There aren’t that many facilities for veterans in the Pacific Northwest. That’s why it’s great to see a new outpatient clinic in Walla Walla. I’m sure a lot of veterans will save hours on the bus (and get treatment faster!) with a new clinic in Walla Walla.

The Seattle Times has the story:

Obama signs law to OK Walla Walla VA renovation

President Barack Obama has signed a law authorizing the Department of Veterans Affairs to build a new outpatient clinic at the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center in Walla Walla.

By The Associated Press

WALLA WALLA — President Barack Obama has signed a law authorizing the Department of Veterans Affairs to build a new outpatient clinic at the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center in Walla Walla.

The VA has said it will spend $71.4 million to design and build the clinic, which will serve veterans from Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Washington Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, who pushed to save the Walla Walla center and helped approve money for the new clinic, notes that just six years ago the VA proposed shutting it down. Now, the hospital not only will remain open but will be modernized. Murray says that’s a victory for thousands of veterans.

As you can see, the credit for ensuring this clinic is open goes to Sen. Patty Murray who fought for years to get this clinic open.

Now, let me get to the point. Did Doc Hastings help? Did he do anything? Nope. Nada. Nothing. In fact, the vote in the House on this appropriation was November 2nd and Doc Hastings missed it. Yep, you heard me. Missed IT! See for yourself here.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Central Washington has one lazy congressman. It’s time for him to go….

Congressional Candidate Jay Clough in his backyard outside of the Tri-Cities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 9th, 2009

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Jay Clough (509) 551-9986

Kennewick- Former U. S. Marine Jay Clough (D-Kennewick) will announce his campaign Monday for the 4th Congressional seat currently held by Representative Doc Hastings.

“I expect our Representative in this district to work harder. As I traveled throughout the district in the last few months, I heard over and over that people did not see or hear from Doc Hastings. We need a representative who is proposing new solutions and providing real leadership. Someone who regularly travels to all parts of the district to listen to people’s concerns and bring common sense solutions back to Congress, “ said Jay Clough.

Jay Clough attended Kennewick High School in Kennewick, Washington and graduated in 1995. While a student, Jay was a member of the Kennewick High School and Riverside High School football teams.

From August 13th 1995 until August 13th 1999, Jay Clough was employed by the U.S. Marine Corps as an active duty light armored reconnaissance infantryman.

In 1999, after being honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps, Jay Clough began his studies at Central Washington University. After 2 years of study, Jay Clough declared his major of Asian Pacific Studies with a minor in Philosophy, and later added a second Major of Chinese Language and another minor of Political Science.

Jay Clough currently works out at Hanford as a subcontractor for Washington Closure Hanford ensuring safety and training requirements are met on the cleanup process.

Jay Clough is also active in Second Harvest and working with United Way through his work at Washington Closure Hanford. He is scheduled to begin working with Junior Achievement in December.

“We can have leadership that focuses on getting Central Washington new good-paying jobs. We can have leadership that realizes that our health care system is not working and is part of working toward a solution.

We can have a representative that regularly visits every part of the district and actually listens and brings those concerns back to our nation’s capital.

I served proudly as a Marine because I believe this is a great country. I decided again it was time to step up to serve, to listen, and if elected, to lead on the key issues facing Central Washington,” said Jay Clough.

Two Announcement Events

Event #1

TIME: 9:30 a.m.
DATE: Monday, November 9th
PLACE: Regional Veterans Memorial, Columbia Park
Located between Highway 240 and the Columbia River

Event #2

TIME: 1:00 p.m.
DATE: Monday, November 9th
PLACE: Yakima Millenium Plaza
South Third St. and Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA, 98901

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Tim Eyman has decided to run another initiative that cuts funding for education, health care and other government services. Here’s what the State’s Office of Financial Management says will be the impact of these cuts:

Initiative 1033 limits annual growth of state, city and county general fund revenue to the rate of inflation and population growth. General fund revenues exceeding this limit must be used to reduce the following year’s state, city or county general fund property tax levy. The initiative reduces state general fund revenues that support education; social, health and environmental services; and general government activities by an estimated $5.9 billion by 2015. The initiative also reduces general fund revenues that support public safety, infrastructure and general government activities by an estimated $694 million for counties and $2.1 billion for cities by 2015.

So to summarize, Initiative 1033 would cut government spending by an estimated $5.9 billion by 2015. It would also cut $684 million for counties and $2.1 billion for cities.

As the No on 1033 site points out a similar initiative was passed in Colorado in 1992. People in Colorado suspended the law in 2005. Here’s why: The share of low-income kids without health insurance doubled. Colorado’s per capita funding for education plummeted to 49th in nation. The state couldn’t even afford to vaccinate children entering school to help protect against diseases like whooping cough.

The No on 1033 side continues to explain why 1033 would be a bad idea for Washington. This year, 40,000 low-income people in Washington have lost their health insurance. $1.5 billion has been slashed from education, taking resources away from kids and classrooms. And as many as 3,000 teachers and school employees face layoffs. As the economy recovers, we could restore funding to education and health care – but I-1033 would make these cuts permanent and force even deeper cuts in the future.

Now, I understand that people want their taxes lower. I even understand that there are a bunch of people out there who don’t want to invest any more in public schools or 4 year universities; ensuring people have basic access to health care; or roads, transit and other infrastructure provided by city and county governments.

But, I DO want to invest in those things. I believe that our long-term economic outlook depends on investments in our schools. Washington State kids are competing in a global economy. We can duck our heads in the sand and ignore the need to ensure they are ready. But, I think it would be a mean and shortsighted thing to do.

I also think we should ensure people have basic access to health care. Our system requires that emergency rooms take care of sick people. Those costs get passed on to the rest of us. They are much higher than if someone was seeing a regular doctor and catching problems before they have to go to expensive emergency rooms. One could argue that we should let people die, but I can’t imagine that’s part of the talking points of the Yes on 1033 campaign.

We have also seen that roads and bridges need repaired all over the state. Many of these projects are taken on by city and county governments. We are jeopardizing our own safety by cutting funding for county and city governments.

The Yes side could argue that we just need to trim the fat but when we have already cut teachers, cut 40,000 people off of basic health care and counties/cities are laying off employees, it doesn’t seem like giving them less money is getting the intended outcome.

Now, if Tim Eyman wants to specifically point out where programs or government employees should be cut, we could have that conversation. But that’s where he becomes a duplicitous snake. He will never do that because he knows that many of the programs that he would like to see cut are popular with voters. If he was specific, he would not get anything passed. Not that he has a very good track record of passing initiatives in the first place.

So, let’s keep telling Tim Eyman NO. Let’s get out of this recession and invest in our infrastructure and public education to limit the damage of recessions in the future.

According to Public Policy Polling, Barack Obama’s approval is exactly the same as election day. You can read their analysis here.

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Open positions are:

* Naches City Council, Position 3

* Toppenish City Council, Positions 4 and 7

* Wapato City Council, Position 6

* Granger School District, District 5

* Mt. Adams School District, District 5

* Fire Protection District 11, Position 3

* Cowiche Sewer District, Positions 1, 2 and 3

* Naches Park & Recreation Commissioner, Districts 3 and 5