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Senator Mary
Margaret Haugen
10th District
Camano Island
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DISTRICT OFFICE GRAND OPENING
Wednesday, May 21
4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
1091 SE Dock St., Suite #4, Oak
Harbor
Read my weekly web updates
May 8, 2008
Haugen named “Business Champion” by Chambers of
Commerce
OLYMPIA —The Joint Governmental Affairs Committee of the Joint
Snohomish County Chambers of Commerce has presented Sen. Mary
Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, with a 2008 Business Champion
Award in recognition of her sponsorship and support of legislation to
improve the business climate of Washington and Snohomish County.
more>>>
May 7, 2008
Haugen announces grand opening of 10th
District Office
OLYMPIA — With another successful legislative session
behind her, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island,
announces the opening of her office in the 10th Legislative
District to better serve constituents.
more>>>
April 10, 2008
Haugen schedules
post-session town hall meetings
OLYMPIA — Area residents are invited to hear
updates from the conclusion of this year’s legislative
session from Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island,
during a series of town hall meetings.
more>>>
April 1, 2008
Manure — it’s a good
thing!
OLYMPIA — Farming and ranching have reputations
for being labor intensive enterprises. The visions of
farmers awakening before dawn to milk the cows and of
ranchers wrangling their cattle are iconic images of
hard-working professions. But agriculture is also a capital
intensive industry as well — the equipment necessary to run
a farm is expensive, and the ongoing cost of day-to-day
operations doesn’t leave behind have much money to spare for
investing in innovative new technologies.
more>>>
March 26, 2008
It’s official — Island
County is rural
OLYMPIA — Island County doesn’t look any different
today than it did yesterday, but a few strokes of the
governor’s pen have transformed it from an urban county to a
rural one. more>>>
March 26, 2008
Course correction for Washington State Ferries
OLYMPIA — During the 2008 session, the Washington State
Senate confirmed a new Secretary of Transportation and a new
Assistant Secretary for the Ferries Division. Yesterday, those new
officials got a new set of sailing orders as Senate Bill 6932,
sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, was
signed into law by Gov. Chris Gregoire.
more>>>
March 25, 2008
Gov signs Haugen
agricultural conservation market bill
OLYMPIA — Gov. Chris Gregoire today signed into
law a bill to give farmers some innovative ways to obtain
multiple financial benefits from their land.
more>>>
March 14, 2008
Budget maintains 10LD
projects, adds health clinic funding
OLYMPIA — The 2008 budget approved by the
Legislature maintains approximately $15 million in projects
throughout the 10th Legislative District, and includes $2.25
million in funding for new projects requested by Sen.
Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island.
more>>>
March 14, 2008
Senate approves of good
digestion
OLYMPIA — Washington farmers who use specialized
equipment to create renewable energy from farm waste will
get a tax break thanks to passage of a bill sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island.
more>>>
March 11, 2008
 1:43 wrap with
Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano Island
on passage of the state's supplemental Transportation
Budget. Mark Allen
reports from Olympia.
Full script (in Word
Format)
MP3 File
WAV File
March 11, 2008
Senate passes 2008 transportation budget
OLYMPIA — Today the Senate passed the 2008 Conference
Transportation Budget on a vote of 45 to 4. “I think members of both
parties and both chambers did a good job of balancing out the
differences between the transportation budgets proposed by the House
and Senate to come up with a budget that focuses our limited
transportation investments on the right priorities,” said Sen.
Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, chair of the Senate
Transportation Committee.
more>>>
March 11, 2008
Location of wetland mitigation banks clarified by Haugen
bill
OLYMPIA — Since it’s approval in 1998, the
Wetlands Mitigation Bank statute has been the subject of
substantial dispute whenever banks were sited on lands
that are designated and protected by counties as
agricultural lands of long-term commercial significance.
more>>>
March 11, 2008
Transportation budget increases funding for US
2 safety projects
OLYMPIA — The Legislature has announced the 2008
Conference Transportation Budget agreed to by the House and Senate
that includes $14 million for safety improvement projects to Highway
2, an increase of $5 million from the figure that was proposed in
earlier supplemental budgets.
more>>>
March 6, 2008
Haugen harvests Washington
Farm Bureau award
OLYMPIA — The Washington Farm Bureau has
recognized Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island,
for her sponsorship of legislation on key agricultural
issues and her and advocacy of critical area ordinance
protections and farmland preservation.
more>>>
Feb. 29, 2008
Senate approves property
tax relief for 25,700 more seniors
OLYMPIA – The Senate passed a measure today to
provide property tax relief for as many as 25,700 additional
seniors and disabled individuals per year.
more>>>
Feb. 25, 2008
1:32 wrap with Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano
Island on
the Senate Transportation Budget.
Mark Allen reports from Olympia.
Full script (in Word
Format)
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WAV File
Feb. 25, 2008
Senate transportation
budget reflects enhanced accountability
OLYMPIA — The 2003 Nickel plan and 2005
Transportation Partnership Act (TPA) brought more than new
revenue into transportation planning in Washington — they
also brought new accountability and efficiency processes
that have yielded a long list of projects that are on time
and on budget.
more>>>
Feb. 25, 2008
Haugen announces Senate Transportation Budget
OLYMPIA — This morning, the Senate released its proposed
supplemental transportation budget for 2008. “This budget preserves
the priorities established in earlier transportation packages, and
extends the accountability mechanisms established in those packages
to the Washington State Ferry system,” said Sen. Mary Margaret
Haugen, D-Camano Island, chair of the Senate Transportation
Committee. more>>>
Feb. 22, 2008
1:02 wrap with Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen on
her opposition to a proposed fee on engine displacement.
Mark Allen reports from Olympia.
Full script (in Word
Format)
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Feb. 22, 2008
Deadest of the dead bills – engine displacement
fees
OLYMPIA — “I’ve never had so many people asking me to kill
a bill that’s already dead,” said Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen,
D-Camano Island, in response to the flood of e-mails and phone
calls from people opposed to legislation that would require vehicle
owners to pay a fee base on the size of their cars’ engine.
more>>>
Feb. 20, 2008
Nine Lady Braves meet two
lady senators
OLYMPIA — The La Conner High School Girls'
Volleyball Team has gotten a lot of attention since winning
the State 2B Championship and today was no exception during
their trip to Olympia to receive recognition from the
Legislature.
more>>>
Feb. 19, 2008
Haugen bill combines
agricultural and environmental benefits
OLYMPIA — The Senate today passed a proposal to
give farmers some innovative ways to obtain multiple
financial benefits from their land. Senate Bill 6805 directs the
State Conservation
Commission to establish an agricultural conservation
market in Washington through which market forces could
provide incentives for farmers to use their land for
environmental benefits.
more>>>
Feb 16 2008
Whidbey News-Times op-ed
Caucus numbers not so great
Democracy is simple in theory. It has three basic rules: One
person, one vote; count every vote; and whoever gets the most votes
wins. Unfortunately, it’s been a little more complicated than that
in Washington ever since the Republican and Democratic parties sued
to eliminate our blanket primary system.
more>>>
Feb. 16, 2008
Senate approves truckload
of transportation measures
OLYMPIA — The Senate spent Saturday morning
passing a long list of transportation-related bills
including more vigorous oversight of Washington State
Ferries, maintaining publically-owned railroads, and
providing special license plates for parents of service
members killed in combat. Also passed were several technical
fixes to existing laws on issues as diverse as aerial
search-and-rescue liability, waterway pilotage,
environmental mitigation in highway construction and
allowing rural transit stops.
more>>>
Feb. 16, 2008
Senate give unanimous approval of Haugen WSF
accountability plan
OLYMPIA — A bill establishing greater accountability at
Washington State Ferries passed the Senate today on a rare 49-0
vote. Senate Bill 6932, sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret
Haugen, D-Camano Island, requires Washington State Ferries (WSF)
to adopt the recommendations of the 2007 Joint Transportation
Committee ferry study.
more>>>
Feb. 16, 2008
1:24 wrap with Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano
Island
on passage of her bill to expand legislative oversight
of Washington State Ferries. Mark Allen reports from
Olympia.
Full script (in Word
Format)
MP3 File
WAV File
Feb. 15, 2008
Oak Harbor marina bill
sails through Senate
OLYMPIA — The Senate today passed a bill sponsored
by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, to
allow the Whidbey Island town of Oak Harbor to move forward
with plans to improve its public marina.
more>>>
Feb. 15, 2008
Haugen bill for ag drainage flows out of
Senate
OLYMPIA — The Senate today passed a bill sponsored by
Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, that will help
ensure that agricultural drainage plans meet the needs of
both farmers and fish.
more>>>
Feb. 14, 2008
Keystone ferry bill signed into law
OLYMPIA — A bill sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen,
D-Camano Island, directing the Washington State Department of
Transportation (WSDOT) to construct new vessels for the
Keystone – Port Townsend route was signed into law today by
Governor Chris Gregoire.
more>>>
Feb. 12, 2008
Larger vessels considered
for Keystone – Port Townsend route
OLYMPIA — Determined to make sure that the
Keystone – Port Townsend route has ferries large enough to
meet the demanding challenges of crossing Admiralty Inlet,
one local lawmaker is telling Washington State Ferries (WSF)
to check out an alternative to the Steilacoom II design that
will be used as an immediate replacement for the retired
Steel Electrics.
more>>>
Feb. 12, 2008
“On the road again”
OLYMPIA — The Senate today passed a bill sponsored by
Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, to allow farm
implements that exceed current weight restrictions to travel on
Washington highways.
more>>>
Feb. 8, 2008
“We’re gonna need a bigger
boat…”
OLYMPIA — As crews give the Steilacoom II its
final test runs before resuming car-carrying service on the
Keystone – Port Townsend run, one local legislator decided
to see for herself what the ride would be like for her
constituents.
more>>>
Feb. 6, 2008
1:19 wrap with Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano
Island
on building new ferries for the Keystone-Port Townsend
run.
Mark Allen reports from Olympia.
Full script (in Word
Format)
MP3 File
WAV File
Feb. 6, 2008
Senate passes Keystone
ferry bill
OLYMPIA — This morning the Senate passed a bill to
provide for the construction of a replacement ferry for the
Keystone – Port Townsend run. Senate Bill 6794,
sponsored by Sen. Mary
Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, directs the Washington
State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to
construct new ferries for service on routes like Keystone
that require vessels with a car-carrying capacity of no more
than 100 vehicles.
more>>>
Feb. 5, 2008
1:41 wrap with Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano
Island
on her bill to add accountability to the state's ferry
system.
Mark Allen reports from Olympia.
Full script (in Word
Format)
MP3 File
WAV File
Feb. 5, 2008
Haugen sets new course for WSF
OLYMPIA — In addition to a new chief, Washington State
Ferries is getting a new set of sailing orders that directs them to
lay out a precise plan for vessel maintenance, preservation and
replacement. more>>>
Feb. 1, 2008
Haugen promotes property tax relief
OLYMPIA — Low income senior citizens, persons retired due
to physical disability, and service-disabled veterans will soon be
eligible for an increase in their property tax exemptions if one
Island County lawmaker gets her way.
more>>>
Feb. 1, 2008
Haugen tells WSF where to put their boats
OLYMPIA — Concern that an inadequate whale-watching boat
was about to be put back on the Keystone – Port Townsend run,
Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, has demanded that
Washington State Ferries find another option.
more>>>
Jan. 31, 2008
Haugen floats bill for Oak Harbor marina
OLYMPIA — Many people might be surprised to learn that a place
with such a strong nautical tradition as Whidbey Island doesn’t have all
that many places where visiting tourists can tie their boat up for the
day, or that a town with a name like Oak Harbor is struggling to improve
its public marina. more>>>
Jan. 31, 2008
Haugen bill keeps crops
watered and fish swimming
OLYMPIA — Any farmer can tell you that water is
the lifeblood of agriculture. Crops wither if they don’t get
enough water, but too much can drown them — and sometimes,
their struggle to find and maintain the right balance puts
them at odds with the goal of preserving fragile wildlife
habitat. more>>>
Jan. 31, 2008
1:49 wrap with Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen
of Camano Island on the Keystone-Port Townsend ferry
run. Mark Allen reports from Olympia.
Full script (in Word
Format)
MP3 File
WAV File
Jan. 30, 2008
Keystone ferry bill sails through Haugen
committee
OLYMPIA — A bill sponsored by, Sen. Mary Margaret
Haugen, D-Camano Island, directing the Washington State
Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to construct a new
vessel for the Keystone – Port Townsend route sailed through the
Senate Transportation Committee despite Republican opposition.
more>>>
Jan. 29, 2008
Haugen harvests new crop
of farm bills in Ag committee
OLYMPIA — Between commercial development and
environmental mitigation, many local farmers are facing
increasing pressures that are chipping away at the
economically viability of agriculture along the I-5
corridor.
more>>>
Jan. 22, 2008
Haugen seeks recognition
for Gold Star Mothers
OLYMPIA — Harkening back to a World War II
tradition of recognizing families who have lost a service
member in combat, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano
Island, is proposing special license plates for mothers
of United States armed forces members killed in combat.
more>>>
Jan. 22, 2008
Haugen dissolves RTID, proposes regional
transportation governance
OLYMPIA — Two separate bills are being introduced by the
chair of the Senate Transportation Committee to redefine how
transportation is governed at the regional level in Washington.
more>>>
Jan. 13, 2008
Everett Herald op-ed
Safety comes first for state transportation
system
Tragedy strikes far too often on Washington highways. According
to the Traffic Safety Commission, 302 people were killed in motor
vehicle accidents on Washington state highways in 2006 — the most
recent year for which data are available.
more>>>
Jan. 10, 2008
Haugen lists priorities for 2008
OLYMPIA — As lawmakers begin returning to their offices in
the state capitol for the 2008 Legislature, Sen. Mary Margaret
Haugen, D-Camano Island, appeared at a Legislative Preview
hosted by the Associated Press to cover transportation issues that
the Legislature will be focusing on this year.
more>>>
2007 archive
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