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Legislative Day Form/Sign Up Hotel Information

Friends of Fairs,

The Washington State Fairs Association “Legislative Day” at the Capitol will be Thursday, February 21, 2013. Every member Fair has heard the story for the past several years… the plea to keep funding. There is still much work to be done in educating our legislators that the Fair fund is NOT an entitlement program. The Fair fund needs to be viewed as an economic investment to the State of Washington which has an immediate return to the communities that the Fairs serve.

This year, the battle has become personal. Each individual Fair must make an impact on their legislators, citing their unique stories and history. Legislative day gives you that opportunity to meet with legislators in person and explain the importance of the Fair Fund. No one can communicate better with your Representatives and Senator than you, their constituent.

Each year, we state that our goal is to have as many members of Washington State Fairs attend this event as possible to make the point that the Fair Fund must be saved or re-established. Each year, a few yet faithful make the trek to Olympia to do so. This year, that simply will not be enough. It is important that EVERY Fair in Washington State have a representative in Olympia. If an actual member is not available, perhaps a service member you have utilized may be able to make those contacts.

Please make your appointments now to visit with your Legislators on February 21st, their schedules fill up very fast and it may be very difficult to get one if you wait too long. The link below will help you find your legislator. If your legislative district has more than one fair, please coordinate appointments with them. After making your appointment, please contact us so we can chart all the contacts. This will help us plan the day. Please send your legislative appointment schedule to heather@wafriends.org and wastfair@comcast.net.

Thursday, February 21:

7:30 AM Meet at the Irv Newhouse Building - Meeting Room Basement 2 for our Welcome, Orientation, material pick up and the strategy meeting. By 9:00 AM Depart for Meetings you have setup with your Legislators.

How do you Participate? Complete the reservation form at the bottom of this page. Call all of your legislators (three per district) and setup appointments. The sooner the better, their schedules fill up fast. Let the WSFA Office know when you havean appointment so we know what legislators will be visited. This helps us plan and allows us to make sure we get all the Legislators contacted about our funding issues. More information will be sent as soon as your Fairs commitment is made.

Important Information to Help you Plan your Day!

How to find your legislator: http://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/

Capital Campus parking: http://www.leg.wa.gov/legislature/Pages/Parking.aspx

Capital Campus map: http://www.leg.wa.gov/CodeReviser/Documents/Campus-Map.pdf

The following statements provided in the WA Fairs Economic Impact Report completed in 2006 create the foundation for our reasons to continue receiving the full balance of the Fair Fund:

· In 2005 7.8 million people attended events held at fairgrounds throughout Washington State, more than the state population of 6.3 million people (Washington State Office of Financial Management, 2006). By comparison, 4.6 million people visited Seattle Center and approximately 1.2 million attended events at Key Arena in 2005(Beyers, 2006).

· Gross economic impacts from Washington State fairs and other fairground activities were between $350 million and $385 million in 2005.

· Fairs and fairground activities supported between an estimated 5,630 to 5,807 temporary jobs in 2005 with numerous more volunteer opportunities.

· Estimated labor income for all jobs related to the fairs is between $48 million and $51million in 2005.

· Estimated tax revenues generated by fair and non-fair gross economic activity range between $22.7 million and $25.0 million in 2005.

· Fairs and other fairground activities played a vital role in fund raising for many non-profit groups throughout the state.

· In addition to the economic contribution that fairgrounds provide to the state, they can also provide a space for emergency services (The Daily Herald, 2006).