Washington State Senate Democrats: Jim Kastama

Kastama: State must ramp up economic development

Senate Democrats — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:30:09 GMT

In a segment of The Impact on TVW, Sen. Jim Kastama lays out the state's short-term and long-term plans for economic development -- and how our approach to jobs and businesses needs to change for Washington to remain globally competitive.

ARROW commission can restructure state government

Senate Democrats — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:43:00 GMT

OLYMPIA – An independent commission made up of six of Washington's most respected leaders could get around longstanding roadblocks to the meaningful restructuring of state government, Sen. Jim Kastama said today.

Kastama's Senate Bill 6786 would appoint Dan Evans, Booth Gardner, Slade Gorton, Sid Snyder, John Spellman and Ruth Walsh McIntyre to a newly created Agency Reallocation and Realignment of Washington (ARROW) commission. The idea for the commission is modeled on the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) created by Congress in 2005 to circumvent political difficulties in identifying military bases for closure.

"It is almost impossible to restructure state government to do more with less. Too many interests groups have caused a virtual standstill," Kastama said. “In addition, lawmakers often face an inherent conflict between representing their constituents’ interests and doing what’s best for the entire state. When those two demands collide, legislators are often paralyzed.”

Just as BRAC was able to move forward with base closings that stymied Congress for years, Kastama believes his ARROW commission could do the same to make state government more efficient.

The commission would be asked to propose ways of reducing spending while maintaining essential services, with the freedom to consolidate, eliminate or create state agencies and departments. It could also redefine the duties and responsibilities of state officers. All of this would have to be done within existing revenues.

The commission’s recommendations would be voted up or down by the House and Senate in 2011 — without amendments. There would be no minority or majority report issued, just one set of recommendations.

“These people have all been tested. They are trusted by the public and wield tremendous influence,” Kastama said. “The world has changed, and so should government. “These leaders bring the statesmanship that can make it happen.”

Senate Democrats unveil "bulls-eye" jobs strategy

Senate Democrats — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:00:00 GMT

OLYMPIA - Offering what they say is a well-rounded, sustainable strategy for putting people to work now while helping to spur job growth in emerging sectors, Senate Democrats today unveiled their key job-creation proposals of the 2010 legislative session.

“Our aim is to put people to work and create jobs,” said Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane. “Our strategy is like a bull’s eye, putting the existing jobs and businesses that are essential to our recovery at the center, and rippling steadily outward toward the jobs of the future that are the key to our competitiveness over the long term.”

The strategy put forward today by Brown, Sen. Claudia Kauffman, D-Kent, Sen. Chris Marr, D-Spokane, Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, Sen. Phil Rockefeller, D-Kitsap County, and Sen. Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup, contains five key elements, including:

Helping small businesses stay in business:

Senate Bill 6667 Small business assistance, training and development
SB 6669 Small Business Development Center assistance for start-ups
SB 5899 Providing small business tax credits for job creation

Putting people to work through local infrastructure projects:

2009-11 Transportation budget/2010 supplemental
SB 6609 Community revitalization financing

Retraining 6,000 workers for existing, unfilled high-demand jobs:

2009-11 Operating budget/2010 supplemental

Building on Washington’s success creating green jobs:

SB 6656 Creating local energy improvement districts
SB 6468 Coordinating residential weatherization

Attracting entrepreneurs for the innovation economy:

SB 6594/ SB 6706 Commercializing research at state universities

“This package builds upon our strengths as a state, and seeks to put us in better position as we move out of this recession,” said Brown, noting that Washington is ranked

the best state in the nation to start a business, according to U.S. News & World Report.
the second-best business climate in the nation, according to Forbes.
the second-best state in the nation for innovation and growth potential, according to the Kauffman Foundation.
the fifth-best state in the nation for small business survival, according to the Small Business and Entrepreneur Council.

Senate Democrats also said this year’s package is continuous with a number of initiatives from the previous year, including:

the 2009-11 transportation budget (SB 5352) – the largest in state history – authorizing new transportation projects around the state that, in total, are currently creating as many as 49,000 jobs;
“Community Revitalization” legislation (SB 5045), allowing local governments to let growth pay for growth by bonding against private sector development to pay for public sector development of roads, sewers and wastewater treatment facilities;
“Green Jobs” legislation (SB 5649), providing residential energy audits and retrofits for 20,000 homes and buildings across the state, and an estimated 8,000 living-wage jobs for skilled workers, apprentices, veterans and disadvantaged populations; and
“Working Retraining” legislation (SB 5809), helping 3,000 to 6,000 individuals get the skills they need for existing, unfilled jobs in high-demand fields.

Senate Democrats were joined by Dusty Hoerler of Sustainable Works (a non-profit group providing 4,800 of the kind of residential energy audits and retrofits made possible by last year’s SB 5649); Dave Johnson of the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council; Dr. Vijay K. Mathur of G.R. International (a small business in Federal Way); and Ernie Bushong of Grays Harbor College and Rita Hardin of Olympic College (students attending the kind of retraining programs made possible by last year’s SB 5809).

Focus of traffic cameras should be safety, not revenue

Senate Democrats — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:09:00 GMT

OLYMPIA -- Automated traffic camera fines would be lowered dramatically under legislation proposed by Sen. Jim Kastama.

"The traffic cameras were originally passed in the interest of public safety, but now they’re viewed as revenue generators," the Puyallup Democrat said. "Local governments are levying fines far higher than anyone in the Legislature intended."

In approving the use of automated traffic cameras in speed zones, the Legislature authorized governments to set fines equivalent to those for routine parking violations. But instead of mirroring typical parking fines, governments chose the costliest parking fines on the books — those for parking in handicapped zones. It’s a fine that typically runs into three figures.

“There’s a public official in Seattle who flat out calls these things ‘revenue generators’ and wants the city to install 70 more,” Kastama said. “It’s clear that the focus has shifted from public safety to revenue. This is not what the Legislature intended and it’s not what the public wants.”

Kastama’s Senate Bill 6410 would require the fine for a traffic camera violation to be that of an average parking fine. A separate bill, SB 6411, directs the state Traffic Safety Commission to annually report to the Senate Transportation Committee on the income and distribution of revenues from automated safety cameras.

VIDEO: 'This is my purpose in Olympia'

Senate Democrats — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:12:00 GMT

Sen. Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup, went on a trade mission to China in 2005 and it forever changed his outlook on the new economy and economic development. So much so that when he came back he assumed the chairmanship of what is now the Senate Economic Development, Trade and Innovation Committee.

Here, Kastama describes his 2005 trip and how he’s used that to fashion a new vision for Washington’s economy.

Weekly Update - Feb. 23

Senate Democrats — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:46:00 GMT

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Video: Sen. Kastama on TVW's The Impact

Senate Democrats — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:12:00 GMT

Video: Sen. Kastama talks about workforce training

Senate Democrats — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:04:36 GMT

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Video: Sen. Kastama on the link between workforce training and competitive businesses

Senate Democrats — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:15:00 GMT

Sen. Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup, sat down recently to discuss the need for a workforce that can adapt to change. He concludes, in part, that Washington colleges and universities can better help industry meet its workforce needs and that the K-12 education system needs to "think more globally."

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Video: Sen. Kastama on the importance of innovation

Senate Democrats — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 02:37:00 GMT

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