Washington State Senate Democrats: Margarita Prentice

Sen. Prentice adjourns the 2012 Regular Session Sine Die

Senate Democrats — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:21:00 GMT

On the final day of every legislative session, crowds fill the Senate floor to watch Senate President Brad Owen bring the session to a close with a final, long-awaited rap of his gave -- until this year, when he handed the gavel to Senate President Pro Tem Margarita Prentice. It was a gracious gesture and a warm moment as the retiring Sen. Prentice gaveled the last regular session Sine Die of her long and historic career.

Sen. Prentice’s e-newsletter 8/19/2011

Senate Democrats — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:37:00 GMT

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

Hopefully, you've been able to enjoy some summer fun in our cool weather. There are a lot of local political activities going on in our communities but it's been a quiet legislative interim so far. However, there are some updates provided below that impact our district.

You can expect another newsletter next month. In the mean time, be sure to contact me if you have questions about these or any other issues of interest to you.

Sincerely,

Do not reply to this message. To unsubscribe, click here; enter your name and email address, and click the “leave” button or email me directly.

Area transportation projects going smoothly

You may have noticed that construction has begun to replace our historical South Park Bridge. At the time it was closed, it carried up to 20,000 vehicles daily and 14 % of those were trucks. The new, movable bridge will provide wider, safer lanes and be built parallel to the old one. Right now the construction is focused on in-water pier work that needs to be performed during the temporary fish window. You can read more about the project here.

A second project, Strander Boulevard, was advertised for bids last week and construction can begin this fall. This long term project has been in the works for several years and it’s exciting that it’s finally about to come alive! As you may know, it will consist of a multi-lane road connecting Renton with Tukwila providing much needed congestion relief in the area. The road will also connect West Valley Highway (SR 181) and East Valley Road and link to SR 167. There will also be access to Tukwila Station multi-modal transportation center and the Boeing Longacres site. You can read more about the project here.

One last piece of transportation news: The Canadian Border Services Agency has just approved the continuation of the second Amtrak train from Seattle to Vancouver without charging inspection fees. Good news for those who enjoy riding the train north!

Additional cuts to public services

Public services are expected to take more hits from the effects of our current Great Recession and the long national debt ceiling debate. Last week, Gov. Gregoire announced to directors of state’s agencies they should plan to reduce services by as much as 10 percent to make up a potential $1.7 billion shortfall. If the cuts become necessary, they would take effect in January at the latest. This would be in addition to the $4 billion reduction the Legislature approved just a few months ago.

Discover Pass under review

We all want to keep our parks open and affordable and the Discover Pass is the Legislature’s solution to doing that. However, at least one of its requirements is already creating controversy. The pass was intentionally designed to apply to one vehicle to prevent sharing it with friends, neighbors or other family members and avoid the purchase fee. This protects the revenues needed to keep the parks open and functioning. But residents are frustrated with this and rightfully so.

There are already discussions with the administrative agencies to see if legislation is needed to make them transferrable between vehicles within a family. In addition, the Senate Natural Resources & Marine Waters Committee is monitoring the Discover Pass program, tracking users’ concerns and studying legislative options. Staff is also tracking the revenue raised and will project potential fiscal impacts if changes are made when the Legislature convenes in January.

Redistricting Commission activities

There have been several forums around the state by the Commission and numerous district proposals are floating around. Any changes will be in place in time for the 2012 elections. This is in addition to having another Congressional district carved out. It will be very interesting to see how these changes will impact the political landscape of our traditional districts. Redistricting Commission timelines and ways to participate are here.

Howard Hanson Dam update

The current version of the Howard Hanson Dam fact sheet has been posted on line. It states the Corp of Engineers is on schedule with drainage improvement work and expects to finish in plenty of time for the next flood season. Click here for a direct link to the report.

Prentice end of session newsletter

Senate Democrats — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:26:20 GMT

Click on newsletter to view.

Sen. Prentice E-Newsletter 05/06/2011

Senate Democrats — Fri, 06 May 2011 21:18:00 GMT

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

The second week of “Special Session” is almost complete. Some good bills have passed and sent to the Governor. Others are still being debated, reworked and the budget discussions continue.

Robo calls and e-mails are still challenging the voice and e-mail systems. The most popular issues in random order are: foreclosure assistance, reform Worker’s Comp, keep RHC’s open; close RHC’s; protect homeless, basic health and schools.

As always, you are welcome to contact me with ideas, suggestions, or questions so accurate, up-to-date information can be provided for you.

Sincerely,

Sen. Margarita Prentice

Special Session

Special session means more days -- however, it’s important to note that any extra staff hired to work during regular session is gone. This reduces costs significantly.

Right now, it’s impossible to respond accurately to many of the bills that are still active. Special session procedures require some bills to pass through their house of origin again and others still must have a hearing, etc.

Nothing is final without the governor’s signature, so it will still be a couple of weeks beyond Sine Die before the status of each bill is known.

Click here for a list of bills signed by the governor.

Click here for details on a specific bill.

Tax Amnesty is a win!!

A windfall, that is! The Department of Revenue announced this week the tax amnesty program approved earlier this session has generated $321 million - $182 million more than anticipated.

Specifically, a temporary hold on penalties and interest from Feb. 1 through April 30 was approved to allow more than 10,000 delinquent businesses to work with the Dept. of Revenue to pay back taxes. No such hold for businesses that are criminal defendants, face tax fraud charges or are in bankruptcy.

The intent was to help businesses struggling due to circumstances beyond their control. Now they can continue to be taxpayers and employers. And the best part is this has worked far better than anyone predicted!

A regulatory break for schools

A bit of good news for school districts. The implementation deadline for costly new environmental health and safety rules has been pushed back to July 1, 2013. The former deadline would have been July 1, 2011.

The delay was triggered by the legislative prohibition against implementing new rules unless there are sufficient funds to do so.

Honoring recent anti-terrorism mission

On Wednesday, the Senate passed Senate Joint Resolution 8661 to honor the successful mission bringing down one of the world’s most infamous terrorists. The resolution recognizes the people behind the planning, decision-making and execution of the mission, from President Barack Obama to our intelligence experts to the specialists who pulled off the bold plan without being detected by Pakistani military. Click here to read the full resolution.

South Park Bridge kick-off

Yesterday, Thursday, May 5^th , Gov. Chris Gregoire joined with King County Executive Dow Constantine and other community leaders to kick off construction for the South Park Bridge replacement. This $96 million project should take 32 months to complete and provide approximately 100 jobs.

In the mean time, there’s no excuse not to frequent the eclectic array of wineries, restaurants, specialty shops and other businesses because you can find alternate routes here.

Howard Hanson Dam update

In spite of the wettest spring in recent history, the flood levels have remained manageable in our Green River Valley. You can follow the daily river level here and sign up for alerts for your area.

Check out the SDC on Twitter

Get up to the minute legislative updates on twitter @WASenDemocrats. A tip for twitter users, follow #waleg to see what other people are saying about the Washington State Legislature!

New law brings clarity, prevents fraud against those seeking immigration

Senate Democrats — Tue, 03 May 2011 17:59:00 GMT

An important bill for immigrant consumers has been prime sponsored by Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton and signed into law by the governor. Senate Bill 5023 clarifies that only a licensed attorney or a federally recognized individual can represent people who want visas, temporary or permanent residency status. This Attorney General (AG) request bill was also primed in the House by Rep. Phyllis Kenney.

"Very simply, this is a consumer protection bill," said Prentice. "In many languages the term ‘notario publico’ means attorney, but means notary public here. The AG's office can provide stories of families handing over life savings in exchange for citizenship, asylum or visas only to learn their ‘attorney’ was a fraud. This can result in deportation proceedings and even ruin chances of obtaining legal status. My bill removes the use of misleading titles and provides legal recourse."

Prentice's Immigration Services Fraud Prevention Act solidifies the following in law:

Only attorneys or someone recognized by the federal government to represent people in immigration matters are allowed to provide legal advice regarding immigration.
People other than attorneys are allowed to translate forms, secure marriage and birth certificates and other non-legal immigration services.
Any term such as ‘notario publico’, ‘notario’ and ‘immigration assistant’ that could imply attorney in another language are prohibited.
If these rights are violated, the injured may bring a civil action to recover either $1,000 or actual damages caused by a violation, whichever is greater.
Washington's law is brought in line with federal law.

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Sen. Prentice E-Newsletter 04/15/2011

Senate Democrats — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:45:00 GMT

Dear Friends and neighbors:

It's April 15^th-- the 95th day of this 105-day session and NOT tax due day!! Without filing for an extension, we have until midnight, Monday, the 18^thto get our Federal taxes in the mail.

Here in Olympia, efforts are focused on agreements to make up for $5 billion in less revenues and the reversal of a .02 cent tax. You can view the both the House and Senate 2011-2013 budget proposals here. Try out your ideas to balance the budget via the Senate Democrats website using the Governor’s budget calculator here.

Some floor action is focused on accepting or rejecting amendments to Senate bills by the House and vice versa. Nothing will be final without the governor’s signature, so there’s still a full week of regular session to take care of business.

There continues to be several organized robo calls and e-mails still at work that flood the voice mail and e-mails systems. It’s a good kind of challenge to have for my two assistants to go through a couple hundred every day to make sure our 11^th district people are responded to at least once. As always, you are welcome to contact me with questions, ideas or suggestions so accurate, up-to-date information can be provided for you.

Sincerely,

Sen. Margarita Prentice

Sen. Prentice E-Newsletter 04/01/2011

Senate Democrats — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:59:00 GMT

Dear Friends and neighbors:

Happy Spring, Daylight Savings time, and April Fools’ day! April 1^st means there are 23 constitutional days remaining in the regular 2011 session. The recent budget forecast predicts continued declining revenues - $800 million less than expected - so the hardest work is still ahead. You can try out your ideas to balance the budget via the Senate Democrats website using the Governor’s budget calculator by clicking here.

Still getting lots of e-mails and phone calls! It’s a good kind of challenge to have for my two assistants to go through a couple hundred every day to make sure our 11^th district people are responded to at least once. As always, you are welcome to contact me with questions, ideas or suggestions so accurate, up-to-date information can be provided for you.

Sincerely,

Senator Margarita Prentice

Transportation budget keeps projects on schedule

The nearly $9 billion, bipartisan transportation budget proposed last week by the Senate is the first time in history that the state will collect less transportation revenue than the previous biennium.

State gas tax revenue is declining even with higher gas prices. (See how the gas tax is distributed here.) Unlike regular retail tax, it is not collected on the cost of the gas at the pump. Gas tax is strictly 37.5 cents per gallon – no matter the cost of the gallon. Transportation alternatives are more popular than ever, so fewer gallons are being sold. In addition to nearly $28 million in reduced administrative costs at the Department of Transportation and at the Department of Licensing, the budget provides more reform in a number of bills currently before the Legislature:

SB 5405 Terminal supervisors are added to WSFManagement. Employees are now under Industrial Insurance instead of general federal maritime law and the Jones Act.
SB 5250 WSDOT will use the design and the build out to bid process instead of WSDOT designing the project and then putting it out for bid and build.
SB 5128 Various statewide planning requirements are removed from law and WSDOT is charged with developing one statute that is a federally compliant long-range statewide transportation plan.
SB 5796 Implements recommendations from the Joint Transportation Committee’s public transportation study.
SB 5797 Implements efficiencies for transportation agencies as recommended by the JTC.
SB 5061 Makes technical corrections to streamline vehicle/vessel title and registration statutes beginning July 1, 2011.
SB 5251 Imposes an annual fee on electric vehicles to make up for lost gas tax.

Work on the remaining projects funded by the “Nickel” tax of 2003 and the Transportation Partnership Act of 2005 will proceed as scheduled. A diversion of funds from other core transportation programs will be needed to make up lost gas tax revenues. These projects are essential to maintaining safe travel flow for motorists and commercial freight.

A great side bonus is these projects support an average of 10,000 direct, indirect jobs every year over 10 years. This Transportation budget is the most significant jobs package this session and it sends money and jobs to every corner of the state.

SeaTac Noise Study Open House

The fourth in a series of public meetings for SeaTac Airport’s Part 150 Noise Study will be April 9th in the Arrivals Hall. The study is looking at ways to reduce aircraft noise impacts on communities around SeaTac Airport. Drop by anytime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Parking will be validated.

At the open house, there will be a number of stations staffed by Port staff and consultants. Some of the topics at the stations include:

The new, still in draft form, noise remedy boundary, which determines insulation eligibility
Discussion of noise abatement programs
Potential new sound insulation programs
An update on the Hush House, designed to suppress aircraft engine testing noise

Participants can also sign up for airfield bus tours throughout the day (space is limited).

The Arrivals Hall is at the south end of the main terminal, baggage claim level. Park at the south end of the airport garage, on floors 5 through 8, near the yellow or green elevators, rows N through U. Take the elevator to floor 4 of the garage and walk across skybridge 1 to the main terminal. Look for signs directing you to the Arrivals Hall, next to baggage claim carousel 1.

Traffic Improvements on S. Center Parkway Begin

Crews closed the Northbound Interstate 5 off-ramp to southbound Southcenter Parkway at the Westfield Mall last week as a revision project scheduled to last until November begins. Portions of Southcenter Parkway and Klickitat Drive are also closed. Businesses will remain open throughout the project, so if you plan to visit the area expect traffic delays and find alternate routes.

I-405 in Bellevue (between SR 520 and NE 8th Street) will close April 2-3. Drivers should expect more traffic on I-405 and I-5, potentially as far south as Tukwila.

Burien Clean Sweep April 30^th

This year’s Burien Clean Sweep is scheduled to begin at 8 AM at the Burien Fire Station. Volunteers will receive breakfast and lunch. Be sure to bring your own tools, gloves and rain gear if needed.

Did you know?

You can sign up to receive emergency information on your cell phone, text, work phone from the Burien Alert System? Log onto www.burienwa.gov and follow the opt-in instructions. Also, in the event of a natural disaster, tune to 540 AM or Burien TV Channel 21 for local emergency information.

Sen. Prentice E-Newsletter 03/11/2011

Senate Democrats — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:26:00 GMT

Dear Friends and neighbors:

Through rain, snow, sleet and hail, we've made it to the halfway mark of the 105 day session! Historically, fewer bills have been introduced this year but the intensity and sense of purpose have not diminished! E-mails, voice mails and letters continue to come in record numbers. It's great to have the up to date concerns of our 11^th district citizens on a regular basis. Be sure to contact me with questions, ideas and suggestions so you can be provided accurate, up-to-date information.

Sincerely,

Sen. Margarita Prentice

State Gains Jobs in January

Washington’s unemployment rate dipped from 9.3 percent in December to 9.1 percent inJanuary, backed by the strongest month of job growth in more than three years.

An estimated 11,000 Washington jobs were added in January. It’s the largest monthly gain since November 2007, the month before the national recession began.

“It’s unusual to have job gains in the middle of winter, so this is another positive sign that the recovery is under way,” said Employment Security Commissioner Paul Trause.

Industries that added jobs in January were professional and business services, up 5,600; education and health services, up 4,500; retail trade, up 1,500; leisure and hospitality, up 1,300; financial activities, up 1,200; transportation, warehousing and utilities, up 800; and mining and logging, up 100.

Jobs were lost in construction, down 1,500; manufacturing, down 700; information, down 600; government, down 600; other services, down 500; and wholesale trade, down 100.

Since the beginning of 2010, Washington has added an estimated 20,500 jobs.

An estimated 338,905 people (not seasonally adjusted) in Washington were unemployed and looking for work, and 245,225 people received unemployment benefits from Washington in December.

Employment Security is a partner in the statewide WorkSource system, which offers a variety of employment and training services for job seekers, including free help with interviewing skills, résumés and job referrals. WorkSource can also help employers recruit and screen for qualified workers, apply for employment tax breaks and qualify for subsidized employee training.

Locations of local WorkSource offices are listed online at www.go2worksource.com.

Assistance also is available by phone at 877-872-5627.

In addition, more than 16,000 job openings are posted online at www.go2worksource.com.

March 1st TANF changes temporarily suspended

A court injunction has momentarily blocked scheduled changes for those receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits. As of March 1, any Social Security benefits would be counted as income for determining eligibility for TANF benefits.

Got Unclaimed property?

Property being held by an organization that has not had contact with the owner for an extended period of time is usually considered as unclaimed property and turned over to the state of Washington. Banks, retailers, credit unions, utilities, corporations, insurance companies and governmental entities are some of the many sources of unclaimed property.

The Department of Revenue is the custodian for unclaimed property and it administers an unclaimed property program to seek the rightful owners. Typical unclaimed property includes:

Bank accounts
Insurance proceeds
Stocks, bonds and mutual funds
Safe deposit box contents
Utility and phone company deposits
Uncashed checks, such as payroll, insurance payments, or travelers checks

More than $1 billion in unclaimed property has been turned over to the Department of Revenue since 1955. In 2008, the Department’s Unclaimed Property Section received property worth more than $100 million and the amount continues to grow each year.
State law protects unclaimed property until it can be returned to its rightful owners or their heirs.

Follow this link to DOR’s Unclaimed Property website where and you can search for free!

As always, beware of third parties offering to locate property for you. Happy Hunting!

The New South Park Bridge

All of the funding for the new South Park Bridge has been secured and pre-bid tours have taken place. If all goes well, construction could begin as early as May!

You are invited to join King County Road Services at the community kick-off on Monday, March 7, 6 - 8 p.m. at the Aerospace Machinists 751 Union Hall, 9135 15th Place S., Seattle. The event will feature refreshments from local businesses and awards to members of the South Park Citizen Advisory Group and the New South Park Bridge Coalition. Hope you can join the fun and celebrate this accomplishment! View and print an invitation here.

Free e-filing for Taxpayers

Click here to learn how to electronically file your federal tax return for FREE!

Sen. Prentice E-Newsletter 03/04/2011

Senate Democrats — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:05:00 GMT

Dear Friends and neighbors:

Eight weeks of session and two major deadlines in this year’s legislative calendar have passed. Bills not voted on by March 7^th are no longer active but can be considered again next year. Now the bills have to make it out of the committees by Friday, the 25th and then the full Senate by Tuesday, April 12^th before the governor can sign any of them into law. You can follow the progress of all bills here.

Constituent participation is still high and it’s great to have so much information from the district. Be sure to contact me with questions, ideas or suggestions so you can be provided accurate, up-to-date information.

Sincerely,

Sen. Margarita Prentice

Monitoring Events in Japan

Mary Selecky, our Secretary of the Department of Health sent the following message to Legislators:

The people of Japan continue to struggle in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami last week, rocked by aftershocks and fighting to control damage to the nuclear plants at Fukushima. It’s clearly unsettling to see pictures and video, and read news accounts of what’s happening there.

The Washington Department of Health projects that these events pose no health risk to people in Washington. Public health radiation protection staff will continue monitoring air as a precaution.

There have been media reports of radiation releases near the plants in Japan, yet no radioactive material has reached the upper atmosphere where it could be blown around the world, and here. Even if that eventually happens, the material would have to travel nearly 5,000 miles before reaching our state, and would be diluted by air, wind, gravity, rain, and distance. We might be able to detect small amounts of radiation above normal levels, but well below any health risk.

The biggest challenge we’re managing right now is a public demand for potassium iodide, also known by its chemical name, KI. We absolutely do not recommend KI for anyone as a result of the situation in Japan. We’ve got lots of information on our website on this, and it’s updated daily. We urge you to read and share it with friends and family who ask what state health officials say about potassium iodide and other issues around the disaster in Japan.

Health related questions on this situation may be referred to our emergency preparedness mail box, prepare@doh.wa.gov. We urge you to check the Department of Health’s Newsroom website (www.doh.wa.gov/Topics/japan2011.htm) for updated information.

DSHS Pilot project to evaluate Service Delivery

Beginning this Monday, March 14, the Department of Social and Health Services will begin a two-week pilot project to evaluate Customer Service. Service hours will be limited at local Community Services Offices and the statewide customer call center. The intent is to give frontline workers time to follow through with paperwork, phone calls, etc. in order to successfully process casework. Allowing more time during the work day should reduce errors, fraud, and potential federal sanctions. Recently, the rise in caseloads and casework, combined with staff reductions has had a major negative impact on workloads.

Changes affecting clients:

Beginning March 14^th, walk-in services and appointments for most client interactions in local offices will be available until 2:00 pm. Clients who have checked-in by 2:00 pm will be served. Clients can still speak with a case worker during normal business hours (8 am to 5 pm) to ensure that emergent situations can be addressed.

Phone services will be available until 2:00 pm, and calls that are in the queue will be answered.

Services that continue to be available:

Lobbies will remain open until 5:00 pm with limited services, such as lobby “navigators” who can answer questions about services. Clients can also drop off or pick up paperwork or go to a lobby kiosk to submit an on-line application. Administrative hearings, co-located partners, and certain specialized staff functions will continue business as usual.

For more information contact the Community Services Division at 1-800-865-7801

Duwamish River Cleanup Continues

You may have noticed that some of the old Boeing Plant 2 building has been demolished. This is a huge step forward in the Duwamish River Cleanup and restoration of the site. The Boeing Company will pay to remove the contaminated mud from the river in the upland areas below the old facility.

More information on the Duwamish River cleanup plan can be found on the Duwamish River Cleanup site click here send comments and questions to james@duwamishcleanup.org

Skyway/West Hill Development

I have submitted my official funding request for the West Hill/Skyway project in the City of Renton. City officials have done a remarkable job of developing a plan for an area that is struggling right now because of poor and/or lack of infrastructure, etc. The City has also formed numerous partnerships that will make it a better place to live and do business.

Seattle International Film Festival in Renton

The City of Renton will host the 2011 Seattle International Film Festival! SIFF, the most highly-attended film festival in the U.S., is scheduled for May 19-June 12^th. Locations and programming will be announced later this spring. In 2010, the festival had a record-breaking year, presenting 408 U.S. and international films in 25 days, with 73 world premieres and more than 600 screenings and special events. Many movies shown during the festival are first-run movies, which are purchased by distribution companies and later shown at larger theaters throughout the U.S. Some, however, can only be seen during the festival. Find out more and see this year’s line of films, at www.siff.net

Alaskan Way Viaduct to close for semiannual inspection

Crews will close the Alaskan Way Viaduct this weekend, March 19th and 20th for its semiannual inspection. The viaduct conditions are reviewed every three months and full inspections are every six months to measure any new damage or movement. Routine maintenance is also performed including cleaning the Battery Street Tunnel, repairing damaged concrete and striping lanes.

Both directions of SR 99 between the Battery Street Tunnel and S. Spokane Street will be closed from:

6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 19th
6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 20th

Drivers should expect increased congestion on all major north-south routes and plan accordingly. You can check traffic conditions at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic before leaving home.

Sen. Prentice E-Newsletter 02/21/2011

Senate Democrats — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:24:00 GMT

Dear Friends and neighbors:

This is the end of the 6^th week of a 105 day session and the first deadline, commonly referred to as a 'cutoff,' is today. Bills that did not have enough votes to get out of committee will not see any further action. The next two weeks begin another important phase of the legislative process. The next cut off is March 7^th - the last day for the House and Senate to vote on their own bills. The committee process will begin again with the Senate hearing House bills until another cut off on March 25^th.

It’s exciting that constituent participation is at an all time high as evidenced by the number of e-mails, hotlines and on campus visitors. It’s great to have this much interest and a serious reminder for legislators that the public is very aware of what’s going on here in Olympia. Be sure to contact me with questions, ideas and suggestions so you can be provided accurate, up-to-date information.

Sincerely,

Sen. Margarita Prentice

More budget discussions

Against a backdrop of cuts made the past two years, and with tax revenues lagging behind, we continue to try to recover from the recession. But the threat of severe reductions and even eliminations loom over every public service the state provides. The task of balancing the budget is being done in careful, measured steps worked out by Democrats and Republicans in unison in both the Senate and the House. The first agreement came Tuesday in the form of early legislative action that shrinks the $550 million shortfall by $367 million for the rest of the 2011 budget that runs through June 30.

House Bill 1086 reduces public service expenditures by $242 million and transferred $125 million from other accounts. The remaining $5 billion shortfall will be an even larger challenge for the 2011-13 budget. Hopefully we can continue the bipartisan and bicameral cooperation we’ve achieved so far.

Transportation

Good to Go! Passes, 520 Tolls and AWV

Do you drive SR 520? This Spring, DOT will begin pontoon construction for the new 520 bridge. About the same time, electronic tolling on the existing 520 will begin via Good to Go! passes or photo cameras. Pass users will pay a lower toll rate than those who pay by mail. If you activate a new Good to Go! Pass and pre-load it with the $30 minimum before April 15^th, you’ll receive a $10 credit. February 18^th, the Good to Go! Passes became available at area Safeway stores. Questions? Call 1-866-936-8246 or email goodtogo@wsdot.wa.gov.

Also, don’t forget about the Alaskan Way Viaduct First Ave. Ramp demolition started Friday. Give yourself extra time and another route if heading into the Pioneer Square area.

First Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition takes place through this holiday weekend.

Contacts: Travis Phelps, Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program, 206-462-0554 (cell)

Greg Phipps, Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program, 206-437-6314 (cell)

Quick info link. See the latest construction photos.

Demolition crews make quick work of SR 99 ramp - focus now on cleanup and relocating utilities on First Avenue S.

SEATTLE – The first piece of the State Route 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct has been demolished in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood, marking a milestone toward replacing the seismically vulnerable structure.

Crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) fired up the demolition equipment at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, and spent the night crunching and breaking the nearly 60-year-old First Avenue S. northbound on-ramp into bits.

The remains of the former on-ramp are now in trucks bound for the recycling plants.

Although the majority of the demolition work is complete, there’s still much work to be done before Tuesday, Feb. 22, when crews plan to reopen First Avenue S. Crews will spend the next two days removing demolition debris from the roadway, removing the underground foundation of the old on-ramp and relocating utilities.

“The Legislature and our federal partners have worked long and hard to ensure funding was allocated to the viaduct replacement,” said Ron Paananen, WSDOT Alaskan Way Viaduct Program Administrator. “This demolition shows that their efforts are paying off.”

Updated ramp and road closures on or near First Avenue S.

Crews reopened the southbound SR 99 off-ramp to S. Royal Brougham Way at 2:43 p.m. The remaining ramp work requires closures on two city streets.

Through April 1 the northbound SR 99 on-ramp from First Avenue S. will be closed.
Through 5 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22 First Avenue S. will be closed between S. Royal Brougham Way and S. King Street.
Railroad Way S. will be closed between Occidental Avenue S. and S. King Street.

We will maintain access to local businesses while these streets are closed to through traffic. This work must be completed by April 1 to avoid substantial disruptions to traffic heading to the stadiums. Drivers can find out about regularly updated traffic information for downtown Seattle and SODO through the construction traffic update. The project’s website has more details about why we’re changing the ramp access and building an SR 99 detour and has maps that will help drivers navigate the changes. For more information on the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement program, visit www.alaskanwayviaduct.org. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

Community News

Job Fair for Youth

Youth ages 14-21 who live and/or go to school in Seattle are invited to attend a job fair sponsored by the Seattle Human Services Department. The fair will be held on Wednesday, February 23, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rainier Community Center in Seattle. Youth will have a chance to meet with potential employers and learn about post-secondary school opportunities.

The fair is a great opportunity for youth to network with potential employers, talk to representatives from colleges and universities, and to learn about a host of other community resources. Also offered are workshops on: Finding and Keeping a Job, What to do After Graduation, Career Interests/Resume Writing, Green Jobs, and Making a Career out of Helping in the Community. For more information, call the Seattle Youth Employment Program (SYEP) at 206-386-1375.

Still looking for free tax help?

United Way of King County is offering free preparation and electronic filing for those earning $50,000 or less. IRS-trained and certified preparers are available at 18 Puget Sound locations. Call 1-800-621-4636 or check out unitedwayofkingcounty.org/taxhelp for details.

WIN - Washington Information Network

Confused about where to get community resource information? Call 211! The Washington Information Network (WIN), is a state-wide information system providing referrals to legal, housing, utility help, etc. Speak confidentially with a specialist by dialing 2-1-1 or via the web, www.211.org. Monday through Friday 8 AM -5PM. Get Connected, Get Answers – 211.

Please note: The majority of state agencies will be closed Tuesday, Feb. 22nd as part of the ongoing schedule of unpaid furloughs to reduce state operating costs, help close the revenue shortfall and balance the state budget.

Legislative Pages

It is always a pleasure to sponsor hometown students as Senate pages during the legislative session. If you know of a young person between 14 – 16 years old and interested in the program, please contact my office or visit: http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Administration/PageProgram/senpageapplication.htm.