. Sharon Brown, Mark Schoesler and Maureen Walsh are inviting residents in Benton and Franklin counties to take part in a telephone town hall from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 3.

Brown, R-Kennewick, serves the 8th Legislative District, which includes part of Benton County. Schoesler, R-Ritzville, represents the 9th Legislative District, which covers most of Franklin County. Walsh, R-Walla Walla, is from the 16th District, which includes parts of Benton and Franklin counties.

Automated phone calls will go out throughout the two counties, but constituents who don’t receive a phone call during the event may call (509) 417-0627 to join in.

The telephone town hall will be similar to a call-in radio program, with the lawmakers providing an update on the 2019 legislative session before taking questions from participants.

“This platform is a great and easy way for us to connect with our constituents from the comfort of their home. It provides us a convenient way to communicate what lawmakers are discussing in Olympia and to learn what issues are important to the people back home,” said Brown, who is Senate Deputy Republican Leader.

“Most of the legislative session already has been completed, but there are several major issues for the Legislature to address during the homestretch, so we look forward to sharing information with people and answering their questions during the telephone town hall,” said Schoesler, who is Senate Republican leader.

Walsh noted that the key decisions of this year’s legislative session will come during the final weeks. “The most controversial bills of the session have yet to receive their final votes, and we haven’t even begun debating proposals for taxes and spending. These are going to be tough battles, and we’re interested in hearing where the people of southeast Washington stand,” said Walsh.

The 2019 legislative session is scheduled to end April 28.

Schoesler applauds Senate passage of bill helping small school districts

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, joined his Senate colleagues Monday in unanimously passing a bill that would authorize modernization grants for small school districts in Washington.

Second Substitute Senate Bill 5572 would establish a small school district modernization grant program for school districts and state and tribal compact schools that have 1,000 or fewer enrolled students.

Schoesler, whose 9th Legislative District includes many small school districts, said the grant program created by the bill would help them have access to needed resources so they can modernize or replace school buildings that are aging or in disrepair.

“In many cases, the most property-poor school districts are also the smallest, and passing a bond can be a challenge for them, especially since election-related costs hit small bonds disproportionately harder,” said Schoesler. “Many of these districts don’t have money on hand to make necessary repairs. This bill would go a long ways toward the maintenance and improvement of schools in our state’s smaller districts.”

Based on October 2017 enrollment data, 149 of the 295 school districts statewide have enrollments of 1,000 or fewer students.

Creating a small school district modernization grant program was the top recommendation by the Joint Legislative Task Force on Improving State Funding for School Construction.

The bipartisan bill has been sent to the House for further consideration.