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Adam Wilson Blog
Adam Wilson expounds on Washington state government, workers and politics. Wilson began covering those issues for the Olympian in 2004. Previously, he reported on the Idaho Legislature and Eastern Washington politics for the Lewiston Morning Tribune. He can be reached at: awilson@theolympian.com.
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Political Editor
Brad Shannon
360-753-1688
bshannon@theolympian.com
Statehouse Reporter
Adam Wilson
360-753-1688
awilson@theolympian.com
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It has been an honor
I wanted to wait until I finished my last story before I said goodbye to this blog. As you may have already read, I'm moving down the street, as Gov. Chris Gregoire's speechwriter. Don't worry this post isn't about how to save journalism. I don't know how, unlike everyone else, apparently.
Colleague Brad Shannon was working furiously when I rolled up to the press house in Olympia in 2004. He has not stopped or slowed as we shared five years of news, three owners of the newspaper, and seismic upheaval in the reporting world. Follow his blog and you will be well read.
I also thank Jerry Wakefield, who first greeted me in The Olympian’s lobby with a warning: “Stay hydrated, it’s going to be 94 degrees today.” I don’t think I told him that it was 108 degrees in Lewiston, Idaho, when I got on the plane that day. Since then, he has backed his paper (and me) with confidence and determination. He’s also the guy who can sharpen your story to a needlepoint.
But this is it for me and reporting.
When I was 12 and going off on my first no-parent vacation, my dad handed me a novel he picked up with his unlimited line of used-bookstore credit, Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Lost World.”
It’s fantastic – literally. The guy in there works for newspaper, and he goes to the Amazon, and he finds dinosaurs. How cool is that? I was hooked.
I still have that book, worn and repaired with electrical tape. There’s a moment in there that has guided me. It wasn’t finding dinosaurs, although that turns out to be awesome. It wasn’t becoming a reporter; the guy already was one. What it was, he decided to seize opportunity:
For it is only when a man goes out into the world with the thought that there are heroisms all round him, and with the desire all alive in his heart to follow any which may come within sight of him, that he breaks away as I did from the life he knows, and ventures forth into the wonderful mystic twilight land where lie the great adventures and the great rewards.Journalism has been a great adventure. I’ve witnessed events, heard words, experienced things I never could have expected. And I got to share them with everybody. Now I follow another great endeavor.
I’ll be helping some one in whom I have sincere confidence at a pivotal moment. These years, this recession, will certainly change our future. We are in a time that will be burned into our greater history like a forest fire burned into the growth rings of an old cedar.
I look forward to meeting the moment. I want to do what I want to do, but like all of us, I will be judged on whether I did something for everyone else, as well.
And before everybody gets out of their chairs and goes off about engaging in partisan politics, I’ll say I’ve learned a couple things over the years, starting with my very first assignment covering University fo Idaho student government, to Whitman County, the Nez Perce Tribe’s General Council, the Idaho Legislature and the big house here in Olympia:
People are capable of governing themselves.
They can decide the issues directly and they can choose the leaders they want, and they do it with wisdom and nuance. All the public needs to make good decisions is good information.
And those that choose to enter the arena of public office can be good people. Like the rest of us, some are more capable than others, some are more opinionated than others. That’s democracy.
One of my all-time favorite politicians is Mike Mitchell, an old-school legislator I knew in Idaho. His strategy to deal with being out numbered by Republicans four-to-one was “choir practice.” He’d host gatherings in a Boise tavern, creating a group of Republican and Democratic moderates who could hoist a glass and plot ways to make the wings of their parities toe the centerline.
His best defense to over-wrought politics was humor, something he has in common with Washington’s House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt. DeBolt balances his passion for what he believes is right with some perspective on the process. The other day I was showing some cousins the Capitol and we ran into DeBolt in the Rotunda. He offered to show them the House floor, and pointed to his normal spot.
“That’s where I stand up and make my point – until they gavel me down,” he said, smiling broadly.
So don’t be quick to hand out black hats and white hats, or color coding at all, in politics.
The senator who unnecessarily does the bidding of unions or businesses one day will be the very one to stamp out pointless partisanship the next. It’s all of us who make it work – the politician, the press, the partisans, the public. We share a world, from the calcium in our bones to the hopes we whisper before we blow out the birthday candles.
But enough of that stuff. Point is – It has been my great honor to talk with you. I respect you. Thanks for coming here, for reading, for caring.
And if we meet again someday, I will be very happy to see you.
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I admire the enthusiasm
"Just as there are no two rivers the same, there are no two people who are the same. There are no two colons that are the same. … I love my work."
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Oregon state workers dodge some cuts
The Oregon Legislature wrapped things up this week and state workers there looked to minimize the cuts to their programs and incomes.
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Rotation of Pritchard cafes continues
Making a profit in the largest café space on the west Capitol Campus has proven tough, not unlike running a ski resort year-round. Plenty of customers in January, not so many in July.
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No merger for Health Care Authority, Retirement Systems
Instead, Steve Hill will continue in his role as head of both, and he says inter-agency agreements will blend operations where desirable.
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And now, the video report
Department of Social and Health Services Secretary Susan N. Dreyfus answers our question. Which is "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
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Rep. Williams on state insurance costs
Rep. Brendan Williams, D-Olympia, put out a statemetn on the planned increases in health insurance costs for state workers.
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Retiree health costs also increase in some areas
For retirees without Medicare coverage, the monthly UMP premium goes from $427 to $440. For retirees with Medicare, the UMP rate actually drops from $170 to $163 in 2010.
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Louisiana (!) knocks us out of top disclosure spot
Huey Long's home turf bests our own election disclosure laws, which used to be the best in the country.
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Some state worker copays, deductibles to double in 2010
The share of costs paid by UMP members will rise from 10 percent to 15 percent, and out-of-pocket maximum will increase from $3,000 a year for a family to $4,000.
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Have a question for DSHS secretary?
If you've a question for DSHS leader Susan N. Dreyfus that is of public import, drop me a line at awilson@theolympian.com.
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On civil unrest and Web maintenance
Obama convinced Twitter to hold up routine work to allow Iranian protesters to use service.
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State docs are wait-and-see on national insurance plan
I asked, are we going to see major reform this year?
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Preferred Drug List works, says audit
The state's preferred drug list, which points pharmacists to cheaper generics unless a doctor says they must use the name brand drug, has saved money according to report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee.
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Whatever happened to gain sharing lawsuit?
It's still pending. Thanks to a reader for asking about the status.
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Enhanced parole to end for 500 young offenders
Looking to save $5.3 million, JRA ends the program for young felons
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Oregon: where people go in good times and bad
Oregon seems to attract folks for the lifestyle, and even when in includes unemployment, they won't give it up.
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Facility-closing process still forming
This year legislators established a process to identify which state facilities should be closed, whether they are for juvenile rehabilitation, adult offenders, or housing the disabled.
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Obama talks Cantwell into "Cash for clunkers"
One of the more unusual bills plowing through Congress is the so-called “cash for clunkers” proposal which would pay folks to trade in older gas guzzlers for more efficient rides.
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Letter to state worker about deeper budget cuts
Here's a copy of the letter the governor sent out to employees today.
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New forecast calls for $523 million less UPDATED
But wait – add back in $226 million in new revenue as a result of the fee increases and other moves this session. So the total budget for 2009-2011 biennium is $29.8 billion, which is $297 million less than expected in March.
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It keeps getting better: Capitol parking to be taxed
Starting July 1, parking fees for the Capitol Campus will be subject to taxation, the Department of General Administration says. Parkers won't feel it until 2010.
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Federation no-raise contract ratified
Members of the Washington Federation of State Employees have approved their new, re-negotiated contract, which includes no raises, but does describe workplace rules for the 09-11 biennium.
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Kelley edges Haigh for JLARC leadership
"This is pretty exciting and historic," quipped out-going chairman Sen. Phil Rockefeller. "The tension is mounting."
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Oldest pension plans rocked by recession
The oldest state pension plans were not fully funded before worldwide markets crashed last year, and now the road to recovery may stretch too far into the future.
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Braam settlement a road map, not obstacle, says Dreyfus
"I looked at the Braam settlement and there is not one thing in there that I would disagree with," she said.
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How to graduate high school (in several stages and steps)
Current high school students have one set of requirements; those entering high school next year have a second set; and students who will be in eighth grade this fall have a third.
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The Evergreen flavor that you savor
"I'd say I've spoken at quite a few commencements and this one has a slightly different flavor," mused British poet David Whyte.
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"For me this is easl"
For those of us who can see, this new device is basically a cell phone. But you use it to talk to those who can neither see nor hear.
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Latest tax collection report decidedly mixed
In the latest monthly revenue collection report (now called Economic and Revenue Update) things are deceptively good/bad.
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Cantwell being pushed on national health plan
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell is apparently one of three Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee being pushed by liberal groups to embrace a national health insurance plan for the public.
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Did we say 3 percent increase for state health insurance?
Make that zero. Turns out that although lawmakers did provide $22 more per-worker, per-month in 2010 to cover their health insurance, it works out to a flat line before inflation.
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Sen. Pflug on national health care reform
She said some of the bipartisan ideas presented by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, bear resemblance to her own suggestions of 2007.
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New cabinet members focus on business
A couple of the new faces in Gov. Chris Gregoire’s administration have been in the news, both focusing on business prospects for the state.
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Plan for Basic Health: old fashioned American pricing
The strategy to deal with a 43 percent cut in funding for the Basic Health Plan is to raise the rates. It appears to herald a drop in enrollment by something like 25,000.
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DFW union offered to talk furloughs
The Washington Association of Fish and Wildlife Professionals says members offered to talk furloughs with management.
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Health Care Authority has a plan for Basic Health cuts
Health Care Authority Administrator Steve Hill will hold a press conference in Seattle Monday to announce how his agency will deal with a 43 percent cut in the Basic Health Plan.
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Road construction prices plunge
According to the Department of Transporation, bids are now coming in more than 20 percent below expectations, after years of steep inflation.
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Economic forecast details
You've heard it before, but the details say job losses continue until first half of 2010.
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Wait, that TV thing is really happening?
The White House was kind enough to remind me the rabbit ears won’t work come next week.
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When state politics cool, go international
Not ones to fade into the background, our leaders have taken to contacting the outside world to see what's up.
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State commission member named in assault case
An unfortunate case in Seattle names a member of the state Commission on African American Affairs, Joseph Hooks.
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... and we get all the money!
Not only are we supposed to be first out of the recession but the great Pacific Northwest is getting most of the federal stimulus contracts so far.
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SEIU 775 cries foul in late-running bargaining
The union that represents about 25,000 home care providers statewide is wants $10 million it says should ease health care burdens on members.
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No furloughs in executive agencies yet
"We haven't seen any agency yet proposed furloughs. But our members have mixed feelings," said Tim Welch of the Washington Federation of Employees.
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Northwest expected to lead recession exit
Another reason to live in the Pacific Northwest: you get out of recession early. Or at least you think you will, which is nice.
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Goldmark questions state leasing areas
Peter Goldmark follows his predecessor Doug Sutherland in being the voice of dissent in a State Capitol Committee meeting.
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What I learned over the weekend
A couple days off taught me some things, and I don’t mean the important historical stuff written on all those signs we drove past.
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$10 M in, Heritage Center revisited
How close the actual version comes to the original plan is hugely dependent on the economy.
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Legislative appetite for reform questionable
With the budget written legislative interest in slimming government may be waning.
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WSP still nattiest force on the road
With an unprecedented repeat win this year, I finally decided get the story on the Washington State Patrol’s uniforms.
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DIS plans to move, save big oaks on Wheeler site
The trees will be stored in planter boxes made from a row of fir trees lining nearby 14th Avenue, the contractor say.
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DSHS responds to Colville report
"The Department takes seriously the findings in both our internal report and the Ombudsman’s review of the Colville office’s operations," said interim Assistant Secretary Randy Hart.
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One person in a million cares about this
The State Department tweets its Dipnote blog. You can share your camping stories with the National Parks Service on Facebook.
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Gregoire on Boeing boards and labor emails
Union email to lawmakers looked bad, aerospace council is about training and education, not wages, says guv.
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Welcome to DSHS, Susan Dreyfus
Same day she is sworn in, agency secretary wades into the latest debate.
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Hey, it's the hot dog guy from Costco!
The TranZport Hood features a bacteria-filtering medical-grade fabric which helps to contain contaminants and makes attempts at biting ineffective.
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Management awards announced
The governor and her Cabinet honored 16 state employees Tuesday with the Governor's Leadership in Management Award.
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Last vetoes surprise, hurt a few
In political speech, having a chunk of your precious bill sliced off without warning is called being "disappointed."
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Sonntag keeps performance audit money
All cuts to the program are eliminated by governor, but auditor agrees to hold back some money for later.
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Bill count a bit much, says guv
"You're pushing the limits of a governor and a governor’s office. I'm being very honest about that," Gregoire said.
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WMS study bill signed
The governor signed on to a union-backed bill that will require a report on the size, salaries and bonuses of the Washington Management Services yesterday.
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Child welfare privatization bill goes to the wire
Gov. Chris Gregoire, Sen. Jim Hargrove and Rep. Ruth Kagi walked into the guv’s office just now to talk about it with a few hours left until it’s to be signed.
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Child welfare bill pulled from line-up
A stealth bill that would significantly alter how the state provides child welfare services was on the to-be-signed list today, but word is now it isn't.
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McKenna names political thinker as new chief of staff
A Republican political operative takes over the A.G.'s office affairs. Prep for a gubernatorial run?
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Another notable building under duress
Students of the Capitol Campus will recognize the name of Paul Thiry, who designed the well-regarded Pritchard Building as a state library. It's the 1950s buildign on campus nobody wants to knock down. An early example of his work in Shelton, however, is another story.
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Gregoire stands by parks closure list
Asked if the optional $5 that will be added to car license fees will be enough to save the 121-park system, she was cautious.
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Foster parents feel pendulum swing
Controversies are boosting their efforts to strengthen foster parents’ role in child welfare.
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It's GREG-whar, and she's (probably) not a future supreme
Rush Limbaugh (LIM-bah) mangles the guv's name, and Gregoire lightly denies supreme court nomination.
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