It’s a question many Washingtonians asked themselves after seeing the results from the November 4th election. In trying economic times, conservatives lost what many believe to be the two most important races of the 2008 election. Washington retained their Democratic governor, and the nation elected Barak Obama as the next president.
ABC members and the business community as a whole may have an uphill battle during the upcoming legislative session. Democrats in Washington already hold a large majority in both the House and Senate in Olympia. Recent economic forecasts have put the budget deficit over the $5 billion mark. Roads, transportation and the infrastructure of Washington continue to be major problems, and cash-strapped businesses cringe at the thought of higher taxes. However, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
Republicans picked up both a seat in the Senate, as well as the House of Representatives, avoiding the possibility of a supermajority. As an ABC member, there are also actions you can take to help ensure businesses and the construction industry prospers in our state.
The most important thing you can do is to get involved, and there are many opportunities to do so. The first is ABC’s upcoming “Day in Olympia” event on February 19th. You will be able to speak to your elected leaders in a one-on-one setting about issues important to you and the business community. You will also have the opportunity to see legislators vote on the House and Senate floor, hear an update on priority issues from ABC lobbyists, tour the Capitol building and more.
One of the more popular groups within ABC is the Legislative Action Team. This team communicates entirely via email. Information about elections, bills, survey results and other government affairs topics are distributed on a regular basis. ABC also utilizes the VoterVOICE system, which allows you to send fullyeditable emails and letters to your legislators in Olympia with a just few clicks of your mouse. It takes just a few minutes to register. You can do so by visiting
www.abcwestwa.org, and clicking on the “Government Affairs” link.
If you would like to join the Legislative Action Team, get more information on the government and labor affairs department at ABC or get more involved, please contact Director of Government Affairs
Aran Buchan at (800) 640-7789. With your help and participation, the unified voice of the ABC membership will be heard!