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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
In less than a week the 2012 regular legislative session will officially start. I'm excited to get back to Olympia and continue to fight for important changes to government. Some of the things I will concentrate on when I return to Olympia can be found in my recent House video.
My goals continue to be the promotion of higher education; supporting businesses and jobs; and sustainable budget solutions. I believe these three areas have a symbiotic relationship that is crucial to the health of our state.
Promoting education: The university, community and technical colleges in our district are vital to train the workforce needed for jobs in our district. Higher education is important not only in Whatcom county but across the state. Colleges and technical schools train people to work in the fields that are essential to Washington's economic well-being. Employers within aerospace, technology and industry require skilled workers in order to keep their operations here. Washington colleges train the workforce that will carry our economy into the future.
Businesses equal jobs: As a small business owner I know first-hand how difficult it is to operate a business in Washington. Taxes on businesses, employment taxes, and regulatory burdens make it too costly for many people to operate a business. Legislators can help business, and create a strong state economy, if we reduce regulatory restrictions, streamline agencies like L&I, and stop tax increases. The key to economic prosperity in Washington is getting government out of the way so employers can do what they do best: create the products and services that drive consumer spending and thereby create jobs. If we don't make Washington more business friendly then employers will leave the state and further impact our economy and state budget. The motto of the House Republicans is: “Let's get Washington working again!” But there remains a lot of uncertainty for employers as taxes continue to be talked about as a solution to budget woes.
A sustainable budget: In 2012, we must take the opportunity to establish an all-priorities budget: education, public safety and protection of the most vulnerable. By continually shifting funds away from education the majority party is undermining the state's trained workforce. By continually taxing businesses the Legislature forces employers, and jobs, to go elsewhere. In order to create a sustainable budget we need to get people back to work not increase taxes. During the special session there was a fundamental lack of understanding about what it will take to get our state back on track. While some small steps were made, they were not the changes required to create true government reform. I look forward to working with my fellow legislators to find real solutions when we return to Olympia on January 9.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need assistance or would like to meet with me. The input you provide is important! Helping constituents is the aspect I find most gratifying about being a legislator. If you would like to schedule a time to talk about important issues and how I can help, please contact my Olympia office at (360) 786-7854 or via email.
Thank you for giving me the chance to represent you,
P.S. I want you to know I respect your time and privacy. If for any reason you would no longer like to receive my e-mail updates, you may go to this link to unsubscribe. Simply enter your name, e-mail address and select “Leave.” Your friends and family can also sign up for my e-mail updates by going to this same link and selecting “Join.” Please forward this to anyone else you think might be interested in what is happening in Olympia.
Sincerely,
Vincent Buys
