Tag Archives: Jay Inslee

King questions timing of grain-inspection shutdown at Vancouver port

Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, made this statement regarding Gov. Jay Inslee’s recent decision to withdraw the Washington State Patrol security detail that had been escorting state grain inspectors to United Grain Corporation’s export terminal in Vancouver. The move has effectively brought grain exports from the terminal, site of an ongoing labor dispute, to a standstill.

“There is no doubt the lockout and subsequent labor negotiations involving United Grain and the union representing longshoremen have dragged on far too long. We can all agree that after a year and a half, it’s time for conciliation on both sides. However, wheat growers in my district and across central and eastern Washington are understandably frustrated that Governor Inslee made this move just as their crops need to be moving through the port and on to market.

“Many within the wheat industry and those who represent them have called on the governor to resume the use of WSP escorts for grain inspectors. His only response has been that those involved in negotiations should be encouraged to return to the table.

“Wheat exports in this state are a billion-dollar industry. Surely the governor would not jeopardize such an important sector of our international trade portfolio just to appease organized labor – but considering the longshoremen’s union had already announced it would not return to the bargaining table until August at the soonest, there is reason to question the timing of the governor’s action.

“The wheat growers in my community and across Washington deserve assurance that they will be able to get their harvest to market. I am calling on the governor to consider the needs of the entire state and allow the WSP escorts to resume so grain inspections may also resume at this critical time.”

King says failure to pass transportation package not due to lack of effort

20140312_LegWA_0105abAt a news conference today – one day before the scheduled end of the 2014 legislative session – Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, lamented the fact that lawmakers did not pass an agreed-upon transportation revenue and reform package before adjourning. King added that the Majority Coalition Caucus, which leads the state Senate, repeatedly made compromises sought by the Senate minority, but to no avail.

“During the 2013 transportation feedback forum tour, we visited ten cities across Washington in five weeks. The vast majority of citizens made it clear that they wanted reforms before they’d accept any gas-tax increase, and we listened to the people.”

“From the very beginning, the MCC has prioritized reforms, and additional revenue was never off the table. But in the end, the Senate’s minority Democrats weren’t serious about making the tough reforms. They were more interested in tax increases and sound bites, despite knowing as well as I do that the state can’t win public support for a multibillion-dollar transportation package without first establishing that we are serious about fixing the waste, mismanagement and abuse that exists within the system.” Continue reading

King urges Governor to come clean on carbon fuel tax

Sen. Curtis King, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, called on Governor Inslee to come clean with the Legislature on his future intentions to impose a carbon fuel tax through executive order.

“This is an issue of trust. We cannot ask the people of Washington and our job creators to support a 10-cent gas tax if the governor plans to add more taxes. The governor is about to give his state of the state address, so now is the time to be open and direct about his plans.”

Bipartisan Senate committee unveils 2013-15 transportation budget

king_120Making good on promises to continue a tradition of cooperation, leaders of the Washington State Senate Transportation Committee today proposed a bipartisan transportation budget that would spend $8.7 billion in 2013-15: $5.3 billion in capital construction spending and $3.4 billion for operating costs and debt service payments. The proposal would complete the tunnel replacing Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct, restore and maintain ferry service levels, and improve or preserve highways across Washington, as well as make a number of system-wide reforms.

“We were faced with a particularly challenging set of circumstances this year, but I’m proud that this committee has not only faced those challenges but overcome them,” said Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and co-chair of the transportation committee. “We’ve been able to maintain funding for all the projects to which the state is already committed, and we’ve even identified a number of areas where we can generate savings by implementing reforms.” Continue reading