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JobMakers.com Releases Legislator Scores for 2006 |
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Written On: April 2006 |
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Written By: by Alexis Nepomuceno |
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It's a sad state of affairs when job providers in Washington must celebrate "not getting burned too badly" by state lawmakers in a legislative session. Unfortunately, such is the case for employers struggling to make a profit in one of the nations highest-regulated, highest-taxed and pro-union states. In 2006, lawmakers passed six job-maker bills and six job-killer bills, according to JobMakers.com.
Forty-five submitted bills were analyzed, and 34 of those qualified as job killers. A job-maker bill encourages employers to keep and create jobs, while a job-killer bill could force employers to cut jobs or focus growth outside of the state. Individual legislator scores are based on sponsorships and voting records on the bills — gaining points for sponsorship and votes in favor of job makers, and losing points if tied to job killers.
Top Job Makers (House):
Rep. Gary Alexander, R-20
Rep. Jim Dunn, R-17
Rep. Gigi Talcott, R-28
Top Job Killers (House):
Rep. Eileen Cody, D-34
Rep. Bob Hasegawa, D-11
Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson, D-36
Rep. Shay Schual-Berke, D-33
The Senate performed better than the House with a cumulative index score of +645; the House scored a cumulative -225.
Top Job Makers (Senate):
Sen. Brad Benson, R-6
Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-15
Sen. Mike Hewitt, R-16
Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-9
Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-35
Top Job Killers (Senate):
Sen. Pat Thibadeau, D-43
Sen. Karen Fraser, D-22
Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-36
Sen. Darlene Fairley; D-32
Politicians claim they don't pay attention to JobMakers.com. Their constituents, however, do. JobMakers.com averages 225,000 page views per month and has accumulated more than 1.7 million views since August of 2005 — more than 600,000 page views just during the 2006 legislative session.
Moreover, the results of legislators' JobMakers.com scores are distributed to media statewide, publicized in Washington Business Magazine, and on AWB's weekly radio show. Distribution will only continue to ramp up, as results will likely be used against legislators with anti-job votes.
For more information on bills reviewed this session and scores for state legislators and Gov. Christine Gregoire, go to www.JobMakers.com.
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