Let's not forget what's important in Olympia
Our business community enjoys a well-deserved reputation of collaboration and unity of purpose at the state capital. For many years, business organizations and local governments have gone to Olympia with a joint list of priorities for Clark County, an agenda that also includes local nonprofits and social services agencies working to improve our community.
In previous years, this concerted approach to our legislators in Olympia by the business community has resulted in projects as diverse as the new engineering building at Washington State University-Vancouver, which received funding last year, to the support of the Innovative Services NW Adult Day Health Center a couple of years ago.
This year is no different.
At a breakfast sponsored by the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, Columbia River Economic Development Council and Identity Clark County last month, attendees presented a short list of priorities to the region's legislative contingent for the upcoming session beginning Monday. It included only three items: a tax incentive package to help recruit solar energy manufacturers; support for the Columbia River Crossing project; and no further reductions in the funding of higher education.
Each of these priorities is key to the recovery of our economy in Southwest Washington. They are integral to providing living-wage jobs for the next 10 years and assuring we have a workforce educated in the disciplines utilized by local employers.
Even with a short list, the primary challenge in trying to achieve these goals this year is the $2.6 billion gap remaining in the state's budget. According to state Dept. of Commerce Director Rogers Weeds, that amounts to over 25 percent of the general fund which, as he mentioned to a meeting organized by the Association of Washington Business three weeks ago, is the only conceivable place left to cut.
Budget woes aren't the only obstacle to pursuing the business community's legislative agenda.
The announcement last month of U.S. Rep. Brian Baird's retirement opened a hotly-contested Congressional seat that has distracted many members of our legislative team. At this writing, our most senior legislators, including Sen. Craig Pridemore, Sen. Joe Zarelli and Rep. Deb Wallace, as well as one of our newest members, Rep. Jamie Herrera, have all declared their candidacy for Baird's seat.
So, where will this divided attention among our legislators leave our interests during the forthcoming legislative session? As a community, we've done our part. Our priorities are in order. Now we must work to maintain the focus of our elected representatives to usher these three priorities through the process in Olympia and deliver another successful legislative year for Clark County.
This year, more than ever, you need to call, email, write and even visit our delegation to ensure we don't lose the value of the collaboration on which we have worked so diligently as a business community.
