Blogs

By Cindy Alia, April 2, 2019

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1579&Year=2019&Initiative=false

This bill has passed the House, but must go through the process in the Senate, where it has had a first reading, but is not scheduled yet for a public hearing.  You can comment on the bill at 800 562 6000!

A suite of Tenant/Landlord Bills have been introduced and are progressing through the legislature.  It is self-evident that no genuine effort has been made by bill sponsors to solicit input from industry-wide stakeholders.  Tenant advocates have been candid (and successful) with their opposition to landlords having a seat at the table.  That is why these bills are generally so short-sighted.

Tenant/Landlord relationship and interaction is dynamic and complex, and these bills fail to recognize the on the ground circumstances created with real people living real lives.  Additionally the bills do not consider that both landlords and fellow tenants can suffer the consequences of a bad apple tenant. 

By Cindy Alia

April 29, 2019

Congratulations are due to citizens for their citizen activism!  Citizens can make changes to law through hard work and dogged pursuit to better the lives of people trying to work and live under the regulatory system.

COOMWA, a citizens’ action group formed to protect citizens use and management of their septic systems, along with Citizens’ Alliance for Property Rights have worked to promote and ultimately have passed, a bill in the state legislature.  SB 5503, sponsored by Senators Das, Fortunato, Takko has been through the legislative process in Olympia, and is now law!  Here is a link to the bill Certification of Enrollment as passed the legislature on March 6, 2019! 

CAPR ACTION ALERT
In Spite of the repeated rejection by the public of carbon taxes to offset climate change, legislators have moved several bills into the legislative process to bypass the public will and replace it with their own.

Most unfortunately, Senator Carlyle’s Carbon Taxing Bill, SB 5116 has passed the Senate Chamber on a strict party line basis with democrats voting Yea and Republicans voting Nay. It is on its way to be heard in the House, as it is scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Environment & Energy at 8:00 AM in anticipation of other legislative action on Tuesday, March 5th!

By Cindy Alia                                                                                                                                                                              February 11, 2019

By Cindy Alia

January 27, 2019

As much as I would like to take credit for this article, a very savvy and critically thinking facebook follower often has very in depth and well thought out comments to articles posted there.  Grateful for this kind of response and the research behind it, I feel compelled in this case to share the thoughts and conclusions reached from the research the follower had done.

Guest Column by Debra Tash 

January 22, 2019

The Planning Commission’s public hearing will be on January 31st , 8:30 AM at the County Government Center, 800 So Victoria Ave. Ventura.  

After the pomp and circumstance was accomplished, the silliness began.  Reportedly the Senate ran an hour behind on their duties to swear in Senators though no explanation was given.  Lieutenant Governor Cyrus Habib had his Nancy Pelosi moment when he declared he did not feel safe because the Senate had not banned concealed carry weapons from the Senate Gallery.

Symbolism accomplished the legislators got down to the business of how to capture that most prized and coveted thing, other people’s money.

By Guest Columnist Steve Busch

December 27, 2018