The 2013 legislative session ended today with the passage of a new two-year capital budget. The transportation-revenue package that would have provided Washington’s share of Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project funding failed to progress in the final hours of the session.

“I take neither pleasure nor joy in this eventuality,” said Sen. Ann Rivers. “It is disappointing to have received this proposal on the 161st day of the legislative session and be asked to vote on it on day 164. The unwillingness of proponents to improve the project has led to its demise. After 10 years and millions of taxpayer dollars spent, the only thing the CRC project office has to show for its work is a sub-par bridge permit application that will likely not be approved.“ Continue reading →

OLYMPIA… Sen. Ann Rivers lauded the $33.6 billion budget approved Friday by the Senate and House of Representatives.

The new operating budget includes $15.2 billion in overall K-12 funding, an 11 percent increase over the previous budget.  The budget also prevents higher-education tuition increases by providing funding for Washington’s six public universities and one college, plus its 32 community and technical colleges, at more than 10 percent beyond maintenance level. Continue reading →

In light of a significant boost in resources available to legislative budget-writers, Sen. Ann Rivers today said the Senate and House of Representatives should be able to complete their work this weekend and prevent layoff notices from going to state workers.

“With nearly a half-billion dollars more on hand today than we had just a week ago, there is no credible reason for House Democrats to keep demanding tax increases,” said Rivers, R-La Center. “Let’s come in Saturday, start voting on a budget and be done Sunday. There is no need for anyone to send out pink slips or continue the silly talk about a government shutdown. This isn’t Washington D.C., and we don’t play those Washington D.C. games with our valued state employees.” Continue reading →

Sen. Ann Rivers today helped pass a bill that could stave off an increase in the premiums paid by Washington workers and employers for the industrial insurance commonly known as workers’ compensation.

“Although our state’s economy is slowly improving employment in Washington is generally well below the pre-recession level. I’d rather allow employers to spend their money on hiring employees than send a larger check to Olympia,” said Rivers, R-La Center, who is also among the co-sponsors of Senate Bill 5127. “Employees pay into the workers’ compensation system also, so this bill looks out for them as well.” Continue reading →

Legislation introduced by Sen. Ann Rivers to balance air-quality concerns with the fiscal realities facing local governments completed its legislative journey Tuesday when Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5099 in a Capitol ceremony.

Rivers’ bill acknowledges the challenges associated with converting fleets of publicly owned vehicles, vessels and construction equipment toward biofuel and electric power sources. State agencies are to make the switch by June 2015; while local governments get an additional three years to get into compliance, that’s still a tall order, the La Center Republican said.

“The trouble is, some vehicles just aren’t available yet with electric power or the ability to use biofuel and even what’s available is prohibitively expensive,” Rivers said. “I don’t want Washington residents to see their utility rates or local taxes go up just because the state can’t be reasonable when it comes to what powers emergency vehicles, for instance.” Continue reading →

Although the new transportation budget adopted by the Legislature doesn’t include nearly enough money to keep the proposed Columbia River Crossing project on schedule, Sen. Ann Rivers says she and others who oppose or question the controversial $3.5 billion bridge-replacement have reason to remain vigilant.

“For CRC supporters, the fact that the legislative session has gone into overtime means they can still put up a last-second shot at full funding,” said Rivers, R-La Center, noting today is the fifth day of a “special” session that could last 30 days. “The best way to guard against that is to keep the focus on the defects in the project until the Legislature adjourns for the year and the clock finally runs out.”

Those problems are already well-known, Rivers said – how the CRC project design wouldn’t significantly reduce traffic congestion or improve freight mobility, and how it gives priority to light rail at the expense of maritime traffic.

“To me the writing is on the wall, meaning the CRC project has little chance of moving forward until all of the problems are properly addressed,” Rivers said. “However, those of us who question or oppose the project as it’s designed should expect to see at least one more run made at financing the CRC in full while the Legislature is still in session.”

The new transportation budget allocates about $82 million to the CRC for planning and related work. Nearly all of that is to remain unspent while the U.S. Coast Guard looks at how the project design would hamper river traffic and navigation and decides whether to approve permits the project needs to proceed.

In the meantime, Rivers expects there are more flaws in the CRC project to be uncovered. Before the Legislature’s regular session ended April 28 she and other leaders in the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus had asked Gov. Jay Inslee to commission a separate independent audit in response to concerns raised by a pair of forensic accountants, based on an examination of CRC records. Inslee said no, even though the CRC is on a list of state transportation “megaprojects” slated to undergo a review that could cost nearly a half-million dollars.

“The governor told us the CRC project has been ‘audited repeatedly’ and there’s no need to spend more money on a ‘duplicative review.’ If that’s true why is his new transportation secretary spending money on yet another review?” Rivers asked. “I’m open to having the Senate do its own investigation, if that’s what it takes to determine whether the taxpayers can have any faith in the people behind the CRC project – whether it goes forward this year or not.”

Leaders of the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus today asked Gov. Jay Inslee to initiate a formal and independent investigation of the controversial Columbia River Crossing project based on concerns raised by two forensic accountants.

The request for a comprehensive accounting review is aimed particularly at contracts and spending records and what the forensic accountants, who are also certified fraud examiners, view as questionable practices of several subcontractors associated with the $3.5 billion project. Continue reading →

Sen. Ann Rivers said the bipartisan operating-budget adopted by the Senate today would spend more on basic and higher education while addressing the needs of Washington’s most vulnerable citizens, all without raising taxes. The measure passed with a bipartisan 30-18 vote.

“The people I represent are having to live within their means; Olympia needs to do the same. Tax increases would discourage job creation and stifle our state economy just when it’s showing signs of life. This is the right plan at the right time,” said Rivers, R-La Center. Continue reading →

Sen. Ann Rivers today voted for a proposal that would let Washington voters add to the state constitution a taxpayer-protection standard overturned earlier in the day by a state Supreme Court ruling.

“The court made it clear that the only way to make this requirement constitutional is for the Legislature and the voters to make it part of the state constitution. My vote today helped set the stage for this to be considered by the full Senate, probably next week,” said Rivers, R-La Center. Continue reading →