The
League of Women Voters of
A Guide to Program:
1957-2005
1.
Governmental Structure and Operations..................................................................... 3
2.
Election Laws and Procedures................................................................................... 4
3.
Port Districts............................................................................................................. 4
4.
Citizen Participation................................................................................................... 4
1.
Transportation........................................................................................................... 5
2.
Conservation of Natural Resources............................................................................ 6
3.
Solid Waste Management.......................................................................................... 7
4.
Homelessness and Housing........................................................................................ 8
5.
Mental Health Care Services...................................................................................... 9
6.
Juvenile Services...................................................................................................... 11
7. Health
Care............................................................................................................. 12
8. Formation
of New Counties..................................................................................... 12
The
League of Women Voters of
A Guide to Program: 1957-2005
A. A Brief History of
the League of Women Voters of
History of the League began with the work of the National
American Women Suffrage Association, the group which led the 72-year drive for
women's voting rights. The League was established in 1920 to help the nearly 20
million newly enfranchised women carry out their new responsibilities. Although
women won the right to vote in
The League of Women Voters of Snohomish County was formed in
1968 through the consolidation of the Leagues that had formed in
Before becoming the League of Women Voters of Snohomish County, LWVSC went through several name changes. In 1957, the LWV of Mountlake Terrace began as a provisional League and subsequently became an official League in 1958. In 1959, it became the League of Women Voters of Snohomish County. In 1966, the League of Women Voters of Everett disbanded after having been a League since 1960 and joined the South County League. At the annual meeting in 1968, it then became the League of Women Voters of Snohomish County.
A Know Your County booklet was published in 1966 by the
Everett and South Snohomish County Leagues. That publication has been updated
periodically and thousands of copies distributed. It remains the sentinel
citizen's guide to
A League study of county government led to the conclusion that the space for jail facilities and county government operations was inadequate. A concurrent study on juvenile services found that those services were also inadequate. As a result, in 1964 the League supported a $4.5 million county bond issue proposition to finance an addition to the county courthouse and a youth detention center. The bond issue passed and those facilities were constructed.
Further study of county government led to the adoption of a
League position favoring home rule for
Other positions that were reached after study in the 1960s include support for enforcement of election laws and procedures, support for regional comprehensive planning, and park acquisition.
In recent years, studies have been performed and positions
adopted on a range of local issues, including the following:
·
Growth Management
·
Solid Waste Management
·
Health Care
·
Mental Health Care
·
Homelessness and Housing
·
Formation of New Counties
The League of Women Voters of Washington subsequently
adopted LWVSC's positions on health care and the formation of new counties.
B. GOVERNMENT
1. Governmental
Structure and Operations
During the 1950’s, the LWV of Everett adopted a study of
county government. A survey of county
services was completed in 1959.
The LWV of South Snohomish County adopted a study of
governmental units in
In 1962, the Everett League disbanded and many of the members
became active in the South Snohomish County League. The area-wide League of Women Voters of
Snohomish County was formed in 1968.
In 1964, the League endorsed a 4.5 million dollar County Bond
Issue to finance an addition to the county courthouse and the construction of a
new youth detention center. The Bond
Issue failed in the Primary Election, but passed in the General Election.
A “Know Your County” booklet was published in 1966 and has
been kept current by several revisions, including one that first went online in
2003.
The League supported Charter Government for
In 2005, the League archived the three governmental structure
and operations position statements because the positions were no longer
relevant to contemporary issues facing the county.
Statement of positions on
·
Support adequate new jail facilities in the form
of new construction that can be readily expanded.
·
Support expansion of space for county offices.
Governmental Operations (adopted 1966,
archived 2005)
·
Support regular communication between
·
Support a policy of regular communication
between Department heads to encourage interdepartmental cooperation.
·
Support the hiring of a professional financial
advisor.
Form of Government (adopted 1967,
archived 2005)
Advocate the reorganization of
county government by drafting of a county charter. The charter should include the following
provisions:
·
An elected policy-making council
·
A professional administrator appointed by and
responsible to the council
·
Department heads appointed by the Administrator
subject to qualifications established by the council
2. Election
Laws and Procedures
In 1960, a “Study of Election Procedures and Political
Organizations in
League members monitored local election procedures at the
polls and urged the updating of voter registration records. Annual workshops for the poll workers were
co-sponsored by the League and the
Statement
of position on Election Laws and Procedures:
Seek enforcement of
·
Registration
laws
·
Election
procedures
3. Port
Districts
In 1981, the LWV of Snohomish County adopted a position on
Ports that was developed by the Puget Sound Leagues of Women Voters (PSL no
longer exists.)
Statement
of Position on Port Districts:
Encourage Port Districts to
·
Emphasize environmental values
·
Coordinate planning
·
Be accountable to the public
4. Citizen
Participation
At the 2005 annual meeting, the LWV of Snohomish County adopted
by consensus a position on Citizen Participation proposed by a local position
review committee and based on the national league position with the same name.
Statement of Position on Citizen Participation:
Support citizen participation in
local government by advocating that county and local government branches
·
Provide adequate notice of proposed actions
·
Hold open meetings
·
Make public records readily accessible
C. NATURAL RESOURCES
1. Transportation
The transportation issue was first addressed by an alliance
of local Leagues called the Puget Sound Leagues. Local Leagues adopted the transportation
positions developed by that organization.
Prior to 1973, PSL with concurrence from the LWVSC and other
local Leagues lobbied for a Department of Transportation and money for public
transit.
Transportation was the subject of a LWVWA study in 1973-1974
and has remained an important program topic with a detailed position statement,
which has been developed and revised since the initial study. (See pp 10 & 11 of Program in Action
2001-2003, a LWVWA document.) The
position emphasizes the need for a balanced transportation system, which
promotes development in centers and reduces single occupancy vehicle use. The position supports financing which
supports transit. It also recommends a
single transportation agency with a director appointed by the Governor.
The LWVSC has had representation on the LWVWA committee and has participated in lobbying and projects, both statewide and local. The LWVSC focus has been on supporting transit. In 2001, a local program position addressing a possible merger of Community Transit and Everett Transit was adopted. In 2005, the transportation position statement was reorganized.
2001 Statement of Position on Transportation:
Support comprehensive regional planning for transportation
and conservation of natural resources.
Transportation planning to include:
II. Continue
public education and monitoring of many layers of transportation planning.
2005 Statement of Position on
Transportation:
Support comprehensive regional planning
for transportation that reflects conservation of natural resources.
·
Support a long-term service plan that
o increases
ridership
o ensures
smooth transfers between modes of transit
o provides
a quick response to service needs
·
Continue public education and monitoring of the
many layers of transportation planning.
·
Monitor the possible consolidation of Everett
Transit and Community Transit under an agreement that includes
o an
independent audit that focuses on the following:
a) any
cost saving to be achieved
b) equalization
of taxes
c) possible
increases in service to riders
o a
clear resolution of the following issues
a) employee
benefit inequities that may arise
b) labor
relations issues, including possible workforce reductions
2. Conservation
of Natural Resources
Land use planning by government first appeared in the Program
of League of Women Voters of Snohomish County with the adoption of a position
in 1966 as follows:
The League of Women Voters of
In 1967, members voted to continue the study and in 1968
arrived at the following position:
o
Support balanced park programs of acquisition
and development which take into consideration topography, population density
and projected growth, and which provide a wide variety of facilities for all
age groups.
o
Urge cooperation between park departments and
school districts to promote maximum use of public recreational facilities and
school properties.
o
Urge communication and cooperation among park
departments to effect overall planning and cooperation with industry,
especially regarding salt-water sites.
o
Encourage the construction of public swimming
pools.
Pursuant
to the adoption of a position, League supported a county bond issue to finance
acquisition of parklands, as well as an unsuccessful Edmonds Park Bond to
finance the construction of Yost Swimming Pool.
Growth
management in
In
2001, the Conservation of Natural Resources position was broadened to add “Local
action: Monitoring and evaluation of Endangered Species protection for listed
salmonid runs in
Statement of Position on Conservation of
Natural Resources:
Support regional planning that reflects conservation of
natural resources:
·
Park acquisition and development.
·
Citizen participation in planning, zoning, land
use and water management.
·
County and city compliance with Growth
Management Act.
3. Solid
Waste Management
The
handling of solid waste by counties received intensive scrutiny in 1986-87, the
most controversial proposal being incineration of solid waste as a major
solution to the problem. League members
served on a county advisory committee, which developed a set of recommended
priorities for disposal of solid waste.
The League developed the following position statement, which appeared in
the Voter in March of 1987.
1987
Position Statement on the Incineration of Solid Waste:
We recognize we have a solid waste problem. We have some major concerns about the
environmental risks, such as dioxins and heavy metals, of incineration,
particularly mass burn.
We
approve of the stated priorities of
The County shall exercise its authority to
achieve and enforce these goals. We know
the county has the authority to deny landfill facilities to recyclable
products, which would be a major incentive to cities to develop recycling
programs.
The
position statement has since been revised and shortened as follows because
Position
Statement on Solid Waste Management:
Support the solid waste management priorities of
1.
Waste reduction
2.
Recycling
3.
Landfill
D. SOCIAL POLICY
1.
Homelessness and Housing
The problem of homelessness became a study topic in 1989. Study committee members identified specific
areas of concern, including funding, temporary shelter and lack of low-income
housing and services for homeless children.
The following consensus was reached in 1990:
League of Women Voters of Snohomish County
supports:
·
Shelters to house the homeless while working to
find a solution to the problem.
·
Adequate funding from all levels of government
and private sources to include support services and education of children.
·
Land use planning to require a range of rents
and purchase prices – low to high.
·
Local and county bond levies for low-income
housing.
·
Non-profit agencies and housing authorities in
the development of low-income housing.
The
consensus was modified through several revisions to become the current
position. In 2005, during a review of all current LWVSC positions, statements
from the national position on housing were prepended to the position to clarify
LWVSC's approach.
Statement of Position on Homelessness
and Housing:
LWVSC believes that all levels of government and the private
sector share the responsibility to help alleviate the housing shortage in the
low-income sector. LWVSC also believes that identifying housing needs and
planning to meet those needs is best done at the local level. Increase
awareness of homelessness though education, advocacy and support for:
1.
Adequate funding.
2.
Services and education for homeless children.
3.
Opening government buildings (lobbies) in
inclement weather provided that safety, supervision and sanitary needs are
addressed.
4.
Enforcement of the requirements for a range of
housing prices through land-use planning.
5.
Bond levies for low-income housing.
6.
Involvement of private and non-profit agencies
with housing authorities to provide low-income housing.
7.
Removing emergency housing barriers for persons
who have special health or medication needs.