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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
One of my priorities this session – as it has been for several years – is to work to make our streets safe. This should be government’s number one job. All other government services pale when comparing to the importance of safe communities.
Currently, Washington has the highest motor vehicle theft rate, 114% above the national average. We have the most burglaries per capita, more than double the national average. We rank No. 1 in the nation for the state most impacted by retail theft. We have the second-highest property crime rate in the nation. And, we continue to have the lowest cop-to-citizen ratio, 51% below the national average. You can learn more about our public safety crisis here.
While there is no one magic solution to address this crisis, I do believe it starts with getting more police on the street. That is why I am supporting the efforts of Rep. Hunter Abell who is new to Northeast Washington’s 7th Legislative District. His proposal will create a $100 million grant program for local and tribal law enforcement. It would pay up to 75% of the entry-level salaries for up to 3 years. You can learn more here.
The Week Ahead
We have a resource available to you to help you see the important committee hearings on both good and bad bills. As of today, there have been 609 bills introduced in the House and 510 in the Senate. While not all of them will receive a public hearing, the ones that do have the potential to impact you. Please let your voice be heard by submitting written testimony or testify remotely.
The Week Ahead will be sent to your inbox each Friday if you sign up here. The graphic below is a representation of what it looks like.
Still need more Pages!
Legislators gets a certain allotment of Page spots each session. I want to make sure students in the 9th District have the opportunity to be a Page if they want. Legislative Pages have gone on to become representatives, senators, governors, and have even served in Congress. And, I have been told by more than one student that it looks very impressive on college applications!
Pages, who must be between the ages of 14 and 16 years old, earn $65 per day all while learning more about the legislative process and our form of government. It is a great experience that students will never forget. Click here to learn more about the Page program, the requirements, process, and a FAQ. Click here for the Page application.
Thank you for reading my legislative update. And thank you for allowing me to serve you in Olympia.
Sincerely,
Joe Schmick
