Republicans All Earn High Marks From State Business Lobby

The largest and most potent business lobby in Washington is already stumping for the GOP in the next election.

The Association of Washington Business doesn’t come right out and say elect Republicans. But that’s the message being delivered in a slick, 24-page booklet that grades lawmakers according to how they voted on issues endorsed by the lobby.

“Legislation that’s good for business benefits everyone in the state,” proclaims AWB President Don Brunell on behalf of the lobbying effort. “Voters need to know where legislators stand when it comes to bills that help businesses create more jobs for Washington residents.”

To help citizens understand which side their bread is buttered on, the lobby calculated for each lawmaker “the percentage of votes in favor of AWB’s pro-business, pro-jobs position during the past session.”

Republicans all passed with flying colors. No exceptions. Most scored in the high 90s, many with perfect marks of 100. Only two Republicans received grades below 90 - Sen. Shirley Winsley of Fircrest, who got a 77, and Rep. Mark Sterk of Spokane, who scored 89.

Democrats all failed miserably. Their highest grade was a couple of 57s. Most scored in the 20s and 30s.

Scores in Spokane were typical for the state. In the 6th District, Sen. Jim West, Rep. Brad Benson and Rep. Duane Summers - all Republicans - got perfect scores of 100.

Whereas, in the 3rd District of Spokane, Sen. Lisa Brown, Rep. Alex Wood and Rep. Jeff Gombosky all are Democrats, and their scores were a paltry 22 percent, 23 percent, and 26 percent, respectively.

In Spokane’s 4th District - also solidly Republican - Rep. Mark Sterk posted the GOP’s second-lowest mark statewide, as noted above, with a grade of 89 percent. Bob McCaslin scored 98 percent. Rep. Larry Crowse got 100.

Washington’s jobless are getting a raise. Starting this week, the maximum weekly unemployment check goes up from $384 to $410, according to the state Employment Security Department.

State law sets the maximum weekly benefit amount at 70 percent of the average weekly wage for jobs covered by the unemployment insurance program. The average weekly wage in 1997 was $586, compared with $549 the year before.

Those receiving the minimum weekly benefit, 15 percent of the weekly wage, get a $5 hike, from $82 to $87.

High honors for community health education go to Dr. Henry S. Berman, retiring chief executive of Spokane-based Group Health Northwest.

The Comprehensive Health Education Foundation, which fosters health education in communities and schools, has named Berman recipient of its top award for 1998. “Dr. Henry Berman’s dedication to his patients, his community and his organization is well documented,” said Carl J. Nickerson, president of the Seattle-based nonprofit foundation.

Group Health Northwest last year developed more than 400 health education classes.

Eva M. Plaza, assistant secretary of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity for the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), is scheduled to keynote a tri-state conference in Spokane July 21.

The conference, hosted by HUD, the city of Spokane, the Spokane Area Real Estate Coalition and the Southern Puget Sound Fair Housing Council, will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the federal Fair Housing Act.

Bill Wassmuth of the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment will talk about “When Hate Comes to Town” during the sessions at the Spokane Convention Center.

Representatives of private industry, advocacy groups, law and government will zero in on the latest Northwest court cases and how to avoid being sued for discrimination.

The Spokane Housing Authority has published a regional housing directory for people living with HIV/AIDS.

The 200-page directory provides a comprehensive list of service organizations in a 12-county area that are important to people infected by the virus.

“About 200 persons in the 12-county area are living with AIDS,” reports Mary Jo Harvey, the housing authority’s executive director. “Many more are infected with HIV but have not yet developed AIDS.”

She also called attention to a federal program that provides direct housing assistance to low-income people infected by the virus.

More than one-third of Washington residents have become homeless after learning of their diagnosis, she said. “People living with HIV/AIDS experience a great deal of hardship and discrimination and often have unmet housing needs,” said Harvey.

For further information or to request a resource directory, the number to call for the Spokane Housing Authority is (509) 328-2953, extension 46.