Families struggling in this economy; Republicans propose help

Since the Democrat majority in Olympia does not view the economy a priority, Washington House Republicans have taken it upon themselves to put together several bills to create jobs, grow the economy, and help incomes rise.

"We need to put money in paychecks not paperwork," commented Rep. Matt Manweller (Ellensburg), as he continued:

"We can help employers hire more people and pay higher wages if we can reduce the cost of paperwork, administrative compliance and lawsuits. Some simple, non-partisan reforms can make this happen.”

House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt (Chehalis) also commented,

“We know a strong economy is the foundation for strong families and communities. But too many people are out of work, underemployed or having to commute long distances because their communities are struggling. It is easy to understand why consumers lack confidence and employers face uncertainty........If we want sustainable budgets and reliable safety nets, we need to focus on economic growth. More economic growth will mean more revenue."

He explained that excessive rules, permit delays, and the Growth Management Act are impediments to an economic recovery and job creation. The newly proposed bills by the Republicans seek to address these problems.

Rep. Norma Smith (Clinton) understands this very well as she stated,

“Good jobs offer hope and opportunity to Washingtonians struggling to make ends meet, yet government has created unnecessary obstacles for the job creators. It is within this Legislature’s control to provide greater certainty and the reforms needed to accelerate our economic recovery. But it takes courage – and we must act.”

Indeed. We need more Republicans with courage to act on behalf of 'we the people' and against the indolent Democrats.

And, as a side note, whenever someone asks what Republicans stand for, it's simple to answer: Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

From the Washington House Republicans website, you can find the following:

"Workers’ compensation reform | House Bill 1463, House Bill 1464 and House Bill 1465

· Additional changes to workers’ compensation reforms passed in 2011 – addressing final settlement options and other reforms, and protecting earnings for those who suffer work-related injuries and illnesses.

Regulatory Freedom and Accountability Act | House Bill 1163

· Save taxpayer dollars by streamlining government operations, and end duplicative state services and government waste.

Improve customer service for employers | House Bill 1403 and House Bill 1757

· Require the Office of the Chief Information Officer to provide the Legislature with a plan for establishing performance benchmarks and measuring results of implementing a one-stop portal.

Suspend Growth Management Act requirements in counties with persistent unemployment | House Bill 1619

· Alleviate the cost and encumbrance of controlling growth when none is occurring and when those regulations stand in the way of economic development.

Permit decisions in 90 days | House Bill 1236

· Require state agencies to make permit decisions in 90 days or the permit is granted. This would add certainty and eliminate unnecessary delays, and stimulate economic activity.

Moratorium on rule making | House Bill 1478

· Impose a moratorium on formal and informal rule making by state agencies, except in certain specified instances, to last for three years – or until the state is no longer facing serious budget shortfalls. (In 2012, there were 5,511 pages of permanent rule changes to the Washington Administrative Code, with 2,398 pages of emergency rules.)

Regulatory Fairness Act | House Bill 1162

· Require state agencies to determine whether compliance of a rule would result in a specified economic impact and, if so, the agency must provide notification and may not enforce the rule until the Legislature enacts the law.

Reclassify hydropower as renewable energy | House Joint Resolution 4200

· Amendment to the state constitution to require that hydroelectric generation be recognized as a renewable resource. This would recapture our state’s competitive advantage of offering abundant, affordable clean energy to consumers and employers.