Going On Now

Read the open letter to the public from League President Cynthia Stewart regarding protests this week resulting from the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis MN and calling for action to address racial inequality now. Read it here.

On May 5, 2020, the Pierce County Council will be considering a resolution to approve a proposed 5-year plan for homelessness. After much consideration, the League has submitted written testimony to the Council asking that the Plan not be approved.

See the Plan here.

See the League comments here.

For more information, see the County Council agenda page on this issue https://online.co.pierce.wa.us/cfapps/council/iview/proposal.cfm?proposal_num=R2020-29.

For the most recent information about homelessness in Pierce County see https://www.co.pierce.wa.us/3715/Homeless-Programs (scroll down to see data).

The January 30, 2020 Many Faces of Homelessness forum in Puyallup was recorded. Listen to sessions 3, Who's Responsible, and 4, What are others doing, here: https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AvPvsD54gzVvKto&id=69F910EB3846C82A%21203493&cid=69F910EB3846C82A

The League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County has just completed a study of shelter in Pierce County. The study reflects many of the changes in housing circumstances since the 2008-2009 study of affordable housing was done. It extends "affordable housing" to include shelter. Areas of consensus in the membership discussion of this study will be the basis of an update to the current affordable housing position (http://www.tacomapiercelwv.org/files/position_on_affordable_housing.pdf).

Two membership discussion meetings were scheduled but had to be canceled because of the coronavirus shelter-in-place requirements:

• Thursday, March 19, 1;00 - 3:00 pm CANCELED
  Wheelock Branch, Tacoma Public Libraries
  3722 N 26th St, Tacoma, WA 98407

• Saturday, March 21, 10:15 am to Noon CANCELED
  Summit Branch, Pierce County Libraries
  5107 112th St. E., Tacoma, WA 98446 (unincorporated)

THESE WILL BE RESCHEDULED FOR EARLY MAY VIA ZOOM.

Any member may attend, and the meeting is open to the public; but only members who have declared that they have read the study may respond to the discussion questions that will lead to consensus and position.

Read the study here

Read the discussion questions here

For a short summary of the study, read this.

This proposal is before the Pierce County Council for a final vote on March 10, 2020. Read the letter sent as testimony in support of the proposal here.

Read the letter sent to the Human Services Committee in support of this proposal when they deliberated on February 18, 2020 here. The Committee moved it forward without recommendation. For more information about what is proposed, see https://online.co.pierce.wa.us/cfapps/council/iview/committeeMeeting.cfm?committee_cd=hs&meeting_dt=Feb 18 2020 9:30AM

See the mental health study here: http://www.tacomapiercelwv.org/files/report_for_web_10-23-16.pdf

On the 100th anniversary of the League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County, February 14, 2020, the Washington State Senate adopted this resolution in honor of the centennial. We were honored to have this recognition.

Centennial Proclamation

Resolution sponsor, Sen. Jeannie Darneille, introduces the proclamation in the Senate on February 14, 2020

LWVT-PC members Susan Eidenschink and Jacki Skaught, along with centennial celebrator Sue Lean, in the gallery during the proclamation ceremony

Sen. Jeannie Darneille with League members and staff member, Noelle Kappert, following the event

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has proposed a new rule related to fuel that would apply only in the four-county PSCAA region (King, Snohomish, Kitsap and Pierce). See a summary of the proposal here: https://pscleanair.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3944/Clean-Fuel-Standard-Draft-Rule-Summary_December-2019?bidId=

The League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County submitted a letter during the public comment period in support of the proposal. You can read that letter here.

Take a look at the editorial published in the Tacoma News Tribune on December 8, 2019, by Katie Baird and Cynthia Stewart.

Taxing Our Way Toward Greater Equality

Katie Baird, primary author, is a member of the League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County and a Professor of Economics at the University of Washington Tacoma. Cynthia Stewart is President of the League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County and the Lead on Revenue for the League of Women Voters of WA.

Suggested Books to Read

Each month, one of our members submits a brief book review to be published in the Voter. The list above provides ideas of books that may be of interest to League members and others. Take a look at our Voter for additional book ideas.

For the June 6, 2020 Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting booklet with agenda and materials