ACTION ALERT: Call you Attorney General Today to stand strong against Mortgage Fraud

Right now, homeowners from across Massachusetts fighting to save their homes from foreclosure are meeting with Attorney General Martha Coakley to continue pressing her and her fellow AGs to stand strong against big bank mortgage fraud.

Stand with them by calling your state Attorney General and telling them you want a “strong settlement to the foreclosuregate scandal.”

Health Care Reform passes its First Legal Challenge

"A federal judge backs the health care law’s role in interstate commerce, but will the ruling help or hurt it in the long run?"

Help Bellingham Food Bank Win Funds to Purchase a new Van

Bellingham Food Bank —  This brief video introduces you to the Small Potatoes Gleaning Project in Bellingham, WA and explains why we need a new cargo van. Please vote for us each day during the month of June at refresheverything.com. With your help, we can get fresh, local produce to more people than ever before!



During the month of June, the Small Potatoes Gleaning Project is in the running to win $25,000 from the Pepsi Refresh Project. With this money, we can buy a big new gleaning van so that we can pick and deliver more fresh fruits and vegetables than ever!

Please take a few seconds to vote for us at http://www.refresheverything.com/smallpotatoes

We need thousands of votes to win. This can only happen if you vote once every day during June and invite everyone you know to vote as well!

Many local hunger relief organizations in Whatcom County rely on us for fresh, local produce for their clients. Please help us meet their needs.

For more information about Small Potatoes, join us on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/smallpotatoesgleaningproject, or visit

http://www.bellinghamfoodbank.org/our_programs/small_potatoes_gleaning_project.

Thank you for your support!

State AGO lawsuit may fall flat

"Supporters of the insurance requirement say that it constitutes a tax, not a personal mandate, and that the Constitution gives Congress broad power to tax."

"Challenges to tax laws succeed only when taxes directly or indirectly burden the exercise of fundamental rights, and there is no fundamental right to be uninsured," says Professor Mark Hall of Wake Forest University."

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/NEWS/A_Politics/healthcare.pdf

McKenna's website: http://www.atg.wa.gov/pressrelease.aspx?&id=25402

"Working for Clean Water" Hearing Brings Together Broad Coalition

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Today, the House Capital Budget Committee had a hearing on the Working for Clean Water bill aka the Clean Water Act of 2010. The bill received an extra boost of support when Governor Gregoire came out in support of the bill. Supporters from local government, labor, commercial fishing, and environmental groups also came out in force to speak in favor of the bill.
Working for Clean Water proposes an increase to the voter-approved Hazardous Substance tax to create jobs, provide temporary support to the state’s basic services through the general fund, and immediately address the state’s biggest water pollution problem: stormwater. 

Transit Works Gains Widespread Endorsement from Whatcom Council on Aging, United Blind of Whatcom County and Whatcom Conservation Voters

In a week that saw the Bellingham City Council pass a resolution in support of Proposition 1, continued community support gathered behind the Transit Works campaign. 

The Whatcom County Council on Aging, United Blind of Whatcom County, Whatcom Conservation Voters, and Futurewise Whatcom all added their names to a growing list of local businesses, organizations, and citizens who are in support of the proposed levy.

Glen Hallman, Vice-President of the board for the Whatcom County Council on Aging said, “The Council on Aging has a long history of supporting access to public transportation for all, but especially those with low-incomes, the elderly, and people with disabilities for whom car ownership and driving may not be an option.”

Alex Ramel, chair of the Whatcom Conservation Voters spoke on the WCV’s endorsement of the measure as well, “This community has already made a big investment in transit, now we must protect that investment. Maintaining local bus services is a key environmental interest, but robust bus service is also necessary for our seniors, our students, and our economy.”

Previously the measure was endorsed by the Northwest Washington Central Labor Council, the Amalgamated Transit Union.

WTA was successful in a 2001 ballot measure to increase sales tax by .03%. At that time, WTA was seeking to replace approximately 45% of its funding. Like all Washington transit agencies, WTA lost its state funding as a result of the passage of Initiative I-695. If successful in raising sales by .02% in the April 2010 election, WTA would be collecting .08%. The maximum allowed by Washington State Law is .09%
   

Now, can farm hang on to oyster harvesting? - Breaking News Highlight Story - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington

“Shellfish have been such an important part of this place for so long, and here it was, slipping through our fingers,” recalled Betsy Peabody, executive director of the restoration fund."

Cow drinking from stream in Whatcom County

Recent studies released by the Department of Ecology report poor water quality in Drayton Harbor, Birch Bay and other local shellfish harvesting areas. If we are not careful, Whatcom County may be in danger of losing one of it's most precious natural resources, it's shellfish beds. Frequent shellfish harvesting closures demonstrate the importance of protecting our bays and inlets from pollution sources like stormwater runoff, animal waste and failing septic tanks.

Meanwhile, conservative county council members are in the process of weakening the OSS Septic Ordinance to appease angry septic tank owners who do not want to pay for professional inspections or maintenance for their systems. 

In the Whereas section, the sponsors, Crawford and Brenner claim that failing septic tanks are not part of the pollution problem. 

Perhaps we can learn something from our south sound neighbors who pulled together to form a community organization to restore shellfish harvesting in Henderson Inlet. From the Olympian:

"Water quality has improved enough in lower Henderson Inlet north of Lacey to allow unfettered harvesting of shellfish on 240 acres of tidelands that had been restricted since 2001, the state Department of Health announced Wednesday."

Now, can farm hang on to oyster harvesting? - Breaking News Highlight Story - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington

Link to Puget Sound Restoration Fund, which has restored 575 acres in Drayton Harbor to conditional  shellfish harvest.


Henderson Inlet from Betsy Peabody on Vimeo.

Brenner and Crawford's Revised Septic Ordinance relies on Complaints to police OSS Systems

The way that communities grow and develop can directly affect the health of current and future populations. Even small land use decisions can have widespread environmental impact.

Update regarding the "stay" on professional Septic Inspections

Apparently John Wolpers, Whatcom County Department of Health, has confirmed that the Whatcom County Health Department has ceased sending out initial notification letters requesting that homeowners contact licensed Operation and Maintenance septic specialists to perform initial septic evaluations.

The temporary "stay" applies to homeowners who have not complied with the second notification as well.

However, homeowners that have received either the first or second notification are still required to comply with the evaluation schedule (one or three years depending on their type of system, according to state law). 

Ok, this is beginning to make my head hurt...is there a stay or isn't there a stay?

Here's what the Action Taken from Jan. 26, 2010 reports:

"Ordinance staying pro-active enforcement of Whatcom County Code 24.05, On-site Sewage System Regulations, in cases where property owners are otherwise not transferring title or conveying real estate (AB2009-135) (introduced November 10, 2009) No action was taken on this ordinance and A revised ordinance on this issue was introduced later in the evening. The Council did approve a motion to stay proactive pursuit of the inventory until methods are cleared up. Motion carried 5-2, with Weimer and Mann opposed." Excerpt from Action Taken FINAL for January 26, 2010 -- a copy is posted below).

So, if there is a stay, as reported above, does it violate state law?

John Wolpers, Whatcom County Department of Health told Wendy Harris that WCC 24.05 is still in effect. "If the Whatcom County Health Department learns of a violation of the code, we will pursue the matter just as we always have."

But passively sitting back waiting to learn of a violation is very  different behavior from actively monitoring and inspecting on site sewage disposal systems, as provided for in WWC 24.05, (authorized by RCW 70.118.050, which allows counties to adopt more restrictive standards), such as the standards for active monitoring of septic systems that Brenner and Crawford are attempting to repeal.

Action Taken FINAL for January 26.

WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL ACTION
AMENDED VERSION             January 26, 2010

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Strategy planning discussion and positions to be taken regarding collective bargaining (AB2010-018) Reported

2.Update and discussion regarding Lummi Island Ferry dock negotiations (AB2010-078)              Reported

3.Discussion with the Council’s Planning and Policy Analyst regarding work assignments (AB2010-017) Reported

MINUTES CONSENT

1. Special County Council for December 8, 2009             
   Approved 5-0-2 Kershner & amp; Mann Abstained

OPEN SESSION

PUBLIC HEARINGS

1. Ordinance prohibiting the illegal and illicit discharge of hazardous materials and non-stormwater runoff to the County’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) (AB2009-320D)              Adopted 7-0, Ord#2010-002

2. Ordinance amending WCC Title 20.80.636, 20.80.734, and 20.04.076 regarding stormwater management requirements, general review thresholds, and NPDES Phase II boundaries (AB2010-046) Adopted 7-0, Ord#2010-003

3.Washington State Auditor’s Performance Audit Report (AB2010-050) No Action Required

4.Ordinance staying pro-active enforcement of Whatcom County Code 24.05, On-site Sewage System Regulations, in cases where property owners are otherwise not transferring title or conveying real estate (AB2009-135) (introduced November 10, 2009) No action was taken on this ordinance and A revised ordinance on this issue was introduced later in the evening.  The Council did approve a motion to stay proactive pursuit of the inventory until methods are cleared up.  Motion carried 5-2, with Weimer and Mann opposed.

             

---------------------------------------------------

Melious questions procedural issues surrounding septic tank ordinance

 Jean Melious, who is a member of the Whatcom County Planning Commission posted the following comment: (Please note that Jean is posting comments as a private citizen, not as a planning commission member).

I attended the first hour and a half of Tuesday's issues, and have talked to the "no" votes (Carl Weimer and Ken Mann) about it a little. Questions about the procedural issues have been bothering me, so I just sent the following letter to Carl and Ken. I now see that you've already said pretty much the same thing. I hope that some answers will be forthcoming.

Dear Carl and Ken,

Local resident Questions Council's Legal Authority to Suspend State Law

Letter submitted to Department of Health:

I request the legal authority relied upon by the Whatcom County Health Department for “staying” the provisions of WCC 24.05. This appears to be legally invalid based on the provisions for waiver of septic system requirements set out in RCW 70.05.072.

Is the proposed septic tank ordinance legal?

Dear Members of County Council:

I oppose removal of the annual OSS system inspection. It takes the County from a proactive position that prevents water contamination to one that waits until a septic system has failed, and delays necessary repairs until there are citizen complaints, observations by health officials or a home is sold. This is clearly not in the best interests of the majority of Whatcom County residents whom you represent.

County Council is a comedy of errors

Well, last night's county council meeting was marred with yet another major process error.

(Please note that Barbara Brenner will disagree with my assertion that there have been other process errors). 

You see, Barbara did not hesitate to publicly criticize a citizen who had just publicly expressed his displeasure with the county's practice of asking for applications; formally closing the application process; then appointing a person who filed an application or was nominated by a councilor after the county's published deadline had passed. 

If Brenner is correct, and no deadline actually exists to submit an  application to a board, committee or even a vacancy on the council -- then perhaps she can explain why the county continues to publish deadlines for applications on the website? 

Apparently, appearance of fairness issues are not Barbara's cup of tea!

Oregon raises income tax for first time since 1930

Jeff Mapes on voters passing Oregon's first income tax increase since 1930

President Obama: A Tremendous step forward for Health Care Reform

The full transcript of the President's remarks is below:

"Good morning, everybody. In a historic vote that took place this morning members of the Senate joined their colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass a landmark health insurance reform package -- legislation that brings us toward the end of a nearly century-long struggle to reform America’s health care system."

Ever since Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform in 1912, seven Presidents -- Democrats and Republicans alike -- have taken up the cause of reform. Time and time again, such efforts have been blocked by special interest lobbyists who’ve perpetuated a status quo that works better for the insurance industry than it does for the American people. But with passage of reform bills in both the House and the Senate, we are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform that will bring additional security and stability to the American people. Full Transcript

Senate passes Health Care Reform Bill despite Republican Opposition

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

America is one step closer to ending a century long struggle to provide affordable health care for citizens.

The 60-39 vote highlights the polarization between Democrats and Republicans on health care reform.

Vice President Joe Biden presided as 58 Democrats and 2 Independents voted "yes." 39 Senate Republicans unanimously voted "no."

An interesting vote, considering that one hundred years ago Teddy Roosevelt (R) was the first American President to propose national health care reform. For additional information check out MSNBCs timeline for health care reform. 

After the holidays, the House and Senate versions of the health care reform bill will be sent to Conference Committee -- where appointees from both chambers will negotiate a compromise bill -- a bill that will deal with contentious issues like coverage for abortion, a public option and how to pay for the plan that emerges.

Watch it live at C-SPAN

Key Health Care Reform Vote taken in Senate

The key Senate vote to limit debate took place shortly after 1 a.m in a harshly partisan atmosphere. The timing was necessary to allow for Republican debate in order to pass the legislation by Christmas Eve.

The 60-40 vote is the exact margin needed to shut down a threatened Republican filibuster. 58 democrats, and 2 independents pulled together against unanimous Republican opposition.

Here's a video clip from MSNBC -- Senate Health Care Debate Videos from CSPAN can be found here: http://www.c-span.org/Health-Care-Senate-Debate.aspx

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

CNN Senate health care bill clears key hurdle: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/21/health.care.senate.vote/index.html

HR 3590 Text for the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’’:   http://www.democrats.senate.gov/reform/patient-protection-affordable-care-act.pdf

Manager's Amendment: http://democrats.senate.gov/reform/managers-amendment.pdf

Congressional Budget Office letter: http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/108xx/doc10870/12-20-Reid_Letter_Managers_Correction1.pdf

Senator Murray Urges Colleagues to Focus on Helping Families, Not on Number of Pages in Bill

Senator Patty Murray D-WA,  tells story of WA woman's struggles under the current system, explains how reform plan will help her and those in similar situations .
Audio Details  Watch

(Washington, D.C.) – On December 17, U.S. Senator Patty Murray made a speech on the floor of the Senate highlighting the benefits of the comprehensive Senate health insurance reform bill to Washington state families and small business owners. Murray recounted a story told to her by Doreen Kelsey from Spokane, to demonstrate to her colleagues the urgent need for health insurance reform that will bring families stable, affordable health insurance coverage.

Senator Muray discussed the problems that Doreen and her family have encountered with the current health care system, and then detailed the ways that the reform plan would help Doreen, her family, and the millions of Americans facing similar struggles.

During her speech, Senator Murray displayed a picture of Doreen standing behind a stack of appeals, letters, forms, and denials she received from her insurance company. Murray told her colleagues that these are the number of pages they should be concerned with, not how many are in the bill.

Key excerpts from Senator Murray’s speech:

“I come to the floor today on behalf of small business owners, parents, senior citizens, those with pre-existing conditions, those with insurance whose premiums are skyrocketing, and those without insurance who spend their nights praying they don’t get into an accident or fall ill.”

“I have watched day after day after day as our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have come down to this floor. They’ve made outrageous claims. They’ve hauled out reams of paper – and stacked copies of the Senate bill on top of copies of the House bill to try and turn a serious debate into a sideshow. But if my colleagues on the other side want to focus on pages? Fine, let’s focus on pages.”

“Behind me is a photo of Doreen Kelsey. And in front of Doreen is a stack of papers. Those are hundreds upon hundreds of pages of forms, rejection letters, appeals and denials from her insurance company”

“I ask you and our colleagues on the other side to take a look at this photo of Doreen sitting next to hundreds of pages of correspondence and appeals and fights with her insurance company. Those are the pages we should be talking about.”

“So whenever my colleagues come down and complain about the number of pages in a health reform bill that helps families and businesses lower costs, I want them to think about the number of pages right here – pages that have caused the Kelseys unimaginable heartache – and have come between them and the health care they have paid for.”

“Now is the time to end the politics, end the partisanship end the obstruction, and come together to focus on what is important and bring families and businesses the insurance reform they have been asking for.”

The full text of Senator Murray’s speech follows:

“Mr. President, I come to the floor today on behalf of over ten thousand constituents from my home state of Washington who have sent me letters and emails over the past six months to tell me their stories and struggles with our health care system. And I come to the floor today on behalf of the thousands more who don’t have the time or resources to write to me and ask for help – but who are struggling as well.

“Mr. President – I come to the floor today on behalf of small business owners, parents, senior citizens, those with pre-existing conditions, those with insurance whose premiums are skyrocketing, and those without insurance who spend their nights praying they don’t get into an accident or fall ill.

“Mr. President these are people who are worried about keeping their jobs or making a mortgage payment, and for whom the cost of getting sick, being dropped from their plan or opening their mail to see yet another premium increase is just too much to bear. And Mr. President, those are the people who deserve a real debate – and a real plan – not distortions or silly distractions like conversations about how many pages are in this health care bill. What’s more important than the number of pages is the help within those pages – for businesses and families across the country.

“Mr. President I have watched day after day after day as our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have come down to this floor. They’ve made outrageous claims. They’ve hauled out reams of paper – and stacked copies of the Senate bill on top of copies of the House bill to try and turn a serious debate into a sideshow.

“But if my colleagues on the other side want to focus on pages? Fine, let’s focus on pages.

“Mr. President, behind me is a photo of Doreen Kelsey. And in front of Doreen is a stack of papers. Those are hundreds upon hundreds of pages of forms, rejection letters, appeals and denials from her insurance company.

“Pages that have taken hours and hours to fill out and that have stood between Doreen’s husband, and the care he desperately needed.

“I met Doreen at a roundtable I hosted in August in Spokane, Washington. Doreen is self-employed and isn’t able to purchase her own health insurance due to a pre-existing condition. Luckily, she and her family have health insurance coverage through her husband Tony’s employer.

“Doreen and Tony thought their family had good insurance coverage – but when he asked for a colonoscopy they soon discovered the lengths to which insurance companies will go to deny, delay, and dispute the care that families, like the Kelseys, assume are included in their coverage.

“Their insurance carrier told them that before they would pay for this preventative care it would have to be approved by a primary care physician.

“After being delayed for a month because of this requirement, the colonoscopy ultimately confirmed their fears – a diagnosis of stage four colon cancer.

“Diagnosis in hand, the Kelseys were determined to beat this terrible disease together, but rather than focusing on fighting cancer - they were forced to fight their insurance company.

“Doreen told me that although they had faithfully paid their premiums throughout their working lives, now that Tony desperately needed life-saving treatment, it was a constant struggle to get the company to pay for even routine care.

“They weren’t asking for anything new – or experimental – just the kind of care that a lifetime of paid premiums should entitle them to.

“The Kelseys assumed what most Americans with good health insurance coverage assume – that while their insurance may be expensive, it will be there for them when they need it.

“Mr. President, Doreen and her family – like many American families and businesses – have come to find out that in our current health insurance system, stability is sometimes nothing more than an illusion.

“With each procedure, the Kelseys faced a new fight. More paperwork, another appeal.

“At one point, Doreen told me that she had to appeal all the way to the State Insurance Regulator just to get a corrected ‘Explanation of Benefits’ form from her insurance company. And they had to borrow thousands of dollars to pay doctors while their claims were tied up in what seemed like an endless appeals process.

“The Kelsey’s insurance now costs more than their mortgage. And they constantly worry that Tony’s employer could drop the coverage.

“Thankfully, Tony has been successfully battling his cancer. And Doreen has been successfully battling the insurance company. But this isn’t how the system should work. And when we pass the bill we are debating today – it won’t be.

“So, let me tell you – and the Kelseys – how this bill will help them.

“First of all, our bill ends insurance company discrimination for pre-existing conditions – so Doreen would be able to purchase insurance on her own and wouldn’t have to depend on her husband’s employer.

“Doreen would also have access to a number of different plans through an Exchange where insurance companies would compete for her family’s business. Our plan would inject competition into the insurance market, lower costs, and give families like Doreen’s more choices.

“Our plan also makes it illegal for insurance companies to drop people when they get sick – so Doreen and Tony wouldn’t have to worry about losing their coverage at the moment they need it most. And since we know that preventive care is critical to saving lives – and saving money on health care costs long-term – our bill ensures free preventive services under all insurance plans.

“It also invests in prevention and public health to encourage innovations in health care that prevent illness and disease before they require more costly treatment. This would have allowed Tony to get a colonoscopy when he first needed it and allowed him to start treatment sooner.

“We also know that families deserve the security and stability of knowing that if they or a loved one gets sick, they won’t be forced into bankruptcy paying for the costs.

“Our bill restricts the arbitrary limits that insurance companies currently place on the amount of coverage that families receive.

“It caps the total amount that insurance companies can make people pay out-of-pocket on co-pays and deductibles. And it eliminates the lifetime limits insurance companies can impose on coverage.

“In addition to putting in place these consumer protections that will give families the stability and security they deserve – our bill also lowers the cost of care so that Americans like Tony and Doreen won’t have coverage that costs as much as their mortgage.

“We do this by putting place premium rate reviews to track increases and cracking down on excessive insurance company overhead costs.

“When our bill passes, insurance companies will no longer be able to hike up Doreen’s premiums to pay for a bureaucracy that they will then put to work battling her claims. And we provide sliding scale premium tax credits for families who still can’t afford coverage – which would help 450,000 Washington state residents purchase the coverage they need.

“Mr. President, the bill before us today – which my colleagues have sitting on their desks – will help families like the Kelseys.

“Rather than talking about the number of pages in the bill – I hope our colleagues on the other side actually read it and talk about what’s in it.

“Because right now – instead of debating the merits of bringing down costs, or protecting families from losing their coverage when they get sick, our colleagues are actually spending time complaining that this bill has too many pages.

“Mr. President, I ask you and our colleagues on the other side to take a look at this photo of Doreen sitting next to hundreds of pages of correspondence and appeals and fights with her insurance company.

“Those are the pages we should be talking about. And the Kelseys are the people we should be talking about.

“So whenever my colleagues come down and complain about the number of pages in a health reform bill that helps families and businesses lower costs, I want them to think about the number of pages right here – pages that have caused the Kelseys unimaginable heartache – and have come between them and the health care they have paid for. Those are the numbers we should be focusing on.

“The fourteen thousand who are losing coverage every day are the numbers we should be focusing on.

“The fifty-one million who have no insurance are the numbers we should be focusing on.

“Not the numbers of pages in this bill.

“Mr. President, now is the time to end the politics, end the partisanship end the obstruction, and come together to focus on what is important and bring families and businesses the insurance reform they have been asking for.

“Thank you, Mr. President, I yield the floor

E-mail Senator Murray