ACEC Day in Olympia Moved to March
Based on discussions with our lobbyist Cliff Webster and Advocacy Chair Chris Robertson, we have decided to postpone ACEC Washington’s Day in Olympia until early March. It was originally scheduled for February 11, 2010, but there now appears to be significant strategic advantage to pushing it back.
Webster believes a B&O tax increase on professional services will be debated in the few days after March 1st, and he thinks we will be most effective if we descend upon Olympia during the floor debate. All three of us recalled the impact ACEC members had in 2005 during floor debate on the Transportation Partnership Funding bill. Many key legislators told us that our being there that day helped push that legislation through, and we hope to duplicate that effort again.
So, here is the new plan! We’ll have to remain agile, because we need to be ready to move on 72 hrs notice. We’ll get as many people as we can to go down, get a briefing from Cliff and go “work the doors.”
The B&O tax increase vote is likely to be a close vote, so our efforts could be the determining factor in whether the increase passes or not. It is another rare opportunity to have that “instant impact.”
I apologize for any inconvenience this causes, hopefully we will be rewarded with a victory.
Please email Bill Garrity (bgarrity@acec-wa.org) with your availability March 1-11 and your home legislative district #.
P.S. We will either coordinate carpools or charter a bus for the trip.
