January 20, 2020 |
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 It is an honor to serve you. Please reach out to my office with any questions or concerns you may have about your state government. Sincerely,
Ron Muzzall, Your 10th District State Senator |
Author Archives: Laudan
Greetings from Olympia,On the third day of the 2020 legislative session, Sen. Ron Muzzall, R-Oak Harbor, was elected to a leadership position by his Senate Republican colleagues. Muzzall will serve as the deputy whip for the caucus.
“The selection for this position came as a surprise to me,” said Muzzall. “The caucus apparently has enough confidence in me to have voted unanimously and I’m proud of that vote of faith. I will do my best to fulfill the responsibilities of this role and their expectations.”
The deputy whip is responsible for assisting the whip in monitoring attendance of the senators during floor sessions and caucuses. In addition to aiding leadership in communicating procedural votes to other members, the deputy whip acts as the whip in the event of their absence.
“My ability to effectively represent my constituents has been strengthened by my position as the assistant ranking member on the State Government, Tribal Relations and Elections Committee and now as deputy whip. I’m looking forward to the next 57 days and working hard for the people of the 10th District.”
Appointed late last year to serve the 10th Legislative District after the retirement of Sen. Barbara Bailey, state Sen. Ron Muzzall, R-Oak Harbor, was sworn in Monday during the opening ceremonies of the 2020 legislative session.
Muzzall, who is a small-business owner and farmer, has hit the ground running, holding a series of town hall events to hear from constituents about their concerns with state government.
“When I met with constituents around the district in December, I shared my approach for this session,” said Muzzall. “As a freshman senator, I’m not under the impression that I will have some dramatic effect down here, but that I will fight for their values, be honest with them, and listen intently to the will of the voters.
“A common theme that I’m hearing is that people feel left out of the process. They feel that they aren’t being listened to and the government doesn’t respect their wishes. That is something that I can change. We’ve got a great example with the recent vote on lower car tabs that is now tied up in the courts.
“People rightly expect results and feel that they are not getting them. In this short session, I will be working hard to seriously address the mental health and drug crisis affecting communities across my district and the state and ensuring that people feel that their state government is working for them.”
Greetings Friends,
The Senate convened briefly just a few days ago to begin looking at issues for the 2020 legislative session. I formally have been assigned to these Senate committees: Ways and Means (which deals with the operating budget); Health Care; and State Government, Tribal Relations and Elections.
We covered a lot of material and I’m looking forward to sharing with you what I’ve learned and some thoughts on where I think we should be going. One thing I found incredible during hearings on the state’s budget (which has problems, even with massive tax increases) is how people view your tax dollars. A couple billion here, a hundred million there and soon you’re talking about real money.
I recall a family friend who was struggling in retirement and told me upon a visit that she wasn’t having any tea because she didn’t have money left in her budget. When I approach state spending, I have to consider if the project or program we’re discussing is worth someone’s tea budget. It is the Legislature’s responsibility to be good stewards of the taxes we’ve taken, and not to throw money around without understanding where it comes from.
I will be holding town halls this December around the district (see schedule in the image above). In addition, I’ve sent out a mailing to the district. If you don’t happen to receive one, please take a moment and share your thoughts via my online survey. Please click here.
Due to election-year restrictions, I am limited in my communications until the beginning of the legislative session, but you can always call my office or visit my website for information. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving, and I look forward to seeing you soon.
It is an honor to serve you. Please reach out to my office with any questions or concerns you may have about your state government.
Sincerely,
Ron Muzzall,
Your 10th District State Senator
Friends,
As I mentioned in my last update, I’m hoping to connect with you before the 2020 legislative session to get your input on issues you think I should be working on. We have made arrangements to hold four town halls throughout the district and I hope you can attend. If you are able, please send me an email to RSVP. I encourage you to share this information with our neighbors and look forward to seeing you soon!
It is an honor to serve you. Please reach out to my office with any questions or concerns you may have about your state government.
Sincerely,
Ron Muzzall,
Your 10th District State Senator
Nov. 13, 2019
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope that you had a restful Veteran’s Day. I spent time with my family reflecting on freedoms we enjoy because so many of our neighbors were called to serve. I’m eternally grateful.
In case you didn’t know, I was recently appointed to serve you in the state Senate for the 10th Legislative District. You may know me as a long-term Island County resident, farmer, small business owner and family man committed to our community.
The 2020 legislative session is fast approaching, and although the state’s two-year budget has already been approved, we will be working to address emergent needs and make minor tweaks to how the state spends your tax dollars when the Legislature convenes in early January.
As I work to ensure our district is heard in the state Capitol, I need to know what you think I should be working on. In the first weeks of my appointment I made the rounds of radio shows and newspaper interviews to discuss my priorities and issues I think the state should focus on. We must address homelessness and responding to problems with mental health and drug abuse in our communities.
This December, I will be holding town halls throughout the district and I hope you can join me and help focus our efforts for a better state government. Stay tuned for more details on dates and locations.
It is an honor to serve you. Please reach out to my office with any questions or concerns you may have about your state government.
Sincerely,
Ron Muzzall,
Your 10th District State Senator
Q&A: Sen. Ron Muzzall talks about his background as a farmer, taxation, and the mental health crisis in Washington State
By: Michael Goldberg
OCTOBER 30, 2019
On October 18th, Ron Muzzall was appointed the new Legislative District 10 State Senator, replacing the retiring Barbara Bailey. Senator Muzzall’s appointment resulted from a unanimous vote from the Skagit County Commissioners, Island County Commissioners and the Snohomish County Council.
A Whidbey Island farm owner and a former fire commissioner, I called Senator Muzzall twelve days after his appointment to ask about his background, his outlook on public policy, and what he hopes to focus on in the upcoming legislative session.
Click here to read the full interview.
Joining the State Senate
Listen to a brief interview where I discuss my appointment to the state Senate serving the 10th legislative district. Learn more about me and my approach to serving you.
I’m honored to represent the 10th District in the state Senate after my recent appointment on Oct. 18. Since then, I’ve had an opportunity to talk about my approach to this office and what I hope to accomplish in the coming legislative session.
Q&A: Sen. Ron Muzzall talks about his background as a farmer, taxation, and the mental health crisis in Washington State
OCTOBER 30, 2019
A Whidbey Island farm owner and a former fire commissioner, I called Senator Muzzall twelve days after his appointment to ask about his background, his outlook on public policy, and what he hopes to focus on in the upcoming legislative session.
I recently spoke with Jason Rantz about my appointment as the state Senator from the 10th legislative district. Listen to my interview below.