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Vote Yes on Prop 1 to Keep Seattle’s Elections in the Hands of the People, Alice Woldt In the Advocate August 2025: Vote Yes on Prop 1 to Keep Seattle’s Elections in the Hands of the People Alice Woldt For more than a quarter-century, PSARA has fought to protect the security and dignity of older Americans and the generations that follow. That mission is deeply tied to the health of our democracy. If billionaires and corporate interests drown out our voices, we all pay the price – whether it’s in lost retirement security, unaffordable healthcare, or neglect of our most vulnerable neighbors. That’s why I’m urging PSARA members to vote Yes on Proposition 1 this August to renew funding for Seattle’s groundbreaking Democracy Voucher Program. Since voters first approved it nearly a decade ago, this program has transformed how our city elections work by putting real power back in the hands of everyday people. Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program gives every resident four $25 vouchers to contribute to local candidates of their choice. It’s a simple idea that has had extraordinary results. Instead of local campaigns relying on a handful of wealthy donors and corporate PACs, they’re fueled by small contributions from people like us – retirees, renters, working families. And the proof is overwhelming: Since the program began, small donor participation has increased fivefold, with more than 105,000 Seattle residents using Democracy Vouchers. The vast majority were first-time donors, many from lower-income house- holds and communities of color who previously had little voice in our local politics. The candidate pool is more diverse than ever. There’s been an 86% jump in the number of candidates per race, opening the door for more women, younger candidates, and people of color to run competitive campaigns. And it’s made our elections more fair. Contributions under $100 have surged by 156%, while large contributions over $250 have dropped by 93%. Big out-of-city money has plummeted by up to 84%, making local campaigns truly local again. This is precisely the kind of change many of us dreamed of when we first took up the fight to reduce the influence of big money in politics. And it’s working. A study even found that Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program boosted voter turnout by nearly 5 percentage points – an enormous shift in local elections that typically struggle to bring people to the polls. Right now, we have a chance to protect all of this progress. Prop 1 would renew the small property tax levy that funds the Democracy Voucher Program for another 10 years. For the average Seattle homeowner, it’s a modest investment – about $13 a year – to keep our democracy strong, fair, and accountable. Without renewal, the program’s dedicated funding will disappear. Seattle would either have to drastically cut back or eliminate the program, or raid the city’s general fund – already under strain from other vital needs. Worse, letting it lapse would send a terrible message: that we’re willing to let billionaires and special interests reclaim their grip on our elections, right when so much is at stake. Our country is at a crossroads. Across the nation, we’re seeing voting rights rolled back, dark money unleashed, and attempts to silence the voices of working people. Here in Seattle, we can show there’s another way. We can stand up for a democracy that works for retirees on fixed incomes, young families starting out, and everyone in between – not just the wealthy few. So here’s what you can do: Mark your calendar and return your ballot by August 5th. Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors – especially younger voters – about why voting Yes on Prop 1 matters for the future of our city and our democracy. And if you have questions or want more resources, visit www.YesOn Prop1Seattle.org. As a long-time advocate for democracy reforms, I’ve seen countless efforts come and go. Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program is different. It’s a proven success, built by voters, supported by voters, and now ready to be protected by voters once again. Let’s make sure we keep our elections of, by, and for the people. Vote Yes on Prop 1 this August. Alice Woldt is the former Executive Director of Fix Democracy First and Washington Public Campaigns and a member of PSARA. PSARA has endorsed a Yes vote on Prop 1. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

In the Advocate July 2025: Tim Wheeler Tim Wheeler No Kings Day” Draws 2,600 in Sequim; 2,600 in Port Angeles! Tim Wheeler Holding a tally counter and click- ing away as fast as his finger could press the button, Jim Stoffer, one of the “NO KINGs DAY” organizers here, walked from one end to the other of the anti- Trump mass rally on Washington Ave. on the west sideof Sequim, Saturday, June 14. Even though the crowds were thick, I ran into him several times. “What’s the latest count, Jim?” “I just counted everyone from the traffic circle out there to the intersec- tion of Washington and Priest Road. Six hundred sixty-three.” He disappeared in the crowd walking east on the south side of Washington clicking away. Half an hour later I ran into him again, this time across the street. “Two thousand four hundred sixty-four,” he told me. “I’ve stopped counting, rounding it off at 2500 and more coming!” A marshall told us a drone outfitted with a camera would soon arrive to photo the crowd from the air to ensure an accurate count. Sure enough, a drone appeared hovering about 30 feet overhead. So the final estimate is 2,600 and an equal number at the County Court- house in Port Angeles. Well over 5000 folks in Clallam County and probably that many in Port Townsend as well. Probably the largest ever protest dem- onstrations in both Sequim and Port Angeles. CNN reported that “millions” joined vigils in more than 2,000 towns and cities across the U.S. We were waving thousands of signs like, “OVERTHROW- ING KINGS SINCE 1776,” and “DRAIN THE SWAMP.” The traffic was bumper-to-bumper with hundreds of motorists greeting us with honking horns, waves, and thumbs-up salutes. It was a deafening din. In the afternoon I spent there may- be one or two motorists scowled, gave us thumbs down or flicked a finger at us. I would estimate that well over 95% of motorists were with us and against the dictator. Many expressed out- rage against ICE (Im- migration & Customs Enforcement). “ICE IS AMERICA’S GESTAPO” read one sign. “MELT ICE,” read another handwritten by Clare Mannis Hatler, one of the eldest in the crowd at age 94. "WHO WILL PICK THE LETTUCE?" read a sign reminding us that immigrant workers are a vital part of our nation's workforce, putting food on the tables for our entire nation. "IMMIGRATION MAKES AMERICA GREAT," said a message on a scrap of cardboard. Others blasted Trump’s $45 mil- lion military parade in Washington D.C. celebrating his own birthday: “If There’s Money for a Parade, There’s Money for Medicaid,” said a sign car- ried by a woman. She linked Trump’s self-glorification with his drive to slash Medicaid by $715 billion, cuts so vicious it will strip 13.7 million people of health care and drive many rural and public hospitals---like OMC---into bankruptcy. He and his departed crony, Elon Musk, are inflicting over a TRILLION dollars in cuts to human needs programs to pay for $4.5 TRILLION in tax cuts mostly for themselves and their fellow billionaires over the coming decade. There were Army, Navy, and Coast Guard veterans in the crowd who face vicious cuts to the Veterans Administration by Trump and his MAGA minions in Congress. One sign proclaimed, “Hitler Threw Himself a Birthday Party Too.” One Special Forces vet was wearing his Green Beret. He told me he was there, in uniform, to defend the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and full funding for the VA and for veterans benefits. There was Steve Koehler who strolled along the sidewalk picking his banjo and singing the late Bob Marley song: “Get Up! Stand Up! Stand up For Your Rights!” And at the corner a very tall union electrician, IBEW retiree, Sam Woods, holding a sign he made, “NO WAY IN THE USA!” Sam told me I have been assigned to paint the signs on the side of his pickup for the Clallam County Democrats in time for the Old Time 4th of July Parade in Forks and later that same day in Port Angeles. His pickup will also lead us when we march in the Joyce Daze parade and the Makah Days celebration in Neah Bay. “Bring me the plywood and I will paint them,” I said. “But get them to me soon. July 4th will be here in no time. We need a message against Trump tyranny, against all the cuts in human need to feed billionaire greed! And also to get out the vote to defeat them!” There were also signs reminding us that "King Donald" does not have any of the pomp that conveys the majesty of a monarch. He scowls, smirks, sneers, rants and raves like the convicted crook he is, at best a mobster, a Godfather. "PUT THE CONVICTED FELON IN JAIL” said one sign. Instead, the MAGAs put him in the White House for a second time! Isn't this proof we are of an empire in sharp decline? Ninety million people eligible to vote did not cast a ballot when Trump stole his way into the Executive Mansion. That is our challenge. To awaken all those who are sleeping through the Trump dictatorship. Convince them to register and vote. I was holding one of three signs I made: “THIS YANK SAYS NO BILLION- AIRE KING!” read one. “REMEMBER VAL- LEY FORGE, BULL RUN, BATTLE OF THE BULGE…NO FASCIST TYRANNY!” And the third: “A REPUBLIC, IF WE CAN KEEP IT!” (A quote from Benjamin Franklin, a very wise founding father who understood we can take nothing for granted, that fascists are constantly scheming against democracy). As I mingled with all these “winter soldiers” fighting back against “sunshine patriots,” I was thinking of my friend, Macy, who put herself in harms way, flying to Cairo to join 10,000 people. Yesterday, she sent me a very short video of a night rally with 15,000 or 20,000 people gathered somewhere in Egypt in solidarity with the Palestinian people. By now, Macy must be across the Suez Canal, trekking in 120 degree heat across the Sinai in the “Freedom March to Gaza.” They seek to end the genocide that has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians. Meanwhile, Netanyahu launched a drone blitz against Iran and Iran retaliated. We must all work to prevent escalation into a regional or even a world war. Warmonger Trump may drag us into all-out war in the Middle East. We must stop him! BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

PSARA Oral Histories Project: Gary Owens Return to Oral Histories Main Page Gary Owens Interview PSARA Advocate Archives September 2019 Page 5 Members Matter: PSARA’s Oral History Project An Interview with Garry Owens By Karen Richter and Angie Bartels PSARA’s Oral History project is underway. Our second interviewee was Garry Owens, PSARA member and longtime activist. His interview lasted about an hour and a half and is excerpted here. Where were you born? I was born in Seattle on October 31, 1944. My mother’s family was from Ellensburg, and they moved to Seattle during the Depression. Irony about her family -- her grandmother, her mother, as well as she all had their first kid at age 16. They were all young moms, which created closeness between them. My Dad’s family was from Louisiana, and they moved here when he was 19 for work. I never really knew him. The man I knew as my father was Sylvester Owens, who adopted me when I was one, so I have his name. I was an only child until I was 12. So the public library became my best friend. I could access information and books, sometimes 10 to 15 at a time. Words do matter, and it helped me be a critical reader. Where did you live and go to school? I was born in the International District and lived there until we had to move to Stadium Homes in Southeast Seattle, then to Rainier Vista, and I went to school there. My Mom taught me to read before I started school so I would have a head start. We moved to Beacon Hill when I was 12 and I got a new brother. Two years later, a sister. I finished high school and got drafted as soon as I graduated. This was the Vietnam era, and I didn’t want to go. I went to the Coast Guard Center and was inducted into service and was told I was being taken to Fort Ord, so when all the new privates turned left to be shipped out, I went right and went home. I ran into my Mom and told her everything went OK. Then a knock on the door and the military police came looking for Private Garry Wade Owens. I was handcuffed and sent to Fort Lawton. My sense of rebellion was alive and kicking. I got into a fight with a bunkmate who dumped cigarette ashes in my coffee. Monday morning I hitchhiked back to my godmother’s house in Seattle who turned me in. I was sent to Fort Lewis for a week then to Fort Ord. I was given a choice -- spend two years in service and be done with it or spend two years in military prison then do two more in active service. I did the two years in military service. I was sent to Fort Bragg and became a radio operator. During this time my Mom died. She was 37. After a month of bereavement leave, there was not enough time [in my required service] to deploy me to Nam so I always say my Mom saved my life. How did you become an activist? I went to school at Franklin High with Larry Gossett. He asked me to go to the University of Washington. I wasn’t sure. But one day while I was at the Coffee Corral, an English professor read some of my journal. Turned out he was an assistant dean at UW. He gave me his card and asked me to see him. I did, and he sent me to the enrollment office with some paperwork. The person there asked me if I wanted to be a fully matriculated student. I did, and then I was. While I was at UW I helped form the Black Student Union and helped start the Black Panthers with Larry. Crucial issues for us were health, children and poverty, and food. So many kids were going to school hungry. What could we do about it? We started a free breakfast program for kids, and we opened up several community clinics. We were the first Black Panther Party outside California. It wasn’t just about defiance with the police but about people’s needs, empty stomachs, health needs, and shaming larger institutions that caused these conditions. What contributions did the Black Panthers give us? Our clinics and free breakfast programs were some. We were not afraid to resist! That word is big even now. We had compassion for our community, and we still need to work on that, and we still need to talk more about human rights. We are not eachothers' enemies, not combatants. The system pits us against each other and makes money from it. We should be using our resources to make sure no one is left behind. How did you meet your wife, Cindy Domingo? I met Cindy at CAMP, the Central Area Motivation Program, headed by Larry Gossett. We both worked there. Cindy worked in the Minor Home Repair Program, and I was the Treasurer. We dated about four years, then we got married and had two kids. The rest is history. I’ve known her for 31 years. What keeps you involved and active at this point in your life? I believe we are all put here for a special reason. I know what I do well and what I don’t. I don’t want accolades. My grandmother had an apartment building filled with tenants, some who were alone. On holidays she would leave our table and go feed them. She wanted them to know that they were family too, not just tenants. She had a big heart and was kind to others. She knew who needed help. If she could do that I, could too. To be charitable you don’t have to ask permission. You just do it. How did you get involved with PSARA? That’s easy. I went to school with Robby Stern at UW. He was out there pushing it with the Students for a Democratic Society when I was with the Black Panthers. When he was President of PSARA he kept asking me to join the Board. For four years he kept asking me, and I couldn’t commit during those times. I retired after 25 years with the City of Seattle. I was on my way to a funeral when he asked me again, and I finally said yes. Glad I did. PSARA people have passion and a lot of good energy flow. It makes me feel good to go to meetings because it reminds me that age doesn’t matter. It’s not about how old we are, it’s that we care about ourselves. We don’t want to be dissed because we are older. If we don’t stand up, we get placed in a category – that we are obsolete and don’t matter. Age does matter. We are seniors, and we are here and know our contributions to society. Thank you, Garry. You inspire us, and we are very glad you belong to PSARA and serve on our Executive Board. Karen Richter is PSARA's Membership Co-VP. Angie Bartels and Garry Owens are PSARA members.

Become a PSARA member today or renew your membership. Membership, Renewals & Donations Join us in our work to make retirement real for all generations and in our fight for social justice, economic security, dignity and a healthy planet for all of us. Basic Membership $20/year Supporting membership – $50/year Sponsoring membership – $100/year To become a PSARA Member, Renew your Membership or Make a Donation chose one of the following options. By Credit Card: Click on this link to take you to an Act Blue page where you can choose the amount. Gift Membership: If you are giving a gift membership online, please write in the “note” box field during checkout the following items for the person receiving the gift: First and Last Name, Email and phone number, Address (if possible). Click here if you are interested in making a tax deductible contributionto the PSARA’s 501C Education Fund.

PSARA Oral Histories Project: Tony Lee Return to Oral Histories Main Page Tony Lee Interview PSARA Advocate January 2023 Page 4 Holding the 8th, Flipping the 3rd By Angie Bartels In autumn of 2020, the days were growing short while our democracy was hanging by a thread, as was the life of my latehusband Tony Lee. Tony was in the final throes of ALS. The White House was occupied by Donald Trump and his cronies.While many activists across the nation were on the move, local activists Peter Costantini and Tom Berry created Team TonyLee. Peter: I hadn't been that involved in electoral stuff for a long time. I volunteer with immigrant rights groups and have donesome canvassing with them. But in 2016, when Trump was the candidate, it gave me a kick in the butt. I thought, we've suddenlygot a movement that is white nationalist, fascist in many ways, and international. I started to get scared and got to thinking, we really need to do electoral work, as it’s the most immediate way to slow it down and reverse it. Tom: We had all spent time with Tony over the years, including during those last few years when he was not able to be politicallyactive. When the 2020 election rolled around and we felt we needed to get organized, our thoughts certainly went to Tony. Wehad many political discussions with him, so we had a sense of which side Tony would be on and which candidates he was mostenthusiastic about. It seemed logical when we organized ourselves to memorialize Tony in that way. They invited numerous friends to sign up, myself included. We worked with various grassroots organizing groups and pennedthousands of letters and texts. We called voters in English and Spanish in states across the nation. We met on Zoom andtalked about our experiences and compared notes. It was the height of the COVID lockdown, and everything was done remotely. Early in the morning, five days after election day 2020, a friend called and told me the final presidential election results. I rushedover to Tony and said, “Wake up, Tony! It’s confirmed! Biden won!” No longer able to speak, he blinked acknowledgement. Five days later, Tony passed away. As we approached the election of 2022, the preservation of democracy was still at stake. InWashington State, Kim Schrier was threatened in the 8th CD, and a new candidate, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, had a decentshot to flip the 3rd CD. Once again, Peter and Tom reignited Team Tony Lee. Tom became our point person for the 8th and Peterfor the 3rd. They contacted staff from the campaigns and found volunteer activities for Team Tony Lee. They kept the Teaminformed through articles, position papers, and policies of the candidates. They organized carpools for canvassing. Peter: I realized that once Marie and Kim won their primaries, there were two races in Washington that could have an effect onthe balance in the House. And their districts both have large rural areas. I haven't had much experience with rural Washington,but that motivated me, because I think it's good for us city people to get more of a sense of what's going on there. Tom: It was eye opening in terms of getting to know different parts of the 8th CD. I guess I have an image of the 8th CD asconservative and suburban. We canvassed in parts of Issaquah that were much more working class and even low-income. We alsowent to parts of King County where there was a fair amount of ethnic and racial diversity. It was interesting to see the scope of the 8th CD and what Schrier was dealing with in terms of fashioning her particular kind of politics. I don’t believe anyone canvassedeast of the mountains, so we have little insight on that. Peter: In the 3rd CD, Marie's campaign focused heavily on rural America. One of her TV ads has her walking down a gravel roadcarrying a chainsaw. She’s talking about how she lives in rural Skamania County, how she and her husband built their home. Shethen starts the chainsaw and cuts down a tree. Marie sets herself apart from “Seattle Democrats,” and apparently there’s aweakness in the Democratic Party across the country -- people who can speak to rural concerns. Tom: I agree, it’s a national issue. But I think it’s important, the fact that Kim and Marie were behind in the rural counties butwon big enough in King (for Kim) and Clark and Pacific (for Marie) to carry them to victory. So all of these votes count. But it is important to reduce that dynamic of the cities and the ruralareas being in conflict with each other. It’s positive that both of them were trying to focus on that. Peter: I think that was one of the things that really drew me to the Marie Perez campaign – a desire to get out and meet the folks in Longview and Kelso, Centralia, and Chehalis. That's where I spent most of my time canvassing. Angie: Yes, me too. I wanted to see where people live, how they live, what their concerns are, and how open they are to speaking with you. I loved canvassing in Kelso, because in many ways it felt like the town where I was raised – poverty, dilapidated houses, and multi-generational homes where people lived together, not by choice but by necessity. There were Joe Kent signs everywhere, but the majority of people I spoke with were kind and appreciated the information. A few people told me to “take my flyers and get the hell out of here,” which I did willingly. But most people were friendly. Peter: Yes, the poverty. I really didn't realize how much of an industrial and union town Longview, especially, is. Someone told me that the ILWU in Longview had gone Republican. At least some of the officers’ support and leadership supported Trump, which was surprising and depressing. But there are other labor unions, and it was encouraging to see them turn out for Marie. Angie: Before one canvass in Longview, Marie spoke and gave an orientation on where she was taking the campaign. She said right up front, we are not Seattle; what we need in our area are good, decent-paying jobs and training for people to get back into the trades where they can make a living wage. She also supports the Second Amendment. But she made reproductive rights a part of the forefront of her campaign, as well as the jobs and living wage issues. Peter: Yeah, when I talked to people, I tended to emphasize jobs in the trades, and the fact that they hire apprentices and are supportive of community colleges. I thought that was good policy. For the tiny sample of people I talked to, I think it was well received. I mean, it's playing very much against the national Republican stereotype of rich, elite Democrats on the coasts. The three of us and other team members agreed that canvassing made us feel good. Even if you don't know how that person will vote after you walk away from their door, at least you've made contact and have made a connection. Doorbelling is an intrusion, but it’s heartening when someone answers the door and has a reasonable conversation with you. Peter: Towards the end, there was an editorial from the Colombian, a Vancouver newspaper, in support of Marie. We gave that to people who wanted more information. I think it helped because it’s different from campaign literature and more valuable. The article made comparisons between the two candidates, which was exactly the information we wanted to give. Kim Schrier’s victory over Matt Larkin was a huge relief. Marie’s upset over Kent was amazing, one of the few in the country that defied predictions and flipped the seat from red to blue. Marie was declared the victor on Saturday, November 12, the second anniversary of Tony’s death. I had spent the day quietly at home, and in the late afternoon, I received a text informing me that Marie had won. Reverently, like the good Catholic girl that I used to be, with folded hands and teary eyes raised to the sky, I said, “Tony my love, this one’s for you.” Angie Bartels is PSARA's membership VP. This article is one in a series of interviews she's conducting with PSARAmembers.

2026 PSARA Leg. Prioritis talking points / PSARA Posit: Strengthen Paid Family & Medical Leave financing 0 / PSARA Posit: Data Centers (Potential Legislation) Governor Ferguson created a Data Center Workgroup to discuss and highlight key issues for the state in regulating data centers and protecting the climate. What are data centers? Data centers house IT infrastructure. They store, process, and distribute huge amounts of data used by applications, websites, and cloud services. Data centers require an enormous amount of electricity and water to power and cool the processors. Dangers of Data Centers include: Continued Burning of Fossil Fuels Wasting Resources and Undermining Hanford Clean-up by installing modular nuclear reactors along the Columbia to power the data centers Threats to Clean Water and Salmon Recovery by pollutants used to keep data centers cool Rising electricity costs The following questions should be asked of any potential legislation related to data centers: How will the state ensure that it will reach the goals of the Climate Commitment Act? How will it ensure that our greenhouse gas emissions continue to decline as fast or faster than today? What justifies a tax incentive or any other subsidy for data centers? 0 / PSARA Posit: Premium taxable wage base and rate caps Paid Family & Medical Leave has strengthened family health and economic security in Washington since 2020. Now in the wake of federal cuts and attacks it is especially critical. We need to act in 2026 to protect our state’s most popular program and ensure its long-term success. Since PFML benefits began in 2020, hundreds of thousands of Washington workers and familie have been able to take parental leave, time to heal from surgeries or recover from cancer, or time to be with loved ones during a health crises – without falling into a family financial crisis. However, the current funding formula does not follow actuarial best practices, and restrictions on premium revenues will not allow the program’s trust fund to keep up with projected program growth. Changing to an actuarial rate setting method (SB 5292, Conway), lifting the cap on the taxable wage base, and modestly raising the maximum premium rate will provide sound financing so that PFML continues supporting healthier families in Washington far into the future. SB 5292 (Conway) passed the Senate last year with bipartisan support and will return in 2026. We expect bills on premium taxable wage base and rate caps to be introduced shortly. 0 / PSARA Posit: Millionaire Tax HB 1214 SB 5768 / PSARA Posit: Pro Expanding eligibility for the working families' tax credit to everyone age 18 and older. In 2025, the bill passed Senate Ways & Means, but did not pass out of Rules. The Working Families Tax Credit, passed in 2021, helps mitigate the regressivity of Washington’s tax code by providing modest credits to low- and moderate-income state residents. Currently the credit is restricted to 25–64-year-olds. Extending it to all income qualifying residents over 18 will give a financial boost to younger and older Washingtonians struggling with affordability. The Working Families Tax Credit program is administered by the Department of Revenue. Income eligibility is based on eligibility for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) which is established by the federal government. Combat Washington’s regressive tax code Provide financial stability to young adults (18-24) and seniors (65+) Reduce poverty HB 1303 SB 5380 / PSARA Posit: Increasing environmental justice by improving government decisions. Sponsors: Senators Lovelett, Trudeau, Hasegawa, Nobles, Saldana, Stanford, Valdez; Representatives Mena, Berry, Reeves, Redd, Ormsby, Salahuddin, Ramel, Pollet, Nance, Doglio and Scott. Formerly known as the Cumulative Risk Burden (CURB) Pollution Act. SB 5380/HB 1303 focus on integrating environmental justice into the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). No matter who you are or where you live, we all deserve to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and be safe from toxic pollution. But across Washington State, communities of color and Indigenous peoples carry the greatest burden when it comes to environmental pollution, affecting their health, well-being, and life expectancy. Why do our frontline communities face these challenges? It’s because of decades of racist practices that placed polluting facilities in our neighborhoods. It’s because of big businesses who were given permits to pollute by our state government. Communities that have historically borne the worst effects of pollution due to redlining and institutional racism shouldn’t have to bear the ongoing harm being inflicted on their health, well-being, and even life expectancy today. Yet under current laws, reviews of project proposals that may have an environmental impact are not required to consider the ongoing legacy of environmental racism and the very real health concerns that our state’s most impacted communities face. HB 1661 SB 5541 / PSARA Posit: Pro Concerning the Washington future fund pilot project. HB 1773 SB 5626 / PSARA Posit: Pro Creating a wage replacement program for certain Washington workers excluded from unemployment insurance. HB 2090 SB 5821 / PSARA Posit: Pro Integrating advanced nuclear energy into the state energy strategy. After review of Senate Bill 5821 we have the following concerns: This legislation is not an analysis of the current state of nuclear power. The legislation as written has no guard rails or limits to the expansion of nuclear power. Advances in nuclear technology that it vaguely references in its justification for adding nuclear power to WA State’s Energy Strategy have not been commercially deployed or fully tested. Most news articles have it deployed no sooner than 2030 – 2035. Based on our reading, if the legislation passes as is it currently written there is no limit to the number of small or large nuclear power plants that could be built in WA State Of particular concern is the management of nuclear waste. Nuclear waste is a liability that has to be handled safely and securely for thousands of years. Any legislation should require development of a life cycle plan and costing for managing nuclear waste. We are not opposed to an independent study that helps us understand better current technologies broadly in energy development. This legislation is not that. It is an attempt by the nuclear industry and other interests to introduce nuclear energy into WA States Energy Strategy. This is premature and deserves further study. HB 2100 SB 6093 / PSARA Posit: Pro Enacting an excise tax on large operating companies on the amount of payroll expenses above the minimum wage threshold of the additional medicare tax to fund services to benefit Washingtonians and establishing the Well Washington fund account. Sponsors: Scott, Mena, Thomas, Reed Parshley, Hill, Ryu, Doglio, Simmons, Peterson, Berry, Pollet. New progressive sources of revenue are essential to safeguard and strengthen programs that keep people across Washington housed, fed, and healthy. The affordability crisis has hit Washington’s working families and seniors hard. Federal cuts, tariffs, and the chaos and fear sown by the current federal administration are further harming our economy and communities. Meanwhile, billionaire investors are enjoying further gains in wealth. More than ever, we need our state government to step up. We can protect state services and our children’s future by finally asking the very wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes. Rep. Shaun Scott and Sen. Rebecca Saldaña are introducing companion bills to create a Well Washington Fund financed by a new tax on our state’s largest employers, amounting to 5% of their payroll on employees making more than $125,000 annually. These additional revenues will help finance health care, housing, higher ed, and nutrition programs that are all now threatened by federal cuts. In November, voters across our state were clear: they support a vision of our state that stands up to Trump, protects our most vulnerable, and invests in shared community prosperity. In 2026, state legislators need to be bold in finally asking Washington’s wealthiest residents to pay their fair share to continue making Washington a great place to live and do business. The Well Washington tax is similar to Seattle’s successful Jump Start Tax. Employers already paying that tax will be able to take a credit off their state tax. Last session, the state legislature passed a 2-year budget that included both tax increases (in capital gains, estate, and business taxes) and major cuts to health care, early learning, education, and other state services. In 2026, they will pass a supplemental budget. We have already seen major cuts in federal funding and will likely face even more cuts in the coming year. We need our state to step up to protect health care affordability, funding for foodbanks and housing, and access to childcare, preschool, and higher ed. Washington’s tax system is highly regressive, with low- and moderate- income Washingtonians paying at far higher rates than the wealthy. Small businesses also pay higher rates than large profitable corporations. Continued growth in economic inequality helps feed the state budget crisis. HB 2103 SB 6004 / PSARA Posit: con Authorizing certain public entities to contract for the capability of renewable or nonemitting electric generation projects. Sponsors: Stearns , Parshley , Zahn , Barnard , Ryu , Leavitt , Simmons , Reed , Fitzgibbon , Bernbaum Sec.8.2 requires Agencies to be liable for construction costs even if the energy production facility is not successfully completed: "...means that the contract may provide that the city, district, or operating agency must make the payments required by the contract whether or not the project is completed, operable, or operating and notwithstanding the suspension, interruption, interference, reduction, or curtailment of the output of the project or the power and energy contracted for." "Such contract may also provide that payments under the contract are not subject to reduction, whether by offset or otherwise, and may not be conditioned upon the performance or nonperformance of the operating agency, public or private project owner, or publicly or privately owned public utility, or a city, district, or operating agency under the contract or other instrument." "Washington spent much of the 1970s trying to become a center for nuclear power, with plans for five huge fission reactors at Richland and Satsop. Then came cost overruns, construction problems, and one of the biggest municipal bond defaults in Wall Street history in 1983." Source: Washington Standard January 2, 2026 HB 2105 SB 5852 / PSARA Posit: Pro Concerning immigrant worker protections. HB 2173 SB 5855 / PSARA Posit: Pro Concerning the use of face coverings by law enforcement officers. 2332 / PSARA Posit: Driver Privacy Protection HB 2409 SB 6045 / PSARA Posit: Placing agricultural employees under the jurisdiction of the public employment relations commission for the purpose of collective bargaining. SB 5380 HB 1303 / PSARA Posit: Pro Increasing environmental justice by improving government decisions. SB 5395 HB 1566 / PSARA Posit: Pro Making improvements to transparency and accountability in the prior authorization determination process. Sponsors: Senators Orwall, Muzzall, Hasegawa, Lovelett, Nobles, Slatter House: Reps. Rule, Marshall, Shavers, Pollet, Kloba This legislation is part of an ongoing effort to reduce the negative impact of insurance carrier prior authorization processes on patients' access to care and on the practice of medicine for physicians and health care practitioners. The bill would require the following: Physician-led decisions: Health plans must have medical necessity determinations made by a licensed physician or health care practitioner working within their scope of practice. No AI as sole basis for denial: Artificial intelligence or other tools cannot be the only factor in denying a prior authorization request. Any denial must be made by a human professional. Transparency in decisions: Health plans must identify the person who made the prior authorization determination and provide their credentials in notifications. Reporting and accountability: Health plans must now report more detailed information on prior authorization requests, approvals, and denials, including the percentage of denials that involved AI tools. Prior Authorization is a barrier to healthcare Prior Authorization causes delays and denials of medically necessary healthcare Prior Authorization can lead to treatment abandonment Prior Authorization overburdens physicians and healthcare providers in mounds of paperwork. Prior Authorization decisions by AI and Machine Learning magnify and exacerbate the perils of PA as stated above. SB 5439 / PSARA Posit: Pro Concerning divestment of funds under management by the state investment board from thermal coal. Sponsors: Senators Frame, Lovelett, Hasegawa, Nobles, Ramos, Saldana, Stanford The Washington State Investment Board manages pension funds for 912,000 public employees who work or have worked for the state and in municipalities, public schools, law enforcement and firefighting. The WSIB is required by law to act in the best interest of public employees and retirees. WA Coal Act directs Washington State Investment Board to: Phase out publicly traded investments in coal Halt new investments in coal Report annually on the phase out of coal investments Complete divestment from coal funds by TBA Comply with its fiduciary duty to protect pension retirement funds Coal is damaging to the environment, climate and public health. Coal pollutes air, soil, and water. Human health impacts include cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, kidney disease, mental health problems, adverse birth outcomes, impaired child development, and others. Coal is notorious for harming vulnerable populations disproportionately. The WA Coal Act is necessary to enable the WSIB to avoid future coal investments. The legislature must clarify that investing in coal is not aligned with Washington values and climate goals and is not in the best interest of Washingtonians. The WA Coal Act moves the WSIB to get out of the dirty coal business by phasing out their coal investments while protecting pensioners. SB 5541 HB 1661 / PSARA Posit: Pro Concerning the Washington future fund pilot project. Sponsors: By Request State Treasurer; Senators: Trudeau, Harris, Valdez, Lovick, Salomon, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Kauffman, Wilson (C), Saldana, Ricceli, Frame, Nobles, Slatter House: Stonier, Waters, Goodman, Reeves, Fosse, Bronoske, Paul, Salahuddin, Leavitt, Doglio, Obras, Street, Reed, Cortes, Ramel, Thomas, Parshley, Simmons, Timmons, Shavers The Washington Future Fund Coalition and members of the Washington Future Fund advisory committee have worked for years to establish a “baby bonds” program called the Washington Future Fund that would create wealth-building opportunities for Washingtonians living in generational poverty. A baby’s future economic security is largely determined by the amount of wealth they are born into - nearly HALF of babies in Washington are born into poverty. Children in rural areas of our state and those who are Black, Latinx, or Indigenous are more likely to be born into families with little or no wealth, hindering future economic opportunities and financial stability. Establishes a small-scale pilot of the WA Futures Fund granting $25,000 to individuals who would have received the benefit to use on a wealth building activity including going to school, creating a business or purchasing a home. Would provide important data to evaluate how “baby bonds” would increase economic opportunity, reduce wealth disparity, and promote broader economic opportunity, well-being and stability. SB 5626 HB 1773 / PSARA Posit: Pro Creating a wage replacement program for certain Washington workers excluded from unemployment insurance. Sponsors : Senators Saldaña, Lovelett, Valdez, Cortes, Alvarado, Orwall, Kauffman, Slatter, Dhingra, Frame, Hasegawa, Nobles, Stanford and Wilson, C. House:Cortes, Mena, Taylor, Farivar, Berry, Walen, Ormsby, Thai, Stonier, Ryu, Ramel, Macri, Berg, Grege rson, Zahn, Simmons, Scott, Parshley, Salahuddin, Fosse, Duerr, Doglio, Pollet, Reed, Ortiz-Self In Washington state, all workers deserve a safety net if they lose their jobs. Access to public benefits like unemployment insurance (UI) keeps workers and families safe when they face a crisis like job loss through no fault of their own. However, thousands of people in Washington are unfairly excluded from vital public benefits and left without a safety net. Despite the millions in tax contributions that undocumented immigrants pay the state, they are unable to access UI and other vital public benefits when they face hard times. Immigrants are invaluable to Washington’s vibrant communities, robust workforce and healthy economy. Not only are they essential to our workforce, but they are also major tax contributors who help uphold our public programs. It is time that our systems reflect the true value of our immigrant workers. Establishes a Wage Replacement Program to provide benefits to claimants, who are ineligible for unemployment benefits and who meet certain qualifications. Requires the Employment Security Department to select a third-party administrator for the Wage Replacement Program. Creates a Wage Replacement Account to be funded by a wage replacement surcharge on employers and reduces an unemployment administrative rate contribution. Creates an advisory committee to review issues related to wage replacement. It is the just and fair thing to do. All workers and their families deserve a safety net when times are hard. Our immigrant workers and families are under additional stress and pressure. SB 5768 HB 1214 / PSARA Posit: Pro Expanding eligibility for the working families' tax credit to everyone age 18 and older. SB 5821 HB 2090 / PSARA Posit: Con Integrating advanced nuclear energy into the state energy strategy. After review of Senate Bill 5821 we have the following concerns: This legislation is not an analysis of the current state of nuclear power. The legislation as written has no guard rails or limits to the expansion of nuclear power. Advances in nuclear technology that it vaguely references in its justification for adding nuclear power to WA State’s Energy Strategy have not been commercially deployed or fully tested. Most news articles have it deployed no sooner than 2030 – 2035. Based on our reading, if the legislation passes as is it currently written there is no limit to the number of small or large nuclear power plants that could be built in WA State Of particular concern is the management of nuclear waste. Nuclear waste is a liability that has to be handled safely and securely for thousands of years. Any legislation should require development of a life cycle plan and costing for managing nuclear waste. We are not opposed to an independent study that helps us understand better current technologies broadly in energy development. This legislation is not that. It is an attempt by the nuclear industry and other interests to introduce nuclear energy into WA States Energy Strategy. This is premature and deserves further study. SB 5852 HB 2105 / PSARA Posit: Pro Concerning immigrant worker protections. Sponsors : Senate: Saldaña, Shewmake, Conway, Wellman, Stanford, Hasegawa, Kauffman, Wilson, C., Hunt, Valdez, Slatter, Cortes, Lovick, Lovelett, Alvarado, Chapman, Pedersen, Orwall, Nobles, Clevel and, Robinson, Trudeau. House: Mena, Farivar, Cortes, Berry, Ramel, Fosse, Parshley, Ryu, Stearns, Doglio, Simmons, Peterson Ortiz-Self. The Immigrant Worker Protection Act will provide Washington workers with greater security and guard against abusive ICE practices on the job. Senator Saldaña and Rep. Ortiz-Self are introducing the bill in cooperation with Attorney General Nick Brown. Similar laws have been passed in California, Oregon, and Illinois. The bill will: Require employers to notify employees when the federal administration requests an audit of employment eligibility information: Allow employers to share employees’ personal information with the federal government only when there is a judicial warrant or subpoena; and Remind employers that they do not need to provide federal officials access to non-public areas of the workplace without a warrant. SB 5855 HB 2173 / PSARA Posit: Pro Concerning the use of face coverings by law enforcement officers. Sponsors: Senate:Valdez, Chapman, Lovick, Trudeau, Wellman, Slatter, Bateman, Frame, Cortes, Saldaña, Robinson, Stanford, Kauffman, Cleveland, Nobles, Lovelett, Orwall, Hasegawa, Pedersen, Riccel li, Shewmake, Alvarado, Wilson, C., Hunt House:Cortes, Reed, Salahuddin, Parshley, Tharinger, Hall, Fosse, Ryu, Callan, Mena, Kloba, Ra mel, Simmons, Scott, Stearns, Peterson, Berry, Pollet The bill would ensure proper identification of law enforcement by requiring officers to wear or display official insignia, uniforms, or badges clearly visible to the public, preventing the use of unmarked cars or anonymous-looking individuals acting as law enforcement. Enhances transparency and accountability: Clearly identifiable officers prevent tactics that resemble "secret police" by making sure the public can see who is conducting law enforcement actions. Discourages the use of intimidation: Officers wearing masks and extreme face coverings create fear, intimidate and terrorize the public. Protects against violations of law: Would prevent federal and local officers from operating in a way that may violate their own agency's rules requiring them to identify themselves when practical and safe. 6002 / PSARA Posit: Driver Privacy Protection SB 6004 HB 2103 / PSARA Posit: Con Authorizing certain public entities to contract for the capability of renewable or nonemitting electric generation projects. Sponsors: Boehnke , Shewmake Sec.8.2 requires Agencies to be liable for construction costs even if the energy production facility is not successfully completed: "...means that the contract may provide that the city, district, or operating agency must make the payments required by the contract whether or not the project is completed, operable, or operating and notwithstanding the suspension, interruption, interference, reduction, or curtailment of the output of the project or the power and energy contracted for." "Such contract may also provide that payments under the contract are not subject to reduction, whether by offset or otherwise, and may not be conditioned upon the performance or nonperformance of the operating agency, public or private project owner, or publicly or privately owned public utility, or a city, district, or operating agency under the contract or other instrument." "Washington spent much of the 1970s trying to become a center for nuclear power, with plans for five huge fission reactors at Richland and Satsop. Then came cost overruns, construction problems, and one of the biggest municipal bond defaults in Wall Street history in 1983." Source: Washington Standard January 2, 2026 6045 / PSARA Posit: Collective Bargaining Farmworkers SB 6093 HB 2100 / PSARA Posit: Pro Enacting an excise tax on large operating companies on the amount of payroll expenses above the minimum wage threshold of the additional medicare tax to fund services to benefit Washingtonians and establishing the Well Washington fund account. SB 6173 / PSARA Posit: Pro Creating an apple health employer assessment. Sponsors: Alvarado , Robinson , Dhingra , Bateman , Frame , Stanford , Pedersen , Lovelett , Trudeau , Hasegawa , Chapman , Cleveland , Conway , Nobles , Orwall , Riccelli , Saldaña , Valdez , Wilson, C. SMJ 8002 / PSARA Posit: Pro Concerning Medicare. Urge Congress to Level the Playing Field between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Status : Senate Rules (In 2025 it passed the Senate on a party line vote and died in House Rules.) Sponsors: Hasegawa, Chapman, Stanford, Trudeau, Valdez Medicare is a core part of our health care system, especially for seniors, but is in danger. Investors and private insurance companies are taking advantage of lax rules in the Medicare Advantage part of the program to increase profits and drive-up costs – too often by limiting or denying access to needed care. Improving benefits in Original Medicare, the public part of the program, and cracking down on fraud and abuse in private Medicare Advantage programs will save billions in taxpayer money and strengthen our whole healthcare system. 1.5 million Washington residents are Medicare beneficiaries. When first enrolling, people must choose between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Original Medicare has many advantages: beneficiaries can choose almost any doctor or hospital, and rarely experience delays or denials due to prior authorization requirements. However, Original Medicare has a 20% co-pay with no cap, so many purchase supplemental insurance which averages over $200 per month. Medicare Advantage (MA) is private, usually for-profit insurance that has significantly lower monthly premiums than Original Medicare plus supplemental insurance, making it seem more attractive. But its plans have limited provider networks, often require prior authorization, and can end up bein very costly for people needing extensive care. Many seniors opt for MA plans, especially those with limited incomes, disproportionately people of color. However, when they face a complex problem like cancer or a stroke, many discover the doctor or hospital they want is out of network, and insurance gatekeepers frequently delay or deny prescribed care, potentially causing serious harm. Medicare Advantage insurers take significantly more money per beneficiary from the Medicare Trust Fund than Original Medicare, because they do their own risk assessment on each beneficiary and bill the Medicare Trust Fund upfront. Government and academic studies estimate that overpaymentsthrough upcoding, fraud and other abuses cost Medicare between $85 billion to $140 billion annually. SJM 8002 requests Congress to simply create equity and fairness between the two options by: Recouping the billions that the Medicare Advantage corporations have overcharged the Medicare Trust Fund and changing the practice that leads to upcoding, delays, and denials of care. Leveling the playing field for all Medicare beneficiaries by 1) capping out-of-pocket costs and eliminating the 20% co-pays in Medicare Part B that force Original Medicarebeneficiaries to buy expensive supplemental insurance and 2) providing all Medicare beneficiaries vision, hearing and dental coverage.

In the Advocate May 2025: Pam Crone Final Legislative Budget Overview Pam Crone The 2025 Washington legislative session ended on April 27. The information below reflects the final legislative budget. The Governor has until May 20 to sign the budget and exercise his veto authority. The budget does not be- come final until he acts. This overview was prepared before the Governor has taken action. As a reminder, the Governor has line-item veto power, meaning he can eliminate funding but cannot add new spending or shift dollars around. Over the final weeks of the session, the Legislature returned to the drawing board multiple times to draft a budget that included new revenue to navigate a $16 billion deficit projected over the next four years. Why did the Legislature have to return multiple times to the drawing board? The Governor repeatedly and consistently expressed opposition to a wealth tax, as well as concerns about relying too heavily on new revenue to balance the budget. As a result, the final budget includes more, and deeper, cuts. Another major concern is the potential impact of looming federal Medicaid reductions. Although these cuts are largely unpopular – effectively reducing healthcare access for many Americans while further lining the pockets of the wealthy – the Repub- lican-controlled House continues to move closer to a budget proposal that includes them. If these cuts are en- acted, the Governor is expected to call a special legislative session to address the resulting healthcare crisis. Current Budget Snapshot: Final operating budget: $77.8 billion Four-year outlook: $7 billion in total reductions New revenue (2025–2027): $4.3 billion New revenue (2027–2029): $4.4 billion Rainy Day Fund: $2 billion remaining Cash reserves: $225 million Investments in K–12 Education: $750 million for special education services $213 million for materials, supplies, and operating costs $200 million in local effort assistance for low-income school districts Investments in State Workers: Approximately $1 billion to fund and approve collective bargaining agreements for state employees Housing Investments: $605 million to the Housing Trust Fund $117 million in grants to local governments to offset lost document recording fee revenues Maintaining Core Services: $93 million for emergency food assistance organizations $27.9 million for senior nutrition programs $20 million to expand resources for crime victims Pam Crone is a retired lobbyist and Chair of PSARA's Government Relations Committee (GRC). BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

For more than a quarter century, Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA) has been active in fighting for older Americans, their children and their families. Working together for justice, equal rights and dignity for all of us in our retirement years. For more than a quarter century, Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA) has been active in fighting for older Americans, their children and their families. We engage in a variety of activities and educational work, including the production and distribution of our monthly newsletter, The Retiree Advocate . Our efforts are based on the belief that seniors, our children and grandchildren need and deserve: A lifelong, adequate, dependable income; Comprehensive, affordable health care, including prescription drug coverage; Taxes and utility bills we can handle Access to affordable housing, transportation, and social services; Support for our family care-giving responsibilities, and Quality time to relax and enjoy life with family and friends. This is your cordial invitation to join. If you wish to become a PSARA member, or renew your PSARA membership, you can write in via the U.S. mail, or join on-line with a credit card. For detailed information, please go to the “Membership and Renewal ." PSARA Board Members PSARA Officers Membership & Renewal Donate Contact Us Partner Organizations Social Security Works Strengthen Social Security The Stand - Washington State Labor Council Washington Fair Trade Coalition Just for Fun

Lobby Day Training Page The Labor Council is 7 Blocks from the Labor Council at 906 Columbia Street SW Parking is tight around the State Capitol, options include: On street parking throughout Olympia, WA State Capital building Parking @ 1139 Washington St SE Olympia, WA. 4-5 blocks from the Labor Council. The South Diagonal and North Diagonal on the Capitol Campus has on street parking that fills up early in the morning.

PSARA Letter to the Washington State Congressional Delegation RE: The US National Climate Assessment Report Hold Hearings to shine a light on the Trump Administration's attempt to block the report. In the Advocate August 2025: PSARA Letter to the Washington State Congressional Delegation July 12, 2025 TO: Washington US Representatives and Washington Senators in the US Congress RE: The US National Climate Assessment Report The National Climate Assessment (NCA) is the US government’s preeminent report on climate change in the United States. It was set into law by the US Congress in 1990 and there have been five reports since then, released every four years. Although the National Climate Assessment is required by Congress, in April, the Trump administration announced it was canceling funding for the US Global Change Research Program, which coordinates the report. All the authors working on the upcoming Sixth National Climate Assessment, set for release in 2028, were also dismissed. The US Global Change Research Program's website was taken offline, along with all five editions of the National Climate Assessment and a wide range of information detailing how human- amplified climate change is impacting the United States. The most recent assessment, NCA5, was released in 2023. The report lays out the basic science of climate change, examines how climate change will affect 17 national-level topics, and includes 10 regional chapters covering the entire United States. The national reports are not only peer reviewed by other scientists, but examined for accuracy by the National Academy of Sciences, federal agencies, the staff and the public. The NCA gives close attention to current and future risks, how those risks can be reduced, and implications for society under different future scenarios. The most recent report, issued in 2023, included an interactive atlas that zoomed down to the county level. This lets Americans explore the impacts of climate change in their own back yards. Counties, cities, and states find it useful in planning future needs and in devel- oping budgets. Local officials say the report has helped them decide about upcoming needs - whether to raise roads, build seawalls and even move hospital generators from basements to roofs. Climate change is affecting people’s security, health and livelihoods in every corner of the country in different ways, with minority and Native American communities often disproportionately at risk. All of these reports have been taken offline by the Trump administration as of July 1. This is part of the cutback and cancellation of any work on climate change. The effect of this foolish ac- tion was brutally clear when over 100 people were swept away in the flash flood on Guadalupe River in Central Texas on July 4. Climate change will continue to make storms stronger and fires larger and faster moving. Thousands more will die from these catastrophic events. We need more resources focused on prevention and mitigation and we need them now! What specific actions are you taking to protect people and infra- structure from extreme weather events caused by climate change? We want to see public meetings and congressional hearings on this subject. It impacts the entire country. The hearings should include scientists and experts who provided the analysis for past NCA reports and those who used this critical data for planning and public health and safety at the state level. We are calling on you, our Washington State Representatives and Senators to the US Congress, to restore the National Climate Assessment as directed by congress in 1990. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

Save Traditional Medicare stop WISeR The Trump Administration has been busy devising a new threat to your Traditional Medicare benefits. On January1, 2026 they are introducing a new control on Traditional Medicare in a six state demonstration program, which includes Washington State. This program, called WISeR, is an attempt to control your medicare benefits by requiring prior authorization before you and your doctor can make certain medical decisions. The administration is outsourcing these decisions to private companies whose compensation will be based on how much cost savings they can generate by limiting or eliminating patient procedures. PSARA opposes this demonstration and we are in good company. On this page you can access Senator Patty Murray’s video outlining her opposition, WA State Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer’s critique and concerns with the program, as well as the American Medical Associations letter in opposition to the program. This is an ongoing effort by the Trump administration to end traditional medicare in an attempt to further outsource Medicare to private equity companies. This despite the ongoing issues of private equities investments in the medical industry and Medicare advantage in particular. Our brief slide presentation below will provide you with more background on WISeR and what you can do to prevent it. (Double click on the slide presentation to expand to full screen) Click here to hear Senator Patty Murray’s concerns on President Trump’s WISeR Program for Traditional Medicare beneficiaries On November 7, Rep DelBene introduced HR 5940, the “Seniors Deserve Smarter Care Act” that would prohibit implementation of WISeR. Read WA State Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer’s critique and concerns with the WISeR Program Read the American Medical Association ’ s letter in opposition to WISeR On December 6th PSARA Board Members Robby Stern and Anne Watanabe (hosted by Dan Grey and Evegreen State College) discuss the attacks on Medicare and Medicaid. Click here to hear the interview 1/15

Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are Under Attack Social Security* Closing of SSA offices across the country. Announced plans to cut 7,000 employees. Reduction in phone customer support services. Increases in wait times for services. requiring in-person interviews for many recipients Data security has become a major concern at SSA, Medicare* The Trump administration is introducing a new control on Traditional Medicare in a six state demonstration program, which includes Washington State. This program, called WISeR, is an attempt to control your medicare benefits by requiring prior authorization before you and your doctor can make certain medical decisions. Threats to Social Security staffing may spill over to Medicare impacting customer service. Privatization of Medicare (Medicare Advantage) is expected to expand. In 2025. Medicare is expected to pay $84 billion more for Medicare Advantage, or about 20 percent higher, than if Medicare Advantage enrollees were enrolled in Traditional Medicare. Medicaid* Discussions are underway to significantly reduce or eliminate Medicaid. As part of its overall service to the low Income Community Medicaid assists Medicare patients in the following ways: Click here to see what the impacts to Medicaid will be for the State of Washington. One in five Medicare enrollees relies on Medicaid to help pay Medicare premiums and cost sharing. Nearly 30% of Medicaid funding goes to people with Medicare. Medicaid is the primary payer for 63% of nursing facility residents. Without Medicaid, over 12 million Medicare enrollees would experience gaps in care that jeopardize their health and well-being. * Click here to review our source documents What you can do: Alert your friends and family to challenges faced by Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. On December 6th PSARA Board Members Robby Stern and Anne Watanabe (hosted by Dan Grey and Evegreen State College ) discuss the attacks on Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Please listen to the interview and share with your friends: Click here to hear the interview Read Ann Widger’s Letter to Federal Employees and add your Experience in dealing with Social Security Sign the Social Security Works Letter: Tell Congress: Stop Musk and Trump from Destroying Social Security! Or separately write your U.S. Representative and your U.S. Senators. Even if you know that they support Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid make sure that they know how much you care about these entitlements and benefits and the importance of maintaining them for future generations. Participate in the Friday Rallies at the Seattle Federal Building Join PSARA Rallies to defend attacks on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Click here for our Calendar page Click here for our resources page which further documents the attacks on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid