Overturning Roe v. Wade: Can We Stay Non-Partisan?
from LWV Health Care Reform for the US Caucus Newsletter
August 2022 | | | In response to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, LWVUS President Turner and CEO Virginia Kase Solomon declared “[Those] whose bodily autonomy has been stripped away are no longer equal individuals in our democracy… We will continue to fight until the right to abortion is restored. Our lives depend on it.” Greater equity also depends on it; as the League and others argued in a September 2021 amicus brief, the right to abortion promotes self-efficacy and educational and economic opportunity.
The court decision makes it harder to maintain our non- partisan stance on health. Consider that we could be increasing births by about 25% annually (if all 900,000 abortions went to term); 2020 statistics tell us that 18% will likely result in pre-term or low-birthweight infants. Maternal and infant mortality, already by far the worst among developed countries, can be expected to skyrocket. (see figure, above right) ( Source)
However, poor outcomes will not be evenly spread across political parties. As HD Warraich MD points out, people in Republican-leaning counties are now six times more likely than in Democratic-leaning counties to have poor health status and die prematurely, a gap that did not exist in 2001. Since 42% of births are currently paid for by Medicaid, the SCOTUS ruling seems even more starkly partisan.
Can some common ground between parties be found? For example, in the 2022 Kansas primary, a 60% vote to maintain abortion rights could not have been achieved without 22% of Republican voters joining Democrats and the unaffiliated. Other pockets of agreement, like improving chronic disease management or supporting rural health, may also help engender less partisan health care efforts.
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Connect with the County and Your City for Next Step on the Comp Plan Update
By Loretta Seppanen
| | | Thurston County and each city are beginning a multi-year Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update. The Growth Management Act mandates this review and update of the existing Comp Plans about every decade. The mandate includes changes needed in the related development codes/regulations. The results of the update are due to the state in June 2025. Each jurisdiction has a title for this major project. In Thurston County it is referred to as "Thurston 2045."
The updated Comprehensive Plan will state the community vision for the kind of growth projected in the coming two decades and look of the future economy. Plans describe utilities, transportation, parks and open spaces, and public services. The plans reflect community values, such as public participation, addressing climate change, and tree preservation.
Thurston County is ready for citizen engagement to help determine which chapters of the county’s Comp Plan need updates. The county asks for specific comments now through fall. Submit comments detailing changes by chapter what is missing or needs to be changed. The city of Olympia will start their process by seeking community input on their Community Values and Vision statements. To know how to give input, sign up for emails by going to the “Interested Parties” sign up section on the Olympia Comp Plan web page. The cities of Lacey and Tumwater will soon announce how to participate in their Comp Plan update process. See the Lacey plan here; the Tumwater plan here.
All jurisdictions must address a new state requirement to meet the need for government-assisted housing; housing for moderate, low, very low, and extremely low-income households; manufactured housing; various type of multifamily and group housing; emergency housing; emergency shelters; and permanent supportive housing. The plans must also contain policies and regulations to address and begin to undo racially disparate impacts of past housing policies. | Upcoming Farmland Protection Designation Changes:
Long-term Ag (LTA)
By Loretta Seppanen | | | Consistent with Washington Growth Management Act requirements, the Thurston County Comprehensive Plan identifies “agricultural land of long-term commercial significance.” Counties are to designate and protect through zoning lands with soils suitable for agriculture and with access to roads to get products to market. A full list of criteria is in WAC 365-190-050. Thurston County’s more detailed criteria are on pages 9-11 in Chapter 3 of the Comprehensive Plan.
Thurston County calls these designated lands Long-Term Ag (LTA). The zoning code protects the land by limiting the potential for subdividing. A 100-acre farm can be subdivided into five 20-acre farms, but not divided for denser housing.
Thurston County designates 21% of farmland as LTA. In Snohomish County, with a comparable amount of farmland, 54% of farm acreage was similarly designated. Pierce County had a designation rate similar to Snohomish, 50%.
When the county’s Comprehensive Plan was last updated, the criterion were not reviewed, despite concern that farmland was being lost at the rate of 3,000 acres per year. The non-profit land use advocacy group, Futurewise, noticed that failure to designate more LTA land and made the case at the Growth Management Hearings Board that Thurston County is out of line with the state requirements.
A stakeholder group is being established to begin work to expand the Thurston County designation, looking at farms under 20 acres, all farm soil types listed in the WAC, and farmland in the urban growth areas. Among the issues will be whether and how to pay landowners for downzoning – the reduction in the parcels allowed in future subdivisions which impacts the land’s value.
The Thurston League ad hoc committee monitoring the Community Driven Review of Agricultural Policies and Program will be watching this work. The committee will apprise the membership on issues and opportunities to comment.
| President's Message
By Darlene Hein
I was elected as the new President of the League in May; and immediately began working with a new Board made up of continuing, new, elected, and appointed members. The board members are all volunteers who work incredibly hard to take care of all the parts that make up the running of our League. One of the first and the main thing I figured out as the newly elected president is that volunteers are the heart of the League of Women Voters at every level from national to local leagues. | | | It is truly amazing how a group of people can take so much on to ensure that our League is taking care of business including working to increase voter turnout, working to make sure governments are doing their jobs thoughtfully; and that our community is informed and have a voice about what is happening and how it effects their day to day lives.
League volunteers are all types of people who bring their skills, time and energy to our programs, community events, social media, and tabling. Some work a couple of hours a year and some who are constantly helping. There is much said about the positives of volunteering but like many things it is a moment of commitment that we sometimes have a hard time moving forward.
If you are interested in volunteering, in just knowing more about what we do or what of interest is happening, a great place to start is our website: https://www.lwvthurston.org. This last year the Thurston County League spent time and effort working on our new website and it is a wonderful resource of information and includes an ongoing list of meetings and events. |
Let's Talk about Race Book Group
By Annie Cubberly
After several suggestions for our next Let’s Talk About Race book, the majority voted for Deacon King Kong by James McBride. I have heard that it is a fun read. This selection has been named one of the Top Ten books of the year by Oprah’s Book Club. It is also winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction, a winner of the Gotham Book Prize, and one of Barack Obama's "Favorite Books of the Year”.
Our meeting will be on September 15 at 2:30 pm. This will be an in-person meeting at Sandra Herndon’s home. For directions, please email Sandra.
The book is available at the library and of course can be ordered at your favorite bookstore or on Amazon.
| | | DEI & Justice
September 21, 5:30-7:00pm DEI & Justice Committee Meeting
Marilyn Morgan, author of newly published “Trailblazing Black Women of Washington” is the September speaker. Also featured are Evergreen State College professor and founder of Tacoma TESC campus, Dr. Maxine Mimms and Dr. Dolores Silas. Among other firsts, Dr. Silas was the first Black woman principal in the Tacoma school district and last year, Woodrow Wilson HS in Tacoma was renamed in her honor.
Marilyn Morgan is a Seattle author, historian, and photographer. Her books include Careers in Criminology, Baffling Murder Mysteries, Seattle Historic Houses of Worship, Trailblazing Black Women of Washington.
| DEI& J Committee meetings are open to the public and occur via Zoom.
Meetings occur on the 3rd Wednesday each month. Previous speakers include, Nicole Miller, Racial Equity Program Manager with the Board of County Commissioners; Olivia Salazar de Breaux, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Specialist Parks, Arts, and Recreation with the City of Olympia; and Vicki Lowe, Executive Director American Indian Health Commission of Washington among others. For more resources check out the DEI page here.
Join us and help shape upcoming programs and activities! | My View from the Back of the Bus - Merritt Long
Our grateful thanks to our August speaker, Merritt Long. Many LWVTC and community members have met with Merritt or had the honor of attending other presentations and reflections of his memoir, “My View From the Back of the Bus.” His powerful story describes apartheid-like conditions growing up in Alabama and the journey bringing him to the Northwest. Besides lengthy and distinguished careers in Washington State government, Merritt with his wife, Marsha Tadano Long, established the Learning Seed Foundation. | | |
Public Forum:
Should the Number of Commissioners in Thurston County and the Port of Olympia be Expanded?
September 28, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Webinar; Register here.
This public forum will describe two measures that will be on the ballot in November. One measure proposes to expand the number of County Commissioners and the other proposes to expand the number of Port Commissioners. Each board currently has three members, but population growth in Thurston County now allows expansion to five members in each case, if voters approve.
Speakers from the County, the Port and the League of Women Voters will explain the measures and will take questions from the public. Please bring your questions.
Speakers:
- Carolina Mejia, Thurston County Commissioner
- Bob Iyall, Port of Olympia Commissioner
- Loretta Seppanen, Thurston County League of Women Voters of Thurston County and Good Governance Coalition member
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Coffee with the League
Every Tuesday morning from 10:00-11:00 am
Join others to discuss local Thurston and WA state topics. Come to hear about what’s going on and ways you can influence local issues and state legislation. Contact Paula Holroyde for information about attending in person. | | |
Save the Date to Honor Karen Verrill
Karen Verrill, a long-time league member and past president of LWVTC and the State League, was awarded the “Evergreen Award” by LWVWA in 2021. A cedar tree will be planted in her honor at Squaxin Park. Please join us in a ceremony for this on Monday, October 10 at 5:00 p.m. at the Squaxin Park Rose Garden.
| thoughts on league Issues |
Betty Tabbutt Remembrance
Elisabeth (Betty) Tabbutt had a long life rich in experience, impact and leadership within our community. Her family moved to Olympia when her husband, Fred, became a faculty member at The Evergreen State College (TESC) when it opened in 1967.
Betty had a strong background in science and was deeply concerned about a variety of environmental issues. She represented the LWVWA on the Hanford Advisory Board for many years. She was also actively involved in solid waste, nuclear waste and Superfund issues. She also taught classes on environmental concerns at TESC.
| | | Betty was a driving force on the statewide League’s four-year study of Forest Issues and Project Manager of state League study committee Speaking of Ground Water. She was an active member of our League’s water study committee in 2008.
Betty served as President of our League from 1977-1979 and as co-president with Maria Peeler 2001-2003. She described League’s achievements of the 1970’s in “ Decade Stories - the First Five Decades of Helping Democracy Work” League booklet.
She demonstrated a strong commitment to maintaining family ties and support and was so very proud of her four children and their families. Betty was a wonderful friend to many, an amazing leader and inspiration to all who knew her. Betty passed from among us on August 4, 2022. |
Candidate Forums
By Shelley Kneip
It’s election season and LWVTC is working on candidate forums! Our forums make a difference. Of the three forums we held for the primaries, only candidates who participated made it to the general election.
For the general election on November 8, we plan on holding forums for 11 contested races. The forums will be recorded on Saturday, October 1 and Sunday, October 2 at the Thurston Community Media studio in Olympia.
The election races that we will cover are Legislative District 22 representatives; Legislative District 35 representatives and senate; Thurston County commissioner, district 3; and Thurston County Auditor, Assessor, Clerk, Sheriff and Treasurer. We will also partner with the Tacoma-Pierce League to present a virtual forum on October 15 for the Congressional District 10 race.
LWVTC will again be soliciting questions for the candidates from league members and the public through our dedicated email address: elections@lwvthurston.org.
If you are interested in volunteering as a timer or moderator, please contact Karen Tvedt or Shelley Kneip. | Membership
We currently have over 200 members. Thank you to all who have renewed and welcome to our new members! If you haven’t renewed yet, you still can, and if you renew by September 5, you can be included in the 2022-2023 LWVTC Handbook/Directory. Final edits are being done and we aim to get handbooks in the mail to you before the end of September.
- To renew on-line, you must set-up a membership account. Check your membership account for your renewal date or contact mailto:Membership@LWVthurston.org if you have questions.
- When you log-on - please take a moment to answer questions about how you might like to get involved and other interests and skills/experiences you may have. No commitment is required. With juggling busy schedules, we want to maximize your involvement at the level that works best for you.
| March/April
Diana Alfonso
Bonnie Alton
Abigail Asare
Justin Begley
Adriana Cardoza
Vivian Eason
Leslie Emerick & Dennis Bloom
Tayshia & Elizabeth Farra
Tara Heinecke
Ryen Hill
Rianna Joseph
Sandra Kaiser
Adama Mbodji
Wendy Meluch
Alejandra Palencia
Susan Raymond
Shelby Stucker
Daniel Stusser
Janine Tobin
Keedan Vinson
Eleanor Walters
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May
(previous year-end)
Judy Artley
Massiel Aspron
Madeline Bishop
Keitha Bryson
Barbara Buchan
Joel Carlson
Donna Cobb
Laurie Craig
Annie Cubberly
Kaleen Cullen
Melissa Denton
Patricia Dickason
Jody Disney
Susan Dubuisson & Avelin Tacon
Janet Elliott
Phyllis Farrell
Shelley Ferer
Karen Fraser
Julie & Mike Frick
Christine Garst
Dawn Gibbs
Sandi Gray
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May, cont'd
Patricia Harper
Sandra Herndon
Sharon Herting
Linda Hoffman
Paula Holroyde
Bob & Bonnie Jacobs
Nathaniel & Kathleen
Jones
Benjamin Kilfoil
Shelley Kneip
Kassie Koledin
Sarah León
Dave Little
Kyrian MacMichael
Kathy Mallalieu
BJ Matthews
Kathleen O’Connor
Brenda Paull
Charlotte Persons
Rhonda Porter
Cynthia Pratt
Katherine Ransom
Shelby Satko
Loretta Seppanen
Karen Tvedt |
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June
Kimberly Abbey
Sue Bredensteiner
Maureen Canny
Judith Carter
Lisa Ceazan
Crystal Champion & Larry Jefferson
Beth Doglio
Adelaide Dunklee
Rose Eilts
Mary Hall
Valerie Hammett & Rob Kirkwood
Darlene Hein
Michele Hendrickson
Darcy Huffman
John Gear
Jeffrey Jaksich
Angelina Jefferson
Esther & Lea Kronenberg
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June,
cont'd
Linda & George Lamb
Janet McLane
Vicki Merkel
Mary Moore
Lisa Ornstein
Elizabeth Rodrick
Jo'el Roth
Kattarina, Matthew & Ariana Simons
R Peggy Smith
Barbara Steffen
Magdalena Webb
Sonja Wilson |
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July
Mary Boston
Allyson Brooks
Leatta Dahlhoff
Brian Hovis
Kerry Halligan
Debra Jaqua
Chris Kennedy
MaryEllin Robinson
Mary Russell
August
Linden Bentley
Susan Fiksdal
Mary Jo
Giamberardini
Annie Herrera
Annabel Kirschner
Becky Liebman
Ryan Munevar & Patricia Tongate
Vallie Needham & James Alan
Patricia Stearns
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EMPOWERING VOTERS. DEFENDING DEMOCRACY.
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
Copyright © 2022, League of Women Voters of Thurston County, Washington
Our mailing address is:
P.O. Box 2203
Olympia, WA 98507
http://www.lwvthurston.org/ | |