09/26/05 Legislative hearing on energy and ag

09/26/05 Legislative hearing on energy and ag

Washington Ag September 26, 2005 The agriculture industry has an opportunity this Friday to tell state lawmakers how high energy prices are impacting them and what should be done about it. Four legislative committees are having a joint hearing in Pasco on the Economic Impacts of Energy Prices on Agriculture and Possible Solutions and Targeted Relief. Kelli Linville, chair of the House Economic Development, Agriculture and Trade Committee, says they want to hear from producers and support industries. Linville: "If you don't have a solution please come and tell us about the problems. But if you do have some solutions we would really like to hear those too because the legislature tends to try come up and solving problems not necessarily always in the way that is best for the people who are experiencing them. So we are interested in local, home grown solutions." That joint hearing is this Friday, September 30th from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Columbia Basin College Theater in Pasco. Governor Christine Gregoire has already said she won't call for a special legislative session to grant any type of fuel tax rebates. Both House and Senate Republicans have called for a special session to provide various forms of relief or incentives. I'm Bob Hoff.
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