Dear Legislator,
Thank you for your service in the Washington State Legislature. I am grateful for all those who have stepped forward to serve as our state navigates the unprecedented crises exacerbated and created by COVID-19.
As you embark on the 2021 legislative session, we ask that you work to ensure a just recovery for our state by making investments that prioritize communities who have been most-impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically Black, Indigenous, and communities of color, immigrant communities, low-income families, and families with disabilities. Our state can recover together and bring immediate relief to families, communities, and our economy by taking swift action to:
- Balance our tax code: Turn our upside-down tax code right-side up and meet the deep need for community investments by creating new progressive taxes on corporations and the wealthy, as well as on luxury goods.
- Put child care at the heart of our state's recovery plan: Invest in affordable, accessible, and culturally-relevant child care for families as well as living wages and health care for child care providers.
- Provide cash assistance to local communities: Provide direct-cash assistance to families in need through existing cash assistance programs and through the Working Families Tax Credit.
- Strengthen the lifeline of paid family and medical leave: Washington’s paid leave program has been a lifeline for thousands this year. But for too many workers, lack of job protection, the potential loss of healthcare, a second highest-in-nation hours worked requirement, and a limited definition of family member make using the leave impossible.
The time to act is now. Our budget and policy solutions must be bold and equitable to drive recovery for all. We can recover together as a state by investing in each other. Thank you again for your leadership and for all that you do!