Cheers: To bipartisanship in Olympia. State Sens. John Braun, R-Centralia, and Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, have spearheaded a bill to add $2 billion over four years for special education funding at the state’s public schools. The bill has passed the Senate by a 48-0 vote and now moves on to the House. “This is a tough year budget-wise,” Braun said. “I do have deep concerns about this kind of move.”
Still, the Senate leaders recognize the need to increase funding and the risk of failing to do so. Public education is deemed the Legislature’s “paramount duty” in the state constitution, and short-changing special education leaves the state open to future lawsuits. School leaders throughout Washington and the state superintendent have emphasized the importance of finding funding during this year’s legislative session. By working together and generating support from their caucuses, Braun and Pedersen have demonstrated that the state’s paramount duty is not a red or blue issue.
Jeers: To a deal falling through. The Cowlitz Indian Tribe has pulled out of an apparent deal to purchase the Tri-Mountain Golf Course from Clark County. Late last year, the Cowlitz had tentatively agreed to purchase the course, which was facing closure. The Clark County Council has voted to continue operating the facility as a golf course for now, but the future remains murky.
No reasons have been given for the demise of the proposal, and we are reluctant to assign blame to either the Cowlitz or the county; sometimes a deal just doesn’t work. But jeers are warranted for the potential closure of a golf course that is a valuable recreational outlet for residents from near and far.
Cheers: To public discussions. The latest edition of Columbian Conversations focused on “Innovative Housing Solutions,” bringing together experts to discuss the region’s housing crisis. As one panelist said: “It’s getting harder and harder to get financial support for affordable housing development. This barrier is causing real capacity constraints for affordable housing developers to be able to finance our next project.”
As the meeting demonstrated, there are no easy solutions for increasing the supply of affordable housing. But by bringing together experts at a public forum, The Columbian helps to inform our community and foster discussion about an important issue.
Jeers: To litter. In sponsoring a bill to increase fines for littering, Rep. Mark Klicker, R-Walla Walla, expresses the frustration shared by many Washington residents: “I have encountered everything from bottles to cups to plastic bags to paper bags, baby cribs, tires, mattresses and sofas on our interstates.”
House Bill 1293 would increase the fine for small amounts of litter from $50 to $125; it has passed the House and is in committee in the Senate. Cheers go to paying attention to a public issue, but jeers are warranted for the need to do so and to doubts that regulations against littering will be widely enforced.
Cheers: To Tristan Begines. The 17-year-old Clark County resident, who is autistic, has been named the Division 5 Young Marine of the Year — one of six honorees in the nation.
Begines, who joined the program four years ago, told The Columbian: “I wasn’t used to that kind of environment. But after I got into it more and got to see some of the stuff I was able to do, it made me want to stay. We model ourselves after the Marine Corps. I think that really sold me on the program and showed me I could accomplish things.”
