Be aware of auto thefts during holidays

Returning to Olympia this week for meetings

December 10, 2024

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers December 10, 2024. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here.

Dear friends and neighbors,

Unfortunately, Washington has ranked high nationally in several categories of crime in recent years. One crime is auto theft. 

A story posted last week by KONA Radio in the Tri-Cities hit that point home. According to the KONA story:  

Per 100,000 people, Washington residents are third most likely (behind only Colorado and New Mexico) to have their car stolen.  The state averaged 41.48 average monthly car thefts for that five-year range.  That’s almost 42 thefts per month every month for five years.  What may really blow your mind is that our numbers increased year after year. 

According to their data, 2023 saw the most average monthly thefts with 57.3.  2022 had the second most thefts in that five year span, with 2021 coming in third. 

This chart shows Washington ranking third nationally for auto thefts per capita. 

The Legislature’s passage earlier this year of the initiative restoring vehicle pursuits by law-enforcement officers (I-2113 went into effect in early June) should help result in a decrease in auto thefts. 

The KONA story noted that auto thefts occur more often at this time of year due to holiday travel. Keep that in mind if you are driving somewhere during the coming weeks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has tips on how to avoid auto thefts. 

Thank you, as always, for the honor of representing you in Olympia!

Best Regards,

Senator Mike Padden

Panel discussion at WPC young professionals’ event 

Last Wednesday I participated in a panel discussion during the Washington Policy Center’s Young Professionals Holiday Program, held at the Steam Plant Restaurant & Pub. About 80 people attended the event. Other panelists were 4th District State Representative Suzanne Schmidt and Spokane City Councilor Jonathan Bingle. The panel discussion was moderated by WPC Eastern Washington Director Chris Corry. The three of us were asked questions related to the Legislature and local government, as well as what specific steps we would recommend for young professionals who want to get involved in policy-making and local government. Afterward, there was a question-and-answer period. It is encouraging to observe the interest and engagement of so many young professionals. Kudos to Jill Olson of the Policy Center for her work in organizing the event.      

WA falls to lowest ranking in 20 years in Economic Climate Study 

This chart shows how Washington’s overall ranking has slipped in the Economic Climate Study.

Last month, the state Economic & Revenue Forecast Council published its annual Economic Climate Study. The report is a composition of 49 indicators across four categories (innovation drivers, business performance, economic growth and competitiveness, and quality of life). 

The latest report shows our state is slipping. After ranking in the top three for most of the past decade, Washington has fallen to 11th nationally the past two years. While that is still better than most other states, it should be cause for concern that The Evergreen State has dropped in these rankings. 

Here are three areas in which Washington ranks near the bottom nationally: 

  • Home affordability index: Our state ranks 47th, down from 39th a decade ago. 
  • Share of income spent on rent: We now rank 44th, down from 29th a decade ago. 
  • Property crime: Washington ranks 50th or 60% higher than the national average. Our state’s property crime rate is nearly four times the property crime of neighboring Idaho (3,356 annually per 100,000 population vs. 927).     

Touring Spokane Valley cross-country course

Earlier last week, Senator Padden joined several others on a tour of the future Spokane Valley cross-country course. He successfully included funding in the state capital budget for the new cross-country course, which will be hosting future NCAA & NWACC cross-country races. From left: Spokane County Treasurer Michael Baumgartner, who recently was elected to become the new U.S. representative for Washington’s 5th Congressional District; Senator Padden; Mike Basinger, economic development director for the city of Spokane Valley; and Ashley Blake, chief executive officer for Spokane Sports. 

Interbranch Advisory Committee meeting in November 

Here is a screenshot of TVW’s coverage of last month’s Interbranch Advisory Committee meeting in Olympia. 

On November 22, I attended the Interbranch Advisory Committee meeting in Olympia. You can watch the video of the meeting here. During this meeting, the committee had a good discussion about issues surrounding the public-defender system in our state. 

The committee’s purpose is to foster cooperation, communication, coordination, collaboration, and planning regarding issues of mutual concern among the three branches of state government. The committee suggests ways to provide access to justice and to court services in a just and equitable manner. 

I have been on the committee since its inception in 2022. Other attendees last month included state Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Gonzalez, incoming state Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Stephens, who hails from 4th Legislative District; and fellow state Senator Jamie Pedersen, who is from Seattle’s 43rd District and has served with me on the Senate Law and Justice Committee for several years. Jack Bridgewater, the executive director of the task force, does an excellent job in organizing these meetings. 

KSPS interview to air December 21 

A couple of days before Thanksgiving, I went to the KSPS-TV studios to conduct a taped interview with Spokane County Commissioner Josh Kerns for the Spokane County Spotlight show. I have known Josh for many years, so it was very nice to be interviewed by him about my legislative career. For those wishing to watch it, the interview will air on KSPS on Saturday, December 21, at 6:30 p.m.

2024 Padden op-eds on law and justice issues

Here is part of Sen. Padden’s guest editorial as it appeared on the Spokesman-Review’s website.

During this year, I submitted guest editorials (also known as op-eds) on public-safety issues and on a consumer issue to four newspapers in our state, and all were published. The first op-ed, run by The Seattle Times in late May, focused on traffic-safety problems in Washington. The second piece, published by the Spokesman-Review in early September, brought to light the lack of public defenders and prosecutors in our state’s judicial system. The third guest editorial, featured by The (Tacoma) News Tribune in November, focused on traffic fatalities and included suggestions to reduce them. 

More recently, I wrote a guest editorial for The (Everett) Herald that urges the state to drop its lawsuit that would block the merger of two grocery stores. That op-ed was published last weekend.

Coffee sit-down meetings a success

The coffee sit-down meetings with 4th District constituents that were held November 20 at the Wake-Up Call coffee shop were well attended. We had good discussions with nine different groups of folks over 2 and a half hours about the Legislature and the issues before it. Thanks to all of the people who showed up and participated!   

Upcoming meetings/events 

  • Later today I will head west to Olympia for legislative committee meetings during what are known as Committee Assembly Days. Before departing, I’ll be attending the Valley Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee. Meetings in Olympia include the Joint Transportation Committee meeting on Wednesday, as well as three Senate committee meetings on Thursday: Health and Long Term Care Committee, which will give an update on children’s oral health care; Law and Justice Committee, which will provide an update on the use of artificial intelligence in the courts; and Transportation Committee, which will provide a transportation budget overview and a traffic safety update. 
  • On December 17, I will attend the Spokane Valley City Council’s meeting. 

Contact us!

If you have a question or concern about state government, please do not hesitate to contact our office. During the interim we are conducting business from our district office in Spokane Valley. We are here to serve you!

Phone: 509-921-2460

Email address: Mike.Padden@leg.wa.gov

PLEASE NOTE: Any email or documents you provide to this office may be subject to disclosure under RCW 42.56. If you would prefer to communicate by phone, please contact Sen. Padden’s Olympia office at (360) 786-7606.

To request public records from Sen. Padden, please contact Randi Stratton, the designated public records officer for the Secretary of the Senate and Senate members.