News from the Skagit County Democrats
Posted on April 13th, 2025
Skagit County Democrats Action Newsletter for April 14, 2025
DEMOCRATIC EVENTS
1. NEW – At the General Membership Meeting of Apr 12, the Skagit County Democrats passed the "Resolution Calling on Governor Ferguson to Support Progressive Revenue"
Click Here to read the full document.
2. The 39th Legislative District Democrats Executive Board meets Tuesday, Apr 15, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, via Zoom
Click Here to register for the meeting.
3. The 10th Legislative District Democrats Executive Board meets Saturday, Apr 19, 10:00am – 12:00pm
(Per their calendar, https://www.10thlddemocrats.org/events.)
4. NEW – 50501: The People's Movement – Bellingham, Saturday, Apr 19, 12:00pm, Federal Building, 104 West Magnolia Street, Bellingham
"Nationwide Day of Protest".
5. NEW – The 39th Legislative District Democrats General Membership Bi-Monthly Hybrid Meeting is Saturday, Apr 26, 11:00am, Stanwood Library, 9701 271st Street Northwest, Stanwood, or via Zoom
Click Here to register to attend via Zoom. Click Here for the agenda.
6. NEW – Legislative Committee Report
The Skagit Democratic Legislative Committee recommends support of the bills that are still active. You can access those bills by clicking here. The following bills are also of utmost importance. Your support would be appreciated. Please support our Legislative Committee by emailing our State Senators & Representatives using the "Email your legislators" links and with the Suggested Text (or similar sentiments).
- –ESSB 5041 – Unemployment Benefits for Striking Workers who are not participating in, financing or directly interested in the strike or lockout that caused an individual’s unemployment.
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- Suggested text: Please support ESSB 5041 to allow unemployment benefits for striking workers who qualify under the Act.
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- –HB 1217 – Improving housing stability for tenants
- Excessive rent increases are driving people out of their homes and communities while increasing homelessness. Although the original language of this legislation aimed to provide much needed relief to tenants, two alarming amendments have been made to the bill, which undermine its integrity and impact.
- First was Senator Shewmake’s amendment to increase the annual rent cap from 7% to 10% plus the Consumer Price Index. Next was Senator Liias’ amendment to exempt non-corporate single family home rental properties from following this law. Both amendments will leave thousands of WA residents in the same state of housing emergency as working families struggle with housing affordability.
- Now that this bill has passed in the Senate, it will go to the house and pass through a concurrence process. Similar amendments were made last year, which ultimately killed the legislation, as they represent unacceptable compromises.
- Email your representatives – to let them know that these amendments are not acceptable to WA renters and residents!
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- Suggested text: The proposed amendments to HB 1217 are not acceptable to Washington renters and residents! These amendments would seriously impact the ability of renters being able to remain in housing, creating an even larger housing emergency.
- –SB 5113 and HB 1292 – PERS COLA
- We need your immediate help to ensure the Legislature funds a recurring cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for our PERS/TRS 1 retirees. This weekend, both legislative chambers will be negotiating a compromise budget. We want to ensure the COLA for PERS/TRS 1 retirees is among the priorities they fund. Fourteen years ago, as a budget balancing move, the Legislature eliminated the cost-of-living (COLA) for retirees vested in Plans 1. PERS/TRS 1 retirees are the only retiree group without an annual COLA. In this economic climate, it’s simply not fair to ask this group of older retirees to continue to do without and continue to lose purchasing power.
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- Suggested text: Public sector retirees deserve to have a livable pension that adjusts with inflation. This is the only group of public sector retirees without a COLA. Their pensions are central to their retirement security. I am writing to ask you to prioritize the funding of an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for PERS/TRS 1 retirees.
7. Some facts about this year's Legislative Session:
- Legislative Body: The 69th Biennial Session
- Start Date: January 13, 2025
- End Date: April 27, 2025
- Session Length: 105 days
- Purpose: To adopt the 2025-27 Operating, Capital, and Transportation budgets
- Click Here for "The Standard’s guide to the 2025 legislative session" (Washington State Standard)
8. This year's Gala, themed "Rooted in Democracy, Growing for Tomorrow," will be held on Saturday, June 7th at the Swinomish Casino.
"Planning is well underway, and we are currently seeking volunteers to assist with collecting auction items and sponsorships. The Gala Committee holds hybrid meetings every Wednesday at 5:30 PM.
If you're interested in joining the committee or if you have an item you would like to donate for the silent auction, please contact Isaac Cavazos, our Gala Committee Chair, at galatix@skagitdemocrats.org.
9. Important Information for Candidates!
The Skagit County Democrats Endorsements Committee has begun meeting, and we encourage all prospective candidates to apply for endorsement in order to get access to Votebuilder, campaign contributions, and other Skagit Democrats' resources. For more information, please click the link here. If you have any questions, please contact the Endorsement Committee at endorsements@skagitdemocrats.org.
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.
- La Niña is dead. Here’s what to expect in the coming months
- Government Announces Plan to Liquidate Millions of Acres of Forest
- Our ancestors didn’t eat 3 meals a day. So why do we?
- Why ICE is really moving detainees over a thousand miles from where they were arrested
- What longtime tax reform 'zealot' Bill Bradley has to say about Trump's plan
COMMUNITY EVENTS
1. UPDATED – 2025 Tulip Festival Information
*** The Tulip Festival Street Fair will be Friday, Apr 18 – Sunday, Apr 20, 10:00am – 6:00pm (5:00pm on Sunday), downtown Mount Vernon.
The Street Fair includes "Tulip Tunes", a free three-day music festival in the heart of the Tulip Festival Street Fair.
- Friday, April 18 (10am – 6pm): Folk & Funk Day
- Saturday, April 19 (10am – 6pm): Pop & Rock Day
- ?Sunday, April 20 (10am – 5pm): Country & Blues Day
Click Here for Tulip Festival information. As Tulip Traffic continues, please drive with caution and patience!
2. NEW – Special Accessible Egg Hunts, Saturday, Apr 19, 1:00pm – Children with Special Needs, 2:00pm – Children who are blind or low vision, Anacortes United Methodist, Church Lower Level, Boyd Hall 2201 H Avenue, Anacortes
"Please RSVP to Colette Arvidson at colette.arvidson@gmail.com or (360) 391-5880."
3. NEW – Shred-a-Thon Fundraiser Benefiting the Anacortes Family Center, Saturday, Apr 19 9:00am – 1:00pm, Anacortes Walgreens Parking, Lot 909 Commercial Avenue, Anacortes
"Bring your old documents to be destroyed! This fundraiser benefits the Anacortes Family Center’s shelter for women, children, and families in need. $10 minimum/$20 suggested per box All donations are tax-deductible. Questions? Contact Heather at 360-682-1609."
4. NEW – Skagit County Seeks Applicants for Housing Authority of Skagit County Board
"Residents of Skagit County interested in serving on the HASC Board are encouraged to apply . . . " Letters of interest are due "no later than Friday, April 25, 2025 at 4:30 p.m." Click Here for the full announcement and requirements.
5. Information about Alfredo "Lelo" Juarez
"On March 25, 2025, Lelo was violently detained by ICE while driving his partner to her workplace. ICE agents broke his car window when Lelo tried to exercise his rights. He is currently detained inside an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington.
Lelo has been a farmworker and community leader in Washington since he was 12 years old, and has worked tirelessly for immigrant and farmworker rights. He was one of the initial founders of the independent union Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ), where he helped agricultural workers win paid breaks and overtime. As an organizer with Community to Community Development (C2C), he has been involved in multiple campaigns, most recently working on educating the community and legislators about the exploitative H-2A program.
?We believe that ICE may have targeted Lelo for his leadership in standing up for farmworkers and immigrants in his community." Click Here for more information. Click Here for the Seattle Times article. Click Here for a more recent article from The "Northern Light".
You can help:
- Email Senator Patty Murray
- Email Senator Maria Cantwell
- Email Congressional Representative Rick Larsen
- Contribute to the Alfredo Juarez Legal Fund
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. 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 led quite capably by Judy Farrar and Judith Chilcote. 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 $.56. 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."