The good news out of Olympia today is that the State House Committee that writes the budget included funding for our Department of Corrections contract in their proposal.  The budget will still need to be voted on by the full committee and then the full House of Representatives, but it's a positive step forward in the process.

What this shows is that all of your work - your visits with legislators, your phone calls, your emails, and all the outreach with the community is making a difference.  

Just as one example, a group of members from Clallam Bay Corrections Center have already gotten 25 small businesses to fill out a form showing their support for our contract. 

That's why we are winning in Olympia.

But the real fight is and has always been in the State Senate, where they have not yet put out a budget proposal.  Here's what you can do now to ensure funding for our contract is included once they finally do:

Call the Legislative Hotline in Olympia at 1-800-562-6000 and leave a message for your State Senator, encouraging him or her to support funding for our contract. Tell them what a difference a raise would make in the lives of your family.  Please also be sure and thank your House representatives for doing the right thing.

It is not a foregone conclusion the Senate will do the right thing, so we have to keep up the good work you all have been doing.