Legislative Preview: Southwest Washington loses clout

Southwest Washington has lost some clout in Olympia with the retirement of Democratic Rep. Bill Fromhold, a political insider with expertise in education, pensions and tax policy who was admired on both sides of the aisle.

Furthermore, Sen. Craig Pridemore, D-Vancouver, gave up his post as vice chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee after he lobbied for the budget-writing committee’s top job.

Though some political bloggers speculated that he was punished for challenging Chairwoman Margarita Prentice, Pridemore told The Columbian he didn’t want the No. 2 job again because it took all his time and left none for working on environmental bills that are closest to his heart.

Instead, he will serve as vice chairman of a key environmental committee. He plans to sponsor bills that would adopt a “cap and reduce” carbon emissions program, require recycling of fluorescent light bulbs, and impose fees on oil shipping companies to help pay for the cleanup of Puget Sound.

Two Democratic newcomers, Rep. Jim Jacks in the 49th District and Rep. Tim Probst in the 17th, scored big with key committee assignments.

Probst, who heads the Washington Workforce Association, will be in a position to influence both education policy and school funding as vice chairman of the House Education Committee and a member of the Education Appropriations Committee. Building on his experience linking the classroom to the workplace, he’ll also serve on the Community and Economic Development and Trade Committee.

“My assignments will really help me focus on economic recovery and on improving our school system,” Probst said.

Jacks, formerly Gregoire’s representative to Southwest Washington, will serve as vice chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. He’ll also be on the Capital Budget Committee, which approves bricks-and-mortar projects throughout the state, and the Technology, Energy and Communications Committee, where he hopes to influence alternative energy and climate change legislation.

“Someone from Southwest Washington should be on the Capital Budget Committee,” Jacks said. Fromhold, who chaired that committee in 2007 and 2008, helped deliver several projects for Clark County.

The committee could be pivotal in moving forward projects under the Obama administration’s stimulus program, Jacks said. But how that might play out is still unknown. “The federal government hasn’t told anyone what the rules of the road will be. We don’t know how much money or what strings will be attached.”

Rep. Deb Wallace, a 17th District Democrat, will retain her chairmanship of the House Higher Education Committee.

And Rep. Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver, will have a full plate, adding Transportation to his assignments on the House Health Care and Wellness, Commerce and Labor and Rules committees.

On the Republican side, Sen. Joe Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, will continue as ranking Republican on Ways and Means and also serve as lead Republican on the newly renamed Economic Development, Trade and Innovation Committee.

Zarelli, the Senate’s lead Republican on all budget and revenue matters, won bipartisan respect for advocating establishment of a rainy day reserve fund. He was one of the first lawmakers to propose hiring freezes and a moratorium on travel last fall when the extent of the deficit became clear.

Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, will continue as ranking Republican on the House Finance Committee, where he promises to oppose tax increase proposals. “I’d like to see some tax relief for businesses to stimulate the economy, but I’m afraid with the budget the way it is, that will be a tall order,” he said.

Rep. Jaime Herrera, who won election in November to the seat she filled by appointment last year, will continue on House Transportation, She vows to fight delays in the construction schedule for several highway projects in her district. She’ll also serve on the Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee.

Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver will retain his committee posts on Transportation, Government Operation and Elections and Financial Institutions and Insurance.