By Peggy Sturdivant

Contrary to one attendees’ misinformation the press had not been excluded from the 36th District’s Town Hall at Sons of Norway on Saturday, March 11, 2017. So when I learned mid-meeting that News Reporter Shane Harms had not been able to get there I tried to switch on my citizen journalist ears.

When 300 people are showing up consistently at town halls (the average number used to be 30-40) that constitutes news. Those citizens need to know they are being seen, and those not able to attend should know that others are showing up.

Meggie Meter is a Special Education teacher attending her first town hall. She cried as she asked the three Democratic legislators about potential loss of federal funding to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The legislators in attendance assured her it’s a priority to maintain funding support in Washington.

Most questions arrived to the representatives anonymously on notecards that were collected almost continuously from the audience of 380 (a staff member at the door counted). As it was on January 29th at Ballard High School, hundreds came out on a weekend to ask questions of the district’s three legislators, State Senator Reuven Carlyle, and Representatives Gael Tarleton and Noel Frame. Their aides sorted the questions by issues so that depending on their committee role in the Senate or House, the most appropriate representative could answer.

What we all heard over a range of issues is that no matter how much the Democrats (with a one seat majority in the House and minority in the Senate) want to fight for many worthy bills, it all comes down to money.

“We need to find new, progressive forms of funding revenues,” Noel Frame said. “Reform is needed on tax structures.” She is on the Finance Committee.

As far as businesses and the economy, Reuven Carlyle added, “We can’t compete with just tax breaks.”

Whether asked about health care, carbon emissions, Growth Management Act, education funding, Planned Parenthood, the legislators warned of the need to be fiscally conservative in Washington because the magnitude of anticipated federal cuts are as yet unknown.

“Funding McCleary is front and center,” Carlyle said, “But we must retain a reserve.” He said he’s seen 16 bills introduced since the start of this session that try to pre-empt the powers of local authorities, in effect trying to tell Seattle or King County what they can or cannot do re: homelessness, safe injection sites, or unions.

But there was also a message of hope. “Your citizen activism is what gives us a shot at passing some of these initiatives,” Carlyle said.

“Keep turning out,” Tarleton said. “When George W. Bush made it his goal in his second term to privatize Social Security it failed because the citizens fought. Tell your members of Congress, tell your friends all around the country to tell their members of Congress, ‘you better not take away our rights.’”

Noel Frame gave a specific example. “Normally 10-15 people sign up to speak for or against a certain bill. For the proposed Right-To-Work bill at least 100 people signed up, and it was defeated.”

Gael Tarleton counted the number of people in the room who didn’t even get a chair. “It’s over a hundred,” she said. “Over 100 people who are standing. This is where we stand up for what we believe in, our public lands, our water…so that we don’t lose ground while the ground beneath our feet is literally shaking. Tell Hilary Franz, she’s new Commissioner of Public Lands, ‘we have your back.’ Write me a note if you see damages occurring to our lands. Write me. Write Hilary. Write the Governor. This is an ecosystem and we can’t fund education if we’re not protecting the ecosystem.”

Carlyle suggested, “Find an organization that touches you and get more involved. Continue to come out for these events. It’s the only thing that will keep this democracy healthy.”

Noel Frame apologized for the fact they couldn’t answer more general questions on national politics, or afford onsite childcare, but was able assure the audience the press had not been excluded. In fact she asked on behalf of Ballard News-Tribune how many in the audience attended the January Town Hall. About 100 hands went up. Then she asked, “How many are attending their first Town Hall?” At least 200 hands went into the air; it looked like most of the room.

As the chairs got stacked and lines formed to speak to the representatives I made my way across the room to the young woman who’d asked so passionately about Special Ed, and was attending her first town hall. “I loved it,” Meggie Meter said. “I feel so supported being in this room. People have come up and offered connections; it’s like networking.”

By the library I ran into another attendee and asked her impression. “This was the most positive town hall I’ve attended,” Chris Ingersoll said, “and I’ve attended many. And I go to Olympia too.”

Tarleton had told the audience she understands not everyone can get away from work to go to Olympia, or even get away on a Saturday afternoon. But do call us. Send us a letter. Tell us your story about what affects you and your family. Our responsibility is to those who can’t be in the room with us. We are your voices.”

There are more voices in the room every time. Better tell the press.