December 28, 2011

With the Christmas holiday finally in the rear-view mirror, it's time to focus on the road ahead for 2012. Boy oh boy, where to begin? Robert and I are working hard to get an arena secured in order to put on a practice series for calf roping, team roping, break away, and barrel racing. We think we have one secured, but need to get it finalized as soon as possible. This could be a really great opportunity to showcase our cattle with the local ropers.

We had our first 2011-12 calf last week. A really nice little bull calf that's doing really well. We should start seeing new calves daily sometime next week. I'm really looking forward to it. We've got our 2 and half year old stud colt (soon to be a gelding) over with Tim Kunka right now. Tim's been doing a great job with Buck. If you have any horse training needs, check out timkunkatraining.com.

Only about 9 days left until I head back over to Olympia for the 2012 Regular Session. After 3 years over there, I've learned that keeping a positive attitude can be very difficult. Fortunately, I've got some really great friends who (attempt to) keep me grounded and focused. If you don't know Charles Ross, you should! He's got the quickest (and sometimes harshest) one-liners around, like an old school gun fighter with words.

Matt Shea is another guy worth meeting. When it comes to Constitutional law and principles there's no one better, but he's also a guy you can trust to always have your back. Then there's Jason Overstreet (aka The Rooster) ... wow, where to begin? Jason is someone you simply must meet. Very principled, very conservative and not afraid to give his opinion to anyone. Jason is someone who always reminds me why we do what we do.

Now I've know Joel Kretz for a few years and can tell you stories ... wow. Joel is probably the only person in Olympia who knows exactly how to "communicate" with me and it usually involves him telling me to calm down about whatever it is that has me all wrapped around the axle. He's a great friend.

Finally, Richard DeBolt, our leader and Grand Poobah, is probably the toughest person to describe to anyone who doesn't know him. Rich has a great sense of humor and is one of the smartest people I know. When I met Rich for the first time he reminded me of Adam Sandler ... enough said.

I rely on the guys a lot in Olympia and trust them implicitly. I know I don't thank them enough for all they do and I hope they know I would go to war with them any day.

#Christmas #roping #calves #Tim #Kunka #Ross #Shea #Overstreet #Kretz #DeBolt #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District




http://chumly.com/n/ef9100

December 28, 2011

With the Christmas holiday finally in the rear-view mirror, it's time to focus on the road ahead for 2012. Boy oh boy, where to begin? Robert and I are working hard to get an arena secured in order to put on a practice series for calf roping, team roping, break away, and barrel racing. We think we have one secured, but need to get it finalized as soon as possible. This could be a really great opportunity to showcase our cattle with the local ropers.

We had our first 2011-12 calf last week. A really nice little bull calf that's doing really well. We should start seeing new calves daily sometime next week. I'm really looking forward to it. We've got our 2 and half year old stud colt (soon to be a gelding) over with Tim Kunka right now. Tim's been doing a great job with Buck. If you have any horse training needs, check out timkunkatraining.com.

Only about 9 days left until I head back over to Olympia for the 2012 Regular Session. After 3 years over there, I've learned that keeping a positive attitude can be very difficult. Fortunately, I've got some really great friends who (attempt to) keep me grounded and focused. If you don't know Charles Ross, you should! He's got the quickest (and sometimes harshest) one-liners around, like an old school gun fighter with words.

Matt Shea is another guy worth meeting. When it comes to Constitutional law and principles there's no one better, but he's also a guy you can trust to always have your back. Then there's Jason Overstreet (aka The Rooster) ... wow, where to begin? Jason is someone you simply must meet. Very principled, very conservative and not afraid to give his opinion to anyone. Jason is someone who always reminds me why we do what we do.

Now I've know Joel Kretz for a few years and can tell you stories ... wow. Joel is probably the only person in Olympia who knows exactly how to "communicate" with me and it usually involves him telling me to calm down about whatever it is that has me all wrapped around the axle. He's a great friend.

Finally, Richard DeBolt, our leader and Grand Poobah, is probably the toughest person to describe to anyone who doesn't know him. Rich has a great sense of humor and is one of the smartest people I know. When I met Rich for the first time he reminded me of Adam Sandler ... enough said.

I rely on the guys a lot in Olympia and trust them implicitly. I know I don't thank them enough for all they do and I hope they know I would go to war with them any day.

#Christmas #roping #calves #Tim #Kunka #Ross #Shea #Overstreet #Kretz #DeBolt #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District




http://chumly.com/n/ef90fe

December 22, 2011

Two weeks from tomorrow, I head back to Olympia for the 2012 Regular Session. From what we're hearing, the $500 million sales tax increase may still be sitting on the horizon and there may be a proposed $1.0 billion property tax increase. Remember what Albert Einstein said? "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." It would appear the Democrat Majority doesn't remember?

The rest of the week will be fairly slow going, which I'm thankful for. We still need to mend a fence the US Army won't fix and may get that done Friday or Saturday. Otherwise, it's feeding cattle and horses and relaxing just a little bit. We're headed to Ellensburg on Sunday for Christmas with my family and then I'm taking Brock home on Monday. I've got a couple of meeting in Olympia on Tuesday and then back to Moxee for the remainder of the year.

The weather finally cleared up and now it's just cold. The yearlings are doing fantastic and having some great horn growth right now. We ended up separating the calf pen into three separate pens to keep the smallest ones healthy ... best thing we've done for far this winter. This years filly is getting really big. She's got great confirmation, now we just need her to finish coloring out.

Headed to town in a bit to pick up pigs at the butcher, go to the bank, get propane, and finish Christmas shopping. I'm pretty proud of myself for getting my shopping done before the 24th.

Merry Christmas everyone.

#Olympia #Regular #Session #taxes #cattle #filly #US #Army #Christmas #butcher #15th #District #Rep #David #Taylor
http://chumly.com/n/ed9260

Post from davidtaylor at CHUMLY

Lawmakers make plea for state park rangers | The Columbian: www.columbian.com/news/2011/dec/22/lawmakers-make-...ngers

Maybe it's time to reform the way State Parks operate. According to the Governor's priorities of government list, the State Parks and Recreation Commission spends $13.6 million on Park Maintenance, $112.0 million on Park Operations and $3.3 million for Park acquisitions, planning and development ... that's a total of $128.9 million. How about we quite acquiring new parks and take care of the ones we already have ($3.3 million saved)? How about we roll maintenance into operations like most businesses do ($13.6 million saved)?

#State #Parks #operation #maintenance #acquisitions #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
http://chumly.com/n/ed8db4

December 20, 2011

Wait, what's the glowing orb in the sky? Holy cow, it's the sun!
http://chumly.com/n/ecee7f

December 20, 2011

The 2nd Special Session of 2011 ended last Wednesday with a thud. It's amazing that with 2 months notice (the Governor announce on September 22nd that she'd be calling us back to Special Session) and almost three weeks in Olympia more couldn't be done. Frustrating!

Things have been plenty busy at home. We've had a nasty inversion for the past few weeks that's keeping temperatures cold and damp. The cattle seem to be doing fine, but we're watching the yearlings closely for any sickness. We've had to doctor a couple over the past few days, but so far things are going well.

Christmas is just around the corner and I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. 2011 was a good year, but let's all hope 2012 is a great one. God Bless.

#Special #Session #cattle #inversion #weather #Christmas #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
http://chumly.com/n/ecc91f

Post from davidtaylor at CHUMLY

Special session utter failure...says Lower Valley lawmaker - Daily Sun News - Sunnyside, Washington: www.dailysunnews.com/DSNNews1.shtml

One minor misquote, but otherwise right one with what I said. The misquote is at the very end of the article, I was discussing Natural Resource Agencies not the Department of Natural Resources.

#Sunnyside #Daily #Sun #News #Rep #David #Taylor #Special #Session #failure #15th #District
http://chumly.com/n/ebc19d

Post from davidtaylor at CHUMLY

East Valley Marine recounts horrors of Afghan war | Yakima Herald-Republic: www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/12/15/east-vall...n-war

God Bless the United States Marine Corps!

#USMC #Afgan #war #15th #District #Rep #David #Taylor
http://chumly.com/n/eb6978

A nice article from last week's Tele-Townhall

Daily Sun News - Sunnyside, Washington: www.dailysunnews.com/archives/Story.aspx/22870/edu...eting

#Rep #David #Taylor #Sunnyside #Daily #15th #District
http://chumly.com/n/eb10ee

Good news for the Columbia Gorge

www.insitu.com/index.cfm?navid=298&cid=5949

Exciting news for all our friends in the gorge.

#Insitu #Columbia #Gorge #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
https://chumly.com/n/ea7c09

2011 2nd Special Legislative Session Day 17

Sitting on the House floor debating the creation of a new program that will cost $700,000 in new money, subject to appropriation. Good thing the Legislature passed a terrible excuse for a budget cut last night, only to create a new program with no money to fund it. Yet another opportunity to vote NO.

It sounds like the Special Session could come to an end sometime today or tonight. Depending on the time the circus ends, I could be headed home tonight.

#Budget #cut #special #session #15th #District #Rep #David #Taylor
https://chumly.com/n/ea7849

2011 2nd Special Legislative Session

There wasn't a lot to report from yesterday. Mostly meetings and an opportunity to vote NO on another bill. It looks like we'll be debating the Supplemental Budget tonight, along with 3 other bills that are "necessary" to implement the budget. While the news will report the budget is a $480 million decrease, the fact is the budget only has $226 million in actual cuts, several fund transfers and use of some one-time money from the federal government. Two plus weeks in Olympia and we have this to show the taxpayers of Washington? Seriously, we need to be doing much, much more ... The taxpayers deserve better.

#Supplemental #budget #$480 #million #failure #15th #District #Rep #David #Taylor
https://chumly.com/n/ea0072

2011 2nd Special Legislative Session Day 14

Back in Olympia ... let the fun begin! Filled the rig with old CDs for the drive ... a little LeDoux and Garth. Sure made the drive a lot better. Time to Cowboy Up and Git er Dun!

#Olympia #Garth #Brooks #Chris #LeDoux #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
http://chumly.com/n/e94489

2011 2nd Special Legislative Session Day 11

Last day in Olympia until Sunday. We finally got next week's schedule ... Plan on being in Olympia Monday through Saturday. I guess the wasn't time this week to get ANYTHING done. Oh well.

Tele-Townhall tonight at 6:30 PM. Call in at 877-229-8493 and PIN 15540.

#Olympia #tele-townhall #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
https://chumly.com/n/e8501d

Wolves

Okay friends, here's a good read. chumly.com/attachment/5201014
http://chumly.com/n/e8050a

2011 2nd Special Legislative Session Day 10

Just finished a two hour brainstorming session with Rep Shelly Short, Rep Matt Seha and Rep Jason Overstreet. I think we came up with some really great ideas, but, more importantly, we were able to bounce all ideas off each other. I'm trying to get my office set up now, but Steph is out sick and she won't let me decorate my office without her direct input. :-)

Got a call this morning and now have a new project to work on. The Departmet of Ecology has released their new Fish Consumption Rates, Technical Support Document. Another opportunity to give DOE a hard time ... This should be fun.

I worked through the Governor's Priorities of Government for Natural Resource Agencies today and am amazed to see how much redundancy is built into those budgets. Time to start cutting or reprioritizing their budgets.

#Priorities #of #Government #Ecology #fish #consumption #rates #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
https://chumly.com/n/e7ec74

2011 2nd Special Legislative Session Day 9

After spending yesterday afternoon working on the House Republican Caucus's Priorities of Government, I've spent this morning looking through several agencies prioritized lists. The information is amazingly enlightening and sheds a lot of light as to why the government opperates the way it does. For example, the first priority listed under the Department of Ecology is "reduce health and environmental threats from motor vehicle emissions." Seriously, THAT'S a priority of the DOE?

#Ecology #DOE #emissions #environmental #threats #HRC #POG #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
https://chumly.com/n/e76c6a

2011 2nd Special Legislative Session Day 8

Another fun-tactic day in Olympia. We actually took our first vote today or, as I like to say, I had my first opportunity to vote no this special session. We've actually be caucusing most of the day and have started through our own Priorities of Government excercise. I'm really happy we're going through the process to identify what core services should be provided by the state.

#Olympia #Priorities #of #Government #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
https://chumly.com/n/e7277e

2011 2nd Special Session Day 5 and 6

I was able to get thing done fairly early on Saturday, so I ran down to Mossyrock to Tim Kunka's horse training facility to do a little ranch sorting, check our cattle and see how our two young horses are doing. I was not disappointed ... the cattle look really good, the horses seem to be coming along and the ranch sorting was a lot of fun. A couple of really nice ladies let me ride their horses for the sorting. The first one was a little soft mouthed, which made things interesting and when I set my spurs to the little mare started to hump up and buck a bit. I just kept her sorting until she worked through her little spasm. The second horse never bucked, but it was obvious she didn't appreciate my style either. One of the ladies said, "you ride more aggressive then I do. I've never seen her buck like that before." Man I needed that after a week in Olympia.

I got a call Saturday night from Jack Fields (Washington Cattlemen's Association Executive VP) to tell me the Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted an amended Wolf Management and Conservation Plan. Needless to say I was disappointed to hear that, especially after several Legislators sent the Commission a letter asking them to delay consideration until after the USFWS completes their status review. We also asked the Commission to tell the Legislature what they were going to cut in order to implement the plan.

I went to Fred Meyers this morning and the checker showed me a picture of a wolf someone she knows killed in Idaho this year. I guess the cowboy hat was her cue to show me. :-) I ended up talking to her and 3 other people about wolves in Washington. It's amazing more people don't know how many wolves are all ready here! Time to educate the masses.

I'm doing some laundry this morning and researching options to address the Wolf Plan. Interestingly, the Department of Fish and Wildlife has removed a required link to Wolf Reports from their website. Time to rattle some cages. I've also been looking into the depth of Agenda 21 infiltration in State Government. It's not pretty. For an example check out www.ecy.wa.gov/sustainability/index.html.

#Agenda #21 #Wolf #Plan #ranch #sorting #Tim #Kunka #horse #training #WCA #Commission #15th #District #Rep #David #Taylor
https://chumly.com/n/e6e2de

Attention Freedom Lovers - Agenda 21

range-wi12-agenda_21.pdf (application/pdf Object):: www.rangemagazine.com/features/winter-12/range-wi1...1.pdf

Here's another good read. Actually, go to Range Magazine on the web ... lot's of good information.

#Agenda #21 #Range #Magazine #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
http://chumly.com/n/e6daba

Attention Property Right Supporters - Good Read

range-wi12-our_federal_landlord.pdf (application/pdf Object):: www.rangemagazine.com/specialreports/range-wi12-ou...d.pdf

I hate being right, but I told you so!

#federal #landlord #property #rights #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
http://chumly.com/n/e6d9c8

WA Wolf Plan

Yakima Herald-Republic:: hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WA_MANAGING_WOLVES...FAULT

This is not good news at all. The plan and the EIS failed to consider the economic impacts associated with wolves, failed to properly address public health concerns and the Commission failed to coordinate with local governmental entities. Looks like it's time for new legislation.

#Fish #Wildlife #Commission #EIS #economic #health #impacts #legislation #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
http://chumly.com/n/e6d9bc

2011 2nd Special Legislative Session Day 5

I really don't know where to begin today's post. Hmm, let's see ... we still haven't done a dang thing in Olympia. Today was filled with committee meetings, but no votes were taken for the 5th straight day. We did get to start moving into our new offices and they are really nice. My office window looks directly onto the Capital Dome ... sweet!

Next week looks to be as exciting as this week was. Floor action on Monday and (as of right now) nothing but committee meetings the rest of the week. {sigh}

Bruce and I are doing a tele-townhall on Thursday, which is a great way to hear from constituents back home.

We're waiting to see what the Fish and Wildlife Commission does with the draft Wolf Management Plan. Several of us sent a letter to the Commission asking them to table the decision until after the US Fish and Wildlife Service completes their assessment in February. Hopefully they'll table it, but if they don't we'll begin looking at ways to stop the plans implementation. Folks, Washington State cannot support 15 breeding pairs of wolves. Not good!

Have a good weekend!

#Olympia #special #session #fish #wildlife #commission #wolf #management #plan #USFWS #15th #District #Rep #David #Taylor
http://chumly.com/n/e683a2

2011 2nd Special Legislative Session

Yet another fun-tastic day in Olympia. We still haven't taken a single vote yet, but tomorrow is another day. I'm sitting in the General Government Appropriations Committee right now hearing about how bad the implementation of the Discovery Pass really has been. Gee, is it to soon to say "we told you so"? The projected revenue was $64 million and now there's a projected revenue shortfall of $24 million. Huh, did someone forget to ask the public if they liked the idea in the first place ... guess not.

The 2011 National Final Rodeo kicks off tonight and some of us are getting together to watch it. Yeehaw!

Tomorrow is another day of committee meetings and it looks like I'll hit Mossyrock on Saturday for a little ranch sorting at Tim Kunka's place. Looking forward to it.

#Olympia #committee #budget #shortfall #Discover #Pass #NFR #ranch #sorting #15th #District #Rep #David #Taylor
https://chumly.com/n/e62293