Our community vitality is what our citizens make it.

Attending the Enumclaw Chamber’s annual dinner I was part of a great community effort. And, at the ribbon-cutting of the new Bonney Lake Justice Center, I saw the culmination of a long effort and the beginning of a new city center arising from a dream.

We each play a part. Mine is to vote on your behalf and to work in the best interest of our families and economy. I will always do my best inside and outside of Olympia.

Last November, our district voted 72 percent “yes” on I-1053 to limit the taxing ability of Olympia politicians. Instead of raising taxes we wanted accountability in government. As a sponsor of the two-thirds majority requirement to raise taxes, I can tell you that we made a difference.

Despite the fact there will be no tax increases, the Democrat majorities enacted a long list of new and increased “fees.”

If you live in King County you will have a new $25 per car increase in car fees.

If you have kids or grandkids in a public university you will be paying $5,000 more a year in tuition with more increases on the way. The Legislature voted to divest themselves of making these decisions to, instead, allow that college administrators raise it. There is no ceiling on the increase for the first two years.

There will be a new nursing home bed tax (oops, “fee”) on the elderly and infirmed, etc.

The House Republicans got it right. They established guidelines that I support:

• Protection of Constitutional Rights

• No use of one-time money for ongoing programs

• No transfers from other budgets (i.e. robbing pension or wildlife funds)

• Strong reserve funds for emergencies

• Sustainability

• Transparency (no gimmicks)

• Establish priorities and seek reforms

• No new taxes

Sadly, Senate Republicans have been split on their approach. In December it was announced that leadership wanted to be “centrist” this year (KING 5, “Up Front,” Dec. 26, 2010). Republicans would deliver votes for fee increases and poor policy changes. The press and the Democrats hail this as bipartisan.

Without the support of some Republican senators we would not be looking at so many “fee” increases. With the constraints of I-1053 Democrats would have had to give us less government in order to balance the budget. I voted with the Senate Republicans who protected taxpayers.

I have been working to make the Department of Social and Health Services and Child Protective Services accountable ever since they tried to steal little Alexis Stuth from her Enumclaw grandparents (documented on KING 5 TV).

DSHS will take kids they shouldn’t on one hand and other kids are allowed to stay in abusive situations. More than a child a month dies under the auspices of CPS. (You pay the lawsuit settlement.) Yet this behemoth bureaucracy was kept “off limits” to accountability and reform. Beside the unconscionable performance, taxpayers foot their unnecessary bills and lawsuit payouts.

This session I successfully stopped the attack on the initiative and referendum process. Democrats in the Senate wanted to make it more difficult for citizens to create law, a right granted by our the state Constitution.

I have been leading in the effort to save Rainier School from closure. The entire Pierce County legislative delegation and county council, our local mayors and Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy have been working on this coordinated effort. Thank you, everyone.

As the International Policy Committee chair of the National Foundation for Women Legislators I was elected leader of a delegation going to Taiwan this month. No taxpayer money is being spent on this trip. I will promote Washington products and international relations.

There is much more that could be said. Please contact me directly through my Auburn office on 253-333-4918. I will soon be updating my pamroachreport.blogspot.com which is a nonpolitical (mostly) report. You will read about values, my family, CPS, and my humanitarian efforts in Honduras. And, you will get a report on farmer Jim’s garden. (I like the harvest best!)

We have a strong community. Tough economic times have come to your family and mine too. But, if we all “act well our part” we will make it through this economy driven depression. We need to continue to reach out, serve in the community and put our families first.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Sen. Pam Roach, author of the above article, serves the 31st Legislative District.