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My Last Chopp Shot, Courtesy of Seattle Sen. Erik Poulsen

The P-I gave the Democrats a dreamy front-page headline this morning— “Health, environment and education win big”—with a list, in splashy color just below the headline, of what the Dems passed: Domestic partnerships, family leave, a budget including big chunks of money for education, health, and the environment.

It’s true that the Democrats did some heavy lifting this session. Lining up the funding to ensure health-care for low-income children is huge. (Weird, though, as labor activists have pointed out to me, that the super majority Democrats couldn’t get adults on that list. But still, applause is in order.) They also got off some culture war victories: a Domestic partnership bill and a bill mandating accurate sex ed.

However, one bill, the family leave bill, actually threw the spotlight on some “pent-up” anger, according to Senator Erik Poulsen (D-34, West Seattle).

Indeed, the Senate had passed a more sweeping family leave bill, and one that was actually funded—as opposed to the bill that eventually passed in the House. The original bill would have included leave to care for family members who were suffering a serious illness, as well as for new children. The current bill only includes leave for new children. And it isn’t funded.

“I was just appalled at the way family leave was watered down,” Poulsen told me. “We had a much broader bill. And we found a way to pay for it. We faced the same pressure from big business that the House did, but we sucked it up and took the tough vote.” Lobbyists from the the Association of Washington Businesses didn’t like the bill because they thought it would cost them money. “The House refused to take that tough vote,” Poulsen says, “and they passed a study [for how to fund it.]”

Poulsen says it was a big mistake to put off defining the funding source until next year because “next year is an election year. It’s always hard to impose a tax in an election year. Especially when you have someone like Speaker Chopp. History shows that in an election year, he puts the races in front of everything else.

Poulsen’s anger is related to another bill (his own), which he says the House “torpedoed,” that would prevent mining company Glacier NW from expanding its gravel-mining operation on Maury Island. “Coming on the heels of what the House did to the Maury Island bill, that was the last straw.

For my coverage of the Maury Island bill, click here.

Oh, and click here to check out a top-dollar contribution from Glacier NW to Chopp.

Poulsen concluded:
“Traditionally, the Senate is more conservative… more hesitant to be bold. And historically, the House has been the body that pushes the envelope. This session has been a complete role reversal. The Senate was pushing out progressive legislation like comprehensive, funded family leave, and the House was shutting us down.”

Comments (8)

1

*Yawn* I see you still have a crush on Frank. Glad session is over so I don't have to hear about your tunnel vision anymore.

Posted by Watson | April 23, 2007 3:26 PM
2

Anyone can see that Chopp is selling out the 43rd in order to lay the groundwork for his gubernatorial campaign.

Posted by Sean | April 23, 2007 3:41 PM
3

@1 - word. Move on, Josh. And @2, why would Frank accept such a demotion, other than retirement benes?

Posted by Will in Seattle | April 23, 2007 3:51 PM
4

Yeah, Josh. Give us a call when you can get someone, anyone, in Olympia to go on the record about Chopp--oh, wait.

Posted by Dan Savage | April 23, 2007 4:38 PM
5

Yeah, Dan, give us a call when you get someone other than a Stranger staffer to back up Josh about Frank. Oh, wait.

Sour grapes. Senators wanting to be more powerful, and realizing that the power resides in the House in Frank's office.

Posted by Will in Seattle | April 23, 2007 5:39 PM
6

At least Frank Chopp listens to the voters...Senator Poulsen sponsors Sonics tax subsidy despite 75% of his district voting to stop it...thank Chopp for blocking that Poulsen effort. Be nice if Poulsen had to worry about getting reelected, a dose of reality therapy.

Posted by Chris Van Dyk | April 23, 2007 10:29 PM
7

At least Frank Chopp listens to the voters...Senator Poulsen sponsors Sonics tax subsidy despite 75% of his district voting to stop it...thank Chopp for blocking that Poulsen effort. Be nice if Poulsen had to worry about getting reelected, a dose of reality therapy.

Posted by Chris Van Dyk | April 23, 2007 10:29 PM
8

Go away, Van Dyk, you maggot. All of Poulsen's constituents know that vote was a horse trade for votes to try to save the Maury Island Marine Reserve bill.

Posted by ivan | April 24, 2007 7:25 AM

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