Tag Archives: Curtis King

King announces listening tour to discuss MCC reform ideas

Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, announced today that he’s delivered a letter to Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson, requesting her agency’s cooperation in coordinating a series of public meetings around the state. King, who serves as co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, said he and his colleagues in the Senate’s Majority Coalition Caucus would like to gather as much input as possible from Washington residents and WSDOT officials in various regions around the state in order to craft a viable transportation package that could be supported by lawmakers as well as taxpayers.

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Keeping Washington moving forward, Senate passes transpo budget

Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, today expressed his thanks and gratitude to members of the Senate and its staff after the unanimous passage of the Senate’s 2013-15 transportation budget proposal. King, along with co-chair Sen. Tracey Eide, D-Federal Way, and fellow budget writers Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, and Sen. Joe Fain of Auburn, spoke positively of the bipartisan atmosphere in which the budget was created.

“When a committee has co-chairs with the same authority, the potential for gridlock is increased,” King said, “but Senator Eide has been an extreme pleasure to work with, as have our vice chairs. It’s been an honor to work with these individuals, the other members of the transportation committee, and both partisan and non-partisan staff, without whom none of this would have been possible.”

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Senate transportation co-chair raises questions about WSDOT pick for mega-project review leader

Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, today expressed his concern about the state Department of Transportation’s choice of a former WSDOT administrator and project director to review three of the state’s transportation mega-projects. Newly-appointed Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson announced Thursday that Ron Paananen, now a private consultant, will lead a comprehensive assessment of the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement, the State Route 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program, and the Interstate 5 Columbia River Crossing projects.

“I have no doubt that Mr. Paananen is technically qualified to lead the review of these three, multibillion-dollar projects; that’s not the issue here,” King said. “What troubles me is the fact that Mr. Paananen was a former administrator on two of these projects and his private employer receives millions in consulting fees from DOT, including current payouts of $2.4 million on the Columbia River Crossing – one of the projects to be reviewed. This is obviously an enormous conflict of interest.”

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King says public must be consulted before new taxes are proposed

Members of the House of Representatives Transportation Committee unveiled their 2013-15 transportation revenue package Wednesday. It calls for raising the gasoline tax by 2 cents each year for five years, increasing the commercial gross weight fee by 15 percent, raising the motor vehicle excise tax by 0.7 percent, raising the hazardous substance tax by 0.3 percent, and a new $25 sales fee on bicycles over $500. Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, said it’s a proposal he expected. Continue reading →

King sworn into office, named co-chair of Transportation Committee

On the first day of the 2013 legislative session, Washington State Supreme Court Justice Charles Johnson administered the oath of office to Republican Senator Curtis King, who represents the 14th District, to begin King’s second four-year term. Shortly thereafter, the Senate adopted a committee structure that installed King as the co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, along with 30th District Senator Tracey Eide, D-Federal Way.

“I am very pleased and honored to have been selected as co-chair of Transportation,” King said. “The Senate Transportation Committee has a longstanding tradition of bipartisanship and I will work tirelessly to see that this tradition is continued.” Continue reading →

King to co-chair Senate Transportation Committee under new plan

Under a new bipartisan banner, Democrat and Republican senators in the Washington State Senate today announced the formation of a Majority Coalition Caucus to lead the Senate during the 2013 legislative session. Twenty-five state senators have committed themselves to the new majority group, including Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, who will also co-chair the Senate Transportation Committee.

“Transportation has always been one of the most – if not the most – bipartisan committees in the Legislature. That won’t change as we head into the 2013 session,” King said after news about the new Majority Coalition broke. “Ever since I came to the Legislature I’ve been looking for solutions that were fair and equitable for Washington citizens. It hasn’t always been easy, especially under one-party rule for so long, but this Majority Coalition Caucus gives us the chance to truly bring parity to the Senate. I hope it’s an example that others will follow as well.” Continue reading →

Area lawmakers support historic, bipartisan Senate reform budget

After a series of unprecedented procedural maneuvers Friday evening, minority members of the Washington State Senate Republican Caucus joined with three like-minded Democrats to temporarily gain a philosophical majority and introduce a sustainable budget proposal that doesn’t depend on gimmicks, tricks or tax increases. Central Washington senators say not only does Senate Bill 5967 close the $1.1 billion gap, it projects to be in balance by the 2013-15 biennium. Continue reading →

Labor-committee members say bills violate historic, bipartisan workers’ compensation deal

Today brought the first deadline for policy committees in the Legislature to act on bills, and several measures that survived deal with the contentious issue of workers’ compensation – a move some legislators say violates the spirit of the highly-touted 2011 bipartisan workers’ compensation reform agreement.

At the beginning of the 2011 regular session, after years of conflict, much public debate and hours of intense negotiations among the governor and House and Senate leaders, legislators reached an historic agreement on ways to reform the costly, state-run workers’ compensation system.

Three legislators, all members of labor committees, say committee approval of several bills introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate this session risks undermining last year’s deal before it has even been fully implemented and erodes the trust needed to reach big agreements on solutions moving forward. Continue reading →

King to be honored Saturday for his role in brain injury bill’s passage

On Saturday the Brain Injury Association of Washington will recognize Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, for his efforts in getting the Zackery Lystedt law through the Legislature during the 2009 legislative session.

“It’s a real honor to be recognized like this by the Brain Injury Association of Washington, especially when it is for simply doing the right thing,” said King. “I was proud to sponsor the bill in the Senate and worked across the aisle to help garner the support of my colleagues for this important piece of legislation.” Continue reading →