ACTION NEWSLETTER
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property – until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.” – Thomas Jefferson, 1802
DEMOCRATIC EVENTS
1. Labor/Democrat Work Group, Monday, Feb. 20, 5:30 pm, IBEW Trailer, Mount Vernon
Main Agenda Item: organizing for the Skagit Human Rights Festival Labor presentation. Join us to help promote workers! Directions: From I-5 take Anderson Rd. Exit that is south of Mount Vernon, head West from exit, within one block, turn south into IBEW Training facility, Trailer is just southwest of parking lot.
Janet McKinney, Labor-Democrat Work Group Coordinator
2. First Latino Outreach Committee Meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 5:30 pm, Party Headquarters, Mount Vernon.
All welcome. For more information check with staff at party headquarters, 300A S.1st St., Mount Vernon or call 360-336-1555.
3. Voter ID Phone Bank, Monday, Feb. 27, 6 pm, Party Headquarters, Mount Vernon
If you are new to Voter ID, we will explain the whole process and provide a phone script. Skagit County has 30,000 registered voters who have not been identified as Democrat, Republican, or Independent. Please join us in this vital project. Let the Headquarters know you are coming so we can provide enough cell phones—336-1555.
4. New - Joint Central Committee/Executive Board Meeting, Monday, March 5, 5:30 pm, Party Headquarters, Mount Vernon
PCOs are urged to attend; all interested Democrats are welcome to attend. Please note the change of day and time for this meeting and don’t forget to bring a non-perishable food item for the food bank.
5. The Organizing for America Team for Obama Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:00 – 8:00 pm, Sundays from 3:00 – 5:00 pm.
Please e-mail Stan Mason horseplayin@gmail.com or call 360 333 2497 for more information and location. All hands needed for this important election year.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
1. New – Kick Off of SCEC Program To Facilitate Residential Energy Efficiency, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2:30 – 5:00 pm, Skagit County Commissioners Administrative Building, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon
The Skagit Community Energy Challenge (SCEC) provides information and support to help homeowners take the next steps to make the recommended improvements to their home (including rebate and incentive programs), and a recognition process to acknowledge homeowners that take actions to make their homes more sustainable. (See Representative Kristine Lytton’s message below.)
2. New - Lee Mann Exhibition Opening Thursday, Mar. 1, 5 pm, Multipurpose Room, Skagit Valley College Campus, Mount Vernon
We honor Lee Mann for his art and for the commitment he demonstrated for human rights in his letters to the editor of the Skagit Valley Herald. Both art and letters will be on display. The exhibit will feature glimpses of Lee Mann’s personal life, his nature photography, and a book of his letters.
3. New - Skagit Valley Artists’ Human Rights Display Opening, Friday, Mar. 2, 5 – 7 pm, Lincoln Theatre Art Gallery, Mount Vernon
The Human Rights Display will be up throughout the month of March in conjunction with the Skagit Human Rights Festival.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. New - A Message from 40th LD Representative Kristine Lytton
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope this email update finds you well. The legislative session passed a major deadline Tuesday with the “house of origin cut-off” which is the last day for policy bills to be passed out of the house in which they were introduced.
Teacher and Principal Evaluations Pass the Senate
Statewide implementation of the Teacher and Principal Evaluation Pilots (TPEP) took a big step forward when SB 5895 passed off of the Senate Floor on Tuesday. We heard the bill in the House Education Committee this morning. By establishing a four-tier evaluation system for our teachers and principals across our state, we are reaffirming our commitment to student success. Keeping in mind that one-size-fits-all system won’t work in a state as diverse as Washington, we worked to include a high level of local control while also ensuring the fidelity of the pilots. This legislation has required everyone—from the Governor and legislators to parents and educators—to come to the table and identify the best path forward.
Skagit County Launches Community Energy Challenge
Skagit County Community Energy Challenge (“SCEC”), a pilot program to encourage and facilitate residential energy efficiency, is modeled on the successful Whatcom Community Energy Challenge and helps homeowners achieve energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and creation of wildlife habitat. The program begins with a home energy assessment and report to help homeowners address comfort issues and reveal opportunities to lower home bills through insulation, air sealing, and other proven measures.
The SCEC provides information and support to help homeowners take the next steps to make the recommended improvements to their home (including rebate and incentive programs), and a recognition process to acknowledge homeowners that take actions to make their homes more sustainable.
As always, please keep in touch. It is an honor to serve you!
Regards,
Kristine
2. New - State Plan Denies Payment of Emergency Services to State’s Poor and Removes Patient Safety Protections
From the Washington State Hospital Association News:
“Rather than move forward with the judge’s ruling for a formal rule making process, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) responded to its loss in court by announcing in December it will stop paying for all emergency department visits for Medicaid patients when HCA deems those visits “not medically necessary in the ER setting.” What was previously an arbitrary cap on ER visits has now become an outright refusal to cover care HCA believes is unnecessary. The problem is that patients do not know what care is an emergency or not.”
Don Ambrose, Desktop Technician
United General Hospital
don.ambrose@unitedgeneral.org, 360-856-7258
3. New – The Difference Between a Resolution and a Party Platform
A Party Platform is a statement of principles. The best kind of platforms are stripped down to a few over-arching values statements. Platforms can be changed through a resolution.3. New – The Difference Between a Resolution and a Party Platform
A Resolution is a formal expression of opinion usually with an action attached to it which is sent to the appropriate persons or organizations for action. Some resolutions may also be submitted for possible inclusion in a political party’s platform. Resolutions that state political positions are separate “Standing Rules” of the body. They stand until they are rescinded or become obsolete.
Janet McKinney, Skagit County Democratic State Committee Woman
4. Listen to We Do The Work, within Skagit Talks, Mondays, 5 pm, at KSVR, 91.7 FM
February 20
Rick DeBay, AFSCME (WFSE), member of the Washington Federation of State Employees, will provide listeners with some cold hard facts about why budget cuts to Community Corrections (probation and parole officers) will undermine community safety, and how budget cuts to other state programs will also hurt our communities.
February 27
Justin Ayers, AFSCME (WFSE), DSHS
Member of the Washington Federation of State Employees, will tell us about some of the funding problems plaguing the Department of Social and Health Services and how that will affect our communities and the people who need help.
Janet McKinney, Labor-Democrat Work Group Cooridinator
5. News and Needs from Party Headquarters
- New - Would the person who borrowed Joan McEldoon’s book, Archaeology of Washington State, please return it to party headquarters in Mount Vernon?
- Volunteers are needed for Data Entry into VoteBuilder using updates from the Voter ID Project; Contact Janet McKinney, Voter ID Coordinator, cedarwaxwings@gmail.com
- Would the person who borrowed the projector from headquarters please contact headquarters and return it?
- Would the person who left an expensive camera at headquarters please come in and claim it?
- Amie with Organizing for America [OFA] is available Thursday afternoons after 1pm. Her team needs volunteers for the Obama 2012 campaign. There is much to do!
- We still need office volunteers to keep our doors at headquarters open in this very important election year. Please call headquarters, 336-1555, if you are willing to work on a regular basis or to serve as a substitute when a regular worker can’t make it.
- Don’t forget to drop off a non-perishable food item when you are in the area. The need continues to be great.
Thanks,
Shirley Viscalla and Staff
***************************************************************************************************
Gail Nicolls, Secretary
Skagit County Democrats
guemesgail@gmail.com
Skagit County Democrats
300A South 1st Street
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
360-336-1555
www.skagitdemocrats.org
Email to staff: staff@skagitdemocrats.org
Send news items to news@skagitdemocrats.org