Recommended Actions for the Week of 20170529

Source: Ross Cohen, All in for Action

Description: Earlier this week, Governor Inslee, who has been a strong advocate of fixing our state’s upside-down tax code, commented that there is not sufficient support in the legislature to close the capital gains tax loophole. While we’re disappointed, the fight for progressive revenue continues.

Background: With one month left to find agreement on the budget before the government shuts down, it’s more important than ever that we let our legislators know how passionately their constituents want to fix our upside-down tax code. The Real Estate Excise Tax proposal in HB 2186 is a good reform, raising $420 million to fund great schools and strong communities. It’s the kind of thing we need to be advocating for now.

Contact Information: The link below has a phone script for the legislative hotline, along with a built-in email template for folks to email their legislators. 

• Link to Phone Script and Email Template

Additional Information: Click here for HB 2186 info.

Source: WEA Fourth Corner

Description: This bill has passed the house (again) and is going to the senate soon, so it’s important to act quickly.

Suggested Script: Please support ESHB 1046 which de-links state testing from graduation.

• Standardized tests are only ONE measure of student learning.
• If a student has successfully passed all their graduation requirements, they should not be kept from passing by ONE standardized test.
• These tests are unfairly skewed against students in poverty and English language learners.
• These tests cost WA state $31 million a year. If you factor in lost instructional time and teacher/admin hours, that bill is closer to $1 billion. Is testing worth that much? That money could be spent on many other things that directly improve student learning.

Contact Information: Go to the link below and choose “comment on this bill” and enter your address. When you click “verify address,” it will tell you your legislators and you can type your comment from there. 

• Link to Comment on ESHB 1046

Source: RC Member

Description: Give local. Set up monthly donations to local organizations by June 1st.

Background: Our Civic Tithing tool is nearly six months old. Riveters pledged $20,000 per year in monthly donations in January. If you haven’t set up monthly donations to your favorite local organizations yet, now is a great time. Also, the sortable list is a great way to connect with organizations for volunteer work, or just to get on mailing lists to stay up to date on their work and needs.

Additional Information: Riveters Collective: Civic Tithing

Description: President Trump has ordered the Department of the Interior to review all designations of national monuments greater than 100,000 acres created since 1996.  Public comments on 26 monuments will be accepted through July 10, 2017.

Background:  On April 26, 2017, the White House issued a Presidential Executive Order on the Review of Designations under the Antiquities Act, directing the U.S. Department of the Interior to review certain National Monuments designated or expanded since 1996.  The Secretary of the Interior will use the review to determine whether each designation or expansion conforms to the policy stated in the Executive Order and to formulate recommendations for Presidential actions, legislative proposals, or other appropriate actions to carry out that policy.  There are 27 National Monuments under review, including Hanford Reach in Washington and 5 marine national monuments; the list can be found here.

Contact Information:  Submit comments online through regulations.gov (Docket ID# DOI-2017-0002).

Suggested Script:  Click here for suggested scripts.  We’ll update with new scripts as often as we can, so check back often!!

Additional Information:

• NPR: See the Sweeping American Landscapes Under Review by Trump
• New York Times: Battle Over Bears Ears Heats Up as Trump Rethinks Its Monument Status

Source: RC

Description: Measure your carbon footprint and develop a long-term plan for major emissions reduction in your own life. Bookmark the calculator and consult it in your decision-making.

Background:  We have tremendous power to reduce carbon emissions in our own lives. This is not optional, but no one will make us do it.  The transition to clean energy is happening, and needs to accelerate, and we need to be the drivers on the personal and the policy level. This means substantial change in some of our lifestyles, but a low carbon – working toward carbon neutral – lifestyle is different, but also joyful and meaningful. Measurement is accountability.  Commit to measuring, making a plan, and telling your friends. This is our personal responsibility to future generations, but also to marginalized people already affected.  Marching is important, but addressing climate change must be a daily practice for all of us.

Permanent Planet is a locally-developed calculator which addresses just the major contributors to emissions. The developer created the tool in his spare time and there is no monetization of the site.