New approaches to homelessness, the orca and fair play for Seattle.

  • Four-point plan to reduce homelessness, make cities safer.
  • Port of Bellingham hatchery plan gains support.
  • “Breach the Ballard Locks first” study bill gets hearing.
  1. A Four-point plan to reduce homelessness, make cities safer

How can we combat homelessness and get people the help they need? In this video, I outline a four-point plan. Click here or on the video for more.  

Read the full plan here.

2. Port of Bellingham Hatchery Plan gains support.

Joining my Senate colleagues for a media briefing on the Port of Bellingham orca/hatchery proposal.

Last year I introduced legislation that would give the Port of Bellingham a leading role in helping restore the dwindling orca population on Puget Sound. But sometimes it takes a while for a good idea to catch on. We’re continuing the push this year with SB 6509, and the more the Legislature hears about the idea, the more support it gets. This proposal, crafted by the Port of Bellingham and San Juan AREA Sea Life, would bring the “Alaska model” for hatchery management to Washington state. It would enable public-private partnerships that would bring private investment to hatchery operations. This reduces the public cost of expanding hatchery operations. This proposal gets new salmon feedstocks to the southern resident orca on Puget Sound, and it creates new opportunities for commercial and sport fishing in our area.

3. ‘Breach the Ballard Locks first’ study bill gets hearing

The Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee hears testimony on a bill that would enable Seattle to lead by example. To see hearing, click here or on video above.

Sometimes it takes a bold proposal to make a point. Seattle cheers for proposals that would wreak havoc on Whatcom County and the rest of the state, everything from regulations that threaten industrial jobs to the destruction of the Snake River dams. But when the shoe is on the other foot, we hear crickets.  This year I have introduced legislation to restore Seattle to a pristine natural state. Senate Bill 6380 would study breaching the Ballard Locks, filling in the Montlake Cut, raising Lake Washington to historic levels, restoring Ravenna Creek to daylight, and removing Seattle City Light dams on the Skagit River. Just think — we could have salmon spawning grounds where million-dollar homes and busy shopping centers stand today.  Last week this bill got a hearing in a Senate Committee. Testimony from former state agriculture director Jim Jesernig got right to the point: “It doesn’t make any more sense to tear the heart out of the city of Seattle than to tear out the heart of Eastern Washington” by breaching the Snake River dams, he said. Curiously, nobody from the city of Seattle spoke in favor of the bill. In the Press: In this editorial about the “Breach the Ballard Locks first” study bill, the Tri-City Herald says the hearing “provided an important opportunity to discuss the importance of the Snake River dams to the Eastern Washington economy.”

Contact us! Email: Doug@SenatorEricksen.com Phone: (360) 786-7682 Mail: P.O. Box 40442, Olympia, WA 98504

The next issue of 4th Corner to have interview with County Executive Satpal Sidhu.

Preview:

  • How liberal is he? Or is he? How will he handle the opposition?  
  •  On the issues of: The environment, Taxes, Public Safety and Cherry Point where does he stand?
  • And how did he get a New Year’s day Birthday?
  •   Read all about it next week as we report on our 45 minutes wide ranging interview with Executive Sidhu.