News from the Skagit County Democrats
Skagit County Democrats Action Newsletter for January 16, 2023
DEMOCRATIC EVENTS
1. NEW – The 10th Legislative District Democrats Executive Board Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Jan 21, 10:00am – 12:00pm via Zoom
Click Here to register in advance for this meeting.
2. NEW – The 39th Legislative District Democrats completed their Reorganization Meeting Sunday, Jan 15
Newly elected officers are:
- Chair – Jessica Wadhams
- Vice Chair – Alex Acevedo
- State Committee Person – Bill Phillps
- State Committee Person – Cathy Ozog
- Second Vice Chair – Kathryn Sharpe
- Snohomish County Committee Person 1 – Tony Horsman
- Snohomish County Committee Person 2 – Gomer Thomas
- Sergeant-At-Arms – Bill Phillips
- Fundraising Officer – Kathryn Sharpe
NOTE: Skagit County Democrats' Representative to the 39th LD Democrats is Jamal Savage
3. NEW – The Fidalgo Democrats Meeting of Tuesday, Jan 10 about Property Taxes was recorded
Click Here for the recording.
4. The Skagit County Democrats Reorganization Meeting was held Saturday, Jan 7
Please welcome our newly constituted Executive Board for the next two years. This was our first meeting held in person since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. A recording of the meeting is available for viewing.
The elected officers are:
- Chair – Lynn Campbell
- Vice Chair – Nathaniel Block
- State Committee Person – Mayra Velazquez
- State Committee Person – Bennett Massey-Helber
- Legislative District 10 Representative – Velit Seyfettin
- Legislative District 39 Representative – Jamal Savage
- Legislative District 40 Representative – Roger Phillip
- Commissioner District 1 Representative – Curt Huber
- Commissioner District 2 Representative – Andrew Vander Stoep
- Commissioner District 3 Representative – Jeremy Harrison-Smith
The appointed positions are:
- Secretary – Brenda Cunningham
- Treasurer – Cindy Lane
5. The Skagit County Auditor's Office has advised us there are no elections scheduled for February of this year
6. UPDATED – Ready to initiate/renew your Skagit County Democrats membership? It is that time of year!
A reminder: subscription to the newsletter does not convey membership. Paying dues conveys membership AND voting privileges. The cost is minimal – only $20.00 for an individual membership or $35.00 for a family. Click Here to join on-line through ActBlue. Click Here [corrected link] to download, print, and complete a form for membership to be mailed. Or Click Here to simply make a donation.
7. Skagit County Democrats collaborate with Indivisible Skagit to share Take Action Network (TAN), a great tool for legislative action
"Join Take Action Network (TAN) . . . TAN makes it easy to track bills you care about, write your legislators, sign in for hearings all from your own home. Get daily Take Action alerts. Make your voice heard in Olympia! Here’s what one happy IndiSkagit TAN user says: 'I love it! I just sit down at the computer after dinner and spend about 15 minutes taking actions on bills that make a difference. It’s easy and so satisfying!'”
8. Skagit County Democrats is again requesting anyone visiting our Headquarters to "mask up"
9. NEW – A message from Washington State Democrats Chair, Tina Podlodowski (from her newsletter for Jan 13)
" . . . In case you missed it last week, I wanted to reiterate my announcement that I will not be seeking re-election as State Party Chair [Click Here for Seattle Times article] this January. This was not an easy decision, but I feel strongly that I have accomplished what I set out to do and it is now time to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders ready to light the fires of democracy, teamwork, and community around our state.
I will be serving out my term until a new Chair is elected on Saturday, January 28th at our State Committee Meeting in Olympia. Do stay tuned for more news on the meeting as well.
Please find a longer letter with additional details on my decision – as well as our achievements over the past six years, linked here.
Thank you again for your partnership and work for our Party. I look forward to seeing many of you in Olympia later this month and am excited for all that is to come for our terrific Democratic Party!
Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!
With gratitude, Chair Tina Podlodowski, Washington State Democratic Party"
10. NEW – Links of the Week
The Links of the Week provide in-depth pieces and resources the Editor has found to be relevant, insightful, and thorough on important issues of the day.
- The realization about the IRS that the GOP needs to have
- Additions and Updates to the [Rand] Gun Policy in America Initiative
- Could Africa replace China as the world’s source of rare earth elements?
- How Congress Finally Cracked Down on a Massive Tax Scam
- How the Myth of the American Frontier Got Its Start
COMMUNITY EVENTS
1. Skagit Valley College MLK Jr. Day, Monday, Jan 16, 9:00am – 2:00pm, Mount Vernon and Whidbey Island campuses
Skagit Valley College will host a Day of Service to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 16 on its Mount Vernon and Whidbey Island campuses. The Day of Service features free events, community basketball skills clinics, and a donation drive. Click Here for more information.
2. NEW – The Skagit County AARP TaxAide Program provides FREE tax preparation
"The Skagit AARP TaxAide program offers free tax return preparation, and tax consultation for most low- and middle-income tax situations. [Including for seniors] It is an all-volunteer community operation, sponsored by the AARP Foundation with Spanish language support from Goodwill. Your tax return is prepared by IRS certified tax preparers (called counselors), who must recertify annually. If you are interested in accessing our free tax preparation service, familiarize yourself with our process and call one of the sites for an appointment. Due to the pandemic, access to Skagit AARP TaxAide services will be limited so be sure to make your appointment early! Once we run out of appointments, you will have to find another way to get your tax return done." Click Here for more information.
3. NEW – The Skagit County North Star Project Moves into Phase 2
"In early 2022, Skagit County launched the North Star Project, a joint effort between Skagit County and the cities of Burlington, Mount Vernon, Anacortes, and Sedro-Woolley to better align resources and services to address the complex behavioral health and homelessness challenges in our community."
4. Skagit County Seeks Applicants for Agricultural Advisory Board
"Skagit County is seeking applicants to fill a vacant seat in District 2 for a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to serve in an advisory role in making recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners regarding land use, planning, programs, and policy decisions relating to agriculture. The Skagit County Agricultural Advisory Board makes recommendations on policy and planning issues related to agriculture and represents the diversity of the agricultural economy, various agricultural operations, and districts of Skagit County." Letters of interest along with a statement of qualifications are due by Feb 9. Click Here for more information.
5. The League of Women Voters of Washington, present ACTviaZoom sessions weekly, Mondays, 10:00am – 11:00am, from Monday, Jan 2 through Monday, Apr 24
These weekly sessions provide "information/question/answer session using League, State and Community resources who bring the background informa2on you need on topics related to current WA State Legislation." Register for ACTviaZoom here. Subscribe to Legislative Action Newsletter here. Contact host Carol Sullivan with further questions: csullivan@lwvwa.org.
6. COVID-19 Information
Click Here for the most current report and resources.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Anacortes Sunday Demonstrations
Democrats are again demonstrating in Anacortes each Sunday, 12:00pm – 1:00pm at the corner of 12th Street and Commercial Avenue. "We carry signs for Dem candidates, get out and vote signs, women's right-to-chose in healthcare and so on and so on. We need more people to show up."
2. Coffee & Cards, Wednesdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm, Skagit County Democrats Headquarters, 2021 East College Way, Suite 104, Mount Vernon
Coffee and Cards meets on Wednesdays from 10:00am – 12:00pm. This is the group that was previously led by Carol Sullivan and is now lead quite capably by Judy Farrar. The group is a way for us to express ourselves about issues of importance to us all.
We will write messages of encouragement and support to people who are making positive contributions as well as messages of concern and opposition to people who are negatively impacting our world. This includes legislators on the local, state, and federal level as well as CEOs of corporations and other people having a significant impact in our world. We will share ideas for people to write to and issues to address.
Postcards and stamps will be provided, but we ask that people bring money to cover the cost of the postcard stamps which are currently $.44. Coffee will be provided or bring your own. As Carol always reminded us, “We are stronger together.” Our office is located at 2021 East College Way, Suite 104, Mount Vernon, 360-336-1555."