Legislative Session 08 - Closing the Deal

Olympia (February 28, 2008) -- This year's state Legislative session is nearing its end, and legislators will be making tough decisions about whether to support working families and the most vulnerable –or provide more giveaways to wealthy corporations.

Here’s what’s at stake:

Raises and benefits for nursing home workers. The governor proposed $7.5 million in raises for nursing home workers. House Democrats proposed no money for raises, but the State Senate showed leadership in the face of a tough budget year and proposed $5 million. Now we need to keep fighting to make sure there’s money in the final budget for nursing home workers. Click here to send a message to House lawmakers! 

Better training for home care workers. Hairdressers get 500 hours of training. Manicurists get 1000. And last year the legislature created a certification and 300 hours of training for people who massage dogs. But some key legislators are arguing against improving training for home care workers. Click here to sign our petition for better training! 

Tax credits for working families. There are hundreds of tax breaks for wealthy companies – but what about help for working families? We’re supporting a Working Families Tax Credit that would provide a state tax rebate to workers who receive an Earned Income Tax Credit. Some legislators don’t want to help working families – but are supporting a Billion dollar tax break for computer server farms that create very few permanent local jobs. Click here to tell our legislators that we need a break! 

Affordable health care. Health insurance and prescription drug costs continue to skyrocket – and insurance and drug industry lobbyists are trying to keep it that way. We’re supporting legislation to give the Insurance Commissioner the ability to stop rate increases, and to stop drug companies from getting access to our doctors’ prescription histories in order to market their products.

The decisions legislators will make over the next few weeks will make a real difference for long-term care workers and all working families. Will they improve training and help ensure quality care? Will then provide a tax credit to working families – or just to wealthy companies. And will they stand up to the drug and insurance companies and take steps to make health care more affordable?

It’s up to us. We don’t have dozens of lobbyists at the capitol like big businesses do, but our voices can make the difference. It’s time to hold politicians accountable to working people. Click the above links and take action today!