5th District Republicans plan picnic to celebrate, plot future course
July 19, 2011
The state’s 5th Legislative District includes, of course, Issaquah and neighboring cities such as Sammamish and stretches east into the mountains past North Bend. And, as many probably know, it’s somewhat of a special place for Republicans.
While there are no major races specific to the 5th District this year, Republicans from the area will gather to celebrate their achievements and plot a course for the future during their annual summer picnic from 3-6 p.m. July 23 at Pine Lake Park in Sammamish.
The park is off 228th Avenue Southeast. The event is free and open to the public.
Representing the Klahanie area, Terry LaBrue is an area chairman for the 5th Legislative District Republicans. He said the district is the only one in what he called the “suburban crescent” around the Puget Sound to have all Republican representation at the state level.
State Sen. Cheryl Pflug and state Reps. Jay Rodne and Glenn Anderson all usually have an “R” near their names, as in “Republican.” LaBrue added that Republicans have held those seats since at least the 1990s.
Issaquah lawmakers rank high on missed votes tally
June 14, 2011
The lawmakers representing Issaquah and the 5th Legislative District in Olympia ranked near the top for the number of missed votes during the 2011 regular and special sessions.
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State encourages hiring preferences for veterans
May 24, 2011
Issaquah attorney, lawmaker team up for groundbreaking legislation
Ted Wicorek (from right), J.W. Johnson, Booker Stallworth, Mike Gregoire, Gov. Chris Gregoire, Jim Robinson, Marjorie James, Rep. Jay Rodne, Sen. Jeff Baxter, David Black Jr. and Tom Hinman at the Wednesday signing ceremony. Contributed
David Black, a respected employment attorney and Issaquah resident, remembers the challenges his father, a Vietnam War veteran, faced after returning to the civilian workforce.
“He had a really hard time getting employment when I was growing up,” he said. “I remember him having three or four part-time jobs trying to piece something together, trying to make things work.”
Black stood alongside Gov. Chris Gregoire, state legislators and advocates late last month as the governor signed a first-in-the-nation measure to encourage private employers in Washington to hire veterans.
The legislation Black crafted and helped to pass enables private employers to voluntarily give preference to hiring veterans, or veterans’ widows and widowers.
Because the measure encourages, rather than requires, private employers to give preference to hiring veterans, the legislation does not run afoul of state or federal antidiscrimination laws. State law also prohibits employers from discriminating against job applicants due to military status.
“The way to encourage positive employment regulation that has a social origin or a social benefit as well is to make it permissive and to encourage it,” Black said.
State shores up King County Flood Control District funding
May 10, 2011
King County leaders praised state legislators and Gov. Chris Gregoire last week for supporting a measure to shore up funding for the King County Flood Control District, the agency responsible for flood-protection policies, programs and projects.
Gregoire signed a measure May 5 to protect funding for the district. The bill exempts the district from the statewide property rate tax cap by protecting up to 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The exemption is in effect from next year until 2017.
Until the governor signed the measure, the district faced a steep drop-off in funding due to the decline in housing values and a state cap on property tax rates.
“We worked together as a region to preserve this important tool that will protect people and businesses throughout King County from floods,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said in a statement. “I am pleased to see the overwhelming support in the state Legislature for this bill, and I thank Gov. Gregoire for signing it today.”
The district collects 11 cents per $1,000 in assessed value and uses the dollars to fund flood-control efforts.
State shores up funding for King County Flood Control District
May 6, 2011
NEW — 8 a.m. May 6, 2011
King County leaders praised state legislators and Gov. Chris Gregoire for supporting a measure to shore up funding for the King County Flood Control District, the agency responsible for flood-protection policies, programs and projects.
Gregoire signed a measure Thursday to protect funding for the district. The bill exempts the district from the statewide property rate tax cap by protecting up to 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The exemption is in effect from next year until 2017.
Until the governor signed the measure, the district faced a steep drop-off in funding due to the decline in housing values and a state cap on property tax rates.
Issaquah legislator backs hiring preference for veterans
April 21, 2011
Ted Wicorek (from right), J.W. Johnson, Booker Stallworth, Mike Gregoire, Gov. Chris Gregoire, Jim Robinson, Marjorie James, Rep. Jay Rodne, Sen. Jeff Baxter, David Black Jr. and Tom Hinman at the Wednesday signing ceremony. Contributed
NEW — 10:30 a.m. April 21, 2011
Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a bill Wednesday to allow employers to give military veterans a leg up in job searches.
State Rep. Jay Rodne, sponsor of the legislation and a 5th Legislative District lawmaker, hailed the measure to establish employment preferences for veterans, widows or widowers of veterans, and spouses of certain veterans. (The district includes Issaquah and East King County.)
Press Editorial
March 8, 2011
Legislators need your input more than ever
State representatives will be more approachable than ever this Saturday, March 12. Constituents from both the 5th and 41st legislative districts might want to save the date for a face-to-face opportunity to share views about reduced services and possible fees now before the Legislature.
Your representatives are prepared to hear from you about increased classroom sizes in public schools, benefit changes for state employees, reduced road maintenance, tolling of the two Lake Washington bridges, user fees/permits for state parks, increases in college tuition, a proposed new tax district to pay for ferries, closure of mental health facilities, loss of state sponsored health insurance for children and myriad other issues heavy on your mind.
Hearing from the voters is what will help drive the tough decisions legislators are contemplating now to address a $4.6 billion deficit in the 2011-13 state budget.
Local Republicans re-elect party chairman
March 8, 2011
Longtime Republican and community activist Bob Brunjes has been selected for a third term as chairman of the 5th Legislative District GOP.
The organization represents the GOP in the 5th District. Brunjes oversees 182 precinct committee officers throughout the district.
The district stretches from Issaquah to Snoqualmie Pass, and from Sammamish to Maple Valley. The district is unique in Western Washington for being represented entirely by Republicans.
King County GOP Chairwoman Lori Sotelo described him as “a tenacious professional.”
Lawmakers host Issaquah town hall meeting
March 1, 2011
Issaquah residents can meet 5th Legislative District lawmakers at a town hall meeting March 12.
GOP state Sen. Cheryl Pflug, and Republican state Reps. Jay Rodne and Glenn Anderson, invite residents to roundtable discussions at Issaquah City Hall.
Citizens can receive updates about the ongoing legislative session, and share questions, comments and concerns about legislation, state government and issues affecting the district.
“I’m eager to hear from constituents — please bring all your questions and ideas. Even though the Legislature is struggling with an almost $5 billion deficit, I have hope for this session,” Pflug said in a statement. “There is more bipartisan work searching for solutions, although it remains a challenge to get legislators to think outside of the historical box.”
The state faces a $4.6 billion hole in the budget for 2011-13. Residents could face increased fees and reduced services from state agencies, and larger class sizes in schools as a result of widespread cuts.
Press Editorial
February 22, 2011
Donations send flags to soldiers overseas
Residents who travel are often seen wearing T-shirts that display their hometown pride. But who knew that soldiers deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere from Washington often fly the state flag at faraway places?
State Rep. Jay Rodne knew.
Rodne, a 5th Legislative District lawmaker and Iraq war veteran, sponsored legislation in 2009 to create a state flag account. Donations from the public will be used to purchase state flags to be mailed to military units.
“I know firsthand how much it matters to our men and women overseas when they receive their Washington flag,” Rodne said recently.
