CAPR's blog

Many factors complicate fixing the Hirst Decision, ideology chief among the complicating factors!

House Democrat Leadership has produced an alternative Hirst Fix Bill, HB 2239, http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2017-18/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2239.pdf   This bill could only be considered a compromise by those not able and willing to do so.  

Representative Jim Walsh of Aberdeen provides an insightful editorial in The Daily News. He wants the legislature to seize the opportunity to make sense of Hirst by passing SSB 5239! Thank you Representative Walsh for your clear look at the facts and your article!

http://tdn.com/news/opinion/seize-the-opportunity/article_a1e65609-549e-5b8b-b377-fcd06a904c0b.html

Clear and honest article in Washington Wire by Senator Sheldon. Basically what he is asking is will urban based democrats, heedless of the destruction wrought by their ideology throw rural democrats under the bus and themselves as well as the urban democrat fidelity to the environmental cartel finally costs too much for their urban constituents? The takings and cost of Hirst has been a step too far; it is time for democrats to save themselves, the property rights of rural citizens, and the pocketbooks of city citizens with a yes vote on a clean (no amendments) SSB 5239. 

http://washingtonstatewire.com/hirst-tipping-point-states-…/

CAPR has noticed certain practices in King County Governance that ignore the devaluation of a property caused by a nuisance.  Neighboring properties may have operations which cause enough of a nuisance to devalue the use and enjoyment of your property.  If you are living in such a situation, CAPR recommends and appeal to King County independent board of appeals for your property tax assessment.  The form is linked here: http://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/independent/board-of-appeals/documents/2017/RealPropertyPetition.ashx?la=en 

SSB 5239 passed the Senate and now must also pass the House of Representatives and the Governor's desk to become law.  

Dear CAPR members, friends,supporters!

Washington Water War The 8th Day of the Special Session will begin on Monday May 1. This will leave 22 days of the special session to fight for water rights for every citizen in the state. Senator Jim Honeyford (Jim.Honeyford@leg.wa.gov) rightly stated no budget will pass until after a Hirst fix bill has passed! The prior session ended with no bill passing but the legislature is still looking at SSB 5239 to provide a solution for the thousands of families who have had their water rights taken. Senator Honeyford's open and strong support of families damaged by the Hirst Decision is appreciated! The damaging amendments from Democrats Stanford and Springer must not again prevent the passage of a bill to fix the Hirst Decision.

Pocket Gopher have had special status over humans beginning in 2014, when environmental groups pushed the federal government to list them as endangered species.  They have been thriving as they always have, but rural life is endangered by the presence of gophers.  Thurston County commissioners are trying to inject a little sanity to the unfounded listing of this species of gophers.

By Glen Morgan and Cindy Alia

On October 6, 2016,  Futurewise, with the assistance of six Washington State Supreme Court Justices, managed to win the lawsuit lottery.  The Supreme Court ruled in Hirst v. W. Washington Growth Management Hearings Board (decision linked here) on a 6-3 vote in favor of Futurewise and against the people.  This ruling invented new land use rules approved by no legislature or elected official.  This litigious and aggressive environmental NGO funded by wealthy Seattle donors was able to end the historic private well exemption.  

Under a dark canopy of fir trees lie a blanket of moss and decomposing needles. Scattered across this dark forest floor are hundreds of pocket gopher skulls and bones in a timeless scene only nature can create.