February 19, 2007
Heritage Center
Secretary of State Sam Reed on Thursday presented a funding plan for the Heritage Center, a $111 million building proposed for the Capitol Campus.
The building would be paid for in part by a $5 increase in the corporation filing fee, as well as a $2 surcharge on documents filed by county auditors, under HB 2060.
The way Reed describes the Heritage Center, it sounds more like an over-the-top
shrine to government than a necessary upgrade in record-keeping facilities.
hat tip: sgmmac
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at February 19, 2007
01:24 PM | Email This
1. The new MiniTruth(Ministry of Truth).
2. Proof positive that Sam Reed is not a Republican.
That works out to a 30-40 year payback using reasonable interest rates.
And it is being done with more taxes.
Thanks for nothing.
3. That's it, we'll just tax our way to prosperity. $5 here, $10 there, and pretty soon it all adds up to real money.
4. How about digital records? This speeding is as necessary as a new home in Renton for the Oaklahoma City Sonics.
5. Maybe they could include a basketball court and let the Sonics play there.
6. It is just unbelievable that such fees would be
added for a purpose that is very questionable. Increasing corporation filing fees is not a very
good idea.
Increasing document recording fees similarly
is a bad idea. Recording documents is becoming
akin to the fees that were charged for auto
licensing before I 776. Recording fees during
the time we have been recording documents have
risen from $1.00 to now #32.00 plus a $10.00
excise tax affadavit fee on any real estate
document making a total of $42.00 for every
item. There's no logic at all for that huge
fee amt. The Counties and the state have tacked on charges for housing programs and other non-
related matters having nothing to do with the recording of any kind of document of any sort
These fees are discrimatory and unfair and result in discouraging citizens from recording documents that should be recorded.
7. It is just unbelievable that such fees would be
added for a purpose that is very questionable. Increasing corporation filing fees is not a very
good idea.
Increasing document recording fees similarly
is a bad idea. Recording documents is becoming
akin to the fees that were charged for auto
licensing before I 776. Recording fees during
the time we have been recording documents have
risen from $1.00 to now #32.00 plus a $10.00
excise tax affadavit fee on any real estate
document making a total of $42.00 for every
item. There's no logic at all for that huge
fee amt. The Counties and the state have tacked on charges for housing programs and other non-
related matters having nothing to do with the recording of any kind of document of any sort
These fees are discrimatory and unfair and result in discouraging citizens from recording documents that should be recorded.
8. It is just unbelievable that such fees would be
added for a purpose that is very questionable. Increasing corporation filing fees is not a very
good idea.
Increasing document recording fees similarly
is a bad idea. Recording documents is becoming
akin to the fees that were charged for auto
licensing before I 776. Recording fees during
the time we have been recording documents have
risen from $1.00 to now #32.00 plus a $10.00
excise tax affadavit fee on any real estate
document making a total of $42.00 for every
item. There's no logic at all for that huge
fee amt. The Counties and the state have tacked on charges for housing programs and other non-
related matters having nothing to do with the recording of any kind of document of any sort
These fees are discrimatory and unfair and result in discouraging citizens from recording documents that should be recorded.
9. It is just unbelievable that such fees would be
added for a purpose that is very questionable. Increasing corporation filing fees is not a very
good idea.
Increasing document recording fees similarly
is a bad idea. Recording documents is becoming
akin to the fees that were charged for auto
licensing before I 776. Recording fees during
the time we have been recording documents have
risen from $1.00 to now #32.00 plus a $10.00
excise tax affadavit fee on any real estate
document making a total of $42.00 for every
item. There's no logic at all for that huge
fee amt. The Counties and the state have tacked on charges for housing programs and other non-
related matters having nothing to do with the recording of any kind of document of any sort
These fees are discrimatory and unfair and result in discouraging citizens from recording documents that should be recorded.
10. It is just unbelievable that such fees would be
added for a purpose that is very questionable. Increasing corporation filing fees is not a very
good idea.
Increasing document recording fees similarly
is a bad idea. Recording fees are becoming
akin to the fees that were charged for auto
licensing before I 776. Recording fees during
the time we have been recording documents have
risen from $1.00 to now #32.00 plus a $10.00
excise tax affadavit fee on any real estate
document making a total of $42.00 for every
item. There's no logic at all for that huge
fee amt. The Counties and the state have tacked on charges for housing programs and other non-
related matters having nothing to do with the recording of any of documents of any sort.
These fees are discrimatory and unfair and result in discouraging citizens from recording documents that should be recorded.
11. build it like a college kid's cinder block & 2x4 coffee table and i'll agree.
show the world that we actually MEAN want we say about "adding stakeholder value"
otherwise another squandering. less $$ for the illegal alien voting block.
12. And not surprisingly, this bill, like 290 others in the hopper this session, has an emergency clause attached to it. I see nothing in the bill or in RINO Reed's writings that there is any threat to public peace, health or safety or that somehow the state government will cease to exist if it doesn't pass. Clearly this, like nearly all other applications of the emergency clause, is there to prevent the citizens from exercising their constitutional right of referendum...The People's Republic of Washington has never been so apparent as it is now.
13. Quick question, would we have to get a constitutional amendment to stop all of these emergency clauses from non-emergency bills or would we be able to change it via the initiative process?
14. i demand "10% for art" funding too!!
15. Well - it is a big storage building for documents that all you can go through when you want and use them for or against certain state policies and issues. Right now they are in 12 different (hard to reach) locations around Olympia including the million dollar a year rented office building that is housing the state Library. BTW - the emergency clause is coming off - it was a surprise to even the business people who are supporting this project. The sticker shock comes from the fact there is so much government paperwork over 154 years of existance of the Washington Territory and State and the storage needs for the next 20 years are (unfortunately) growing. Also - as for a temple to whatever - the building is mostly underground with the entrance area probably smaller than Stephan's house! All those documents that are filed that you pay recording fees on - end up in the state archives - that's why there is teh extra fee to help pay for this - and not a general fund appropriation which takes away money from schools and such.
16. A couple of comments re the Heritage Center.
The Heritage Center will be similar to the National Archives in Washington, DC. It will combine the State Library, State Archives and Capitol Museum into one building. The goal is to increase civic awareness by educating our students and other visitors about government and state history. We want future generations to be informed voters.
The Washington State Library temporarily moved off campus after the earthquate. The old Pritchard Building is now a legislative building.
The Washington State Library is now paying over $1 million per year in rent to be in a substandard facility.
The Washington State Archives is full.
Both institutions would move to the Heritage Center and continue paying the same rents they have previsouly paid.
The remainder of the Heritage Center will be paid for by a combination of sources:
(1) A one-time incorporation fee of $5 which will pay the cost to move our corporations and trademark records from the Dolliver Bldg to the new Heritage Center. A 4" pipe burst two years ago and we almost lost all of our history of industry, commerce, and agriculture. That's why the Assoc of Wash Business, the Washington Assn of Realtors and other business organizations support the new Heritage Center.
(2) A $2 one-time recording fee for Courthouse recordings. This fee is supported by all 39 County Auditors of both political parties. These records eventually end up in the Archives.
(3) Private-sector fundraising will pay for the auditorium, museum space, reading room, orientation film, etc.
The Heritage Center will be paid for in about 20 years. There will be no budgetary impact on the State's General Fund.
The Emergency Clause was a drafting error. We have previously requested that it be removed and are expecting committee action on our request in the near future.
Hope this is useful information...
Steve Excell
Assistant Secretary of State
Legislative Building
Olympia, WA 98504-0220
Email SExcell@secstate.wa.gov
17. A couple of comments about Mr. Excell's couple of comments:
>educating our students
A new spin on "for the kids." All those kids in Asotin County will sure get a lot of use from a new edifice in Olympia.
>A 4" pipe burst two years ago
Don't fix the pipe - tear down the building. I'll have to remember that pipe issue the next time I have a plumbing problem. Guess I'll have to move.
>Assoc of Wash Business, the Washington Assn of Realtors and other business organizations support the new Heritage Center
Building industry organizations and construction unions probably do too.
>Private-sector fundraising
Spin plagiarized from the Sonics owners. A new spin on smoke & mirrors.
>The Heritage Center will be similar to the National Archives in Washington, DC
Saved the best for last......
Are you inferring all federal documents end up in one place on the Mall in DC?
>>This fee is supported by all 39 County Auditors of both political parties. These records eventually end up in the Archives.
"Hey Mabel. Scrap that trip to DC to see the Declaration of Independence. We're taking the kids to Olympia to see Asotin County's death records that eventually end up there."
18. The purpose of the Proposed Washington State Heritage Center is not to be a 'shrine to government' but a shrine to the rich history and heritage of the Washington Territory and State.
We are fortunate that the state of Washington has a rich and proud history preserved in the priceless documents composing our archival, library, and museum collections. These are gifts that celebrate and pay tribute to our unique past.
It is our duty as temporary stewards to make that history accessible to every citizen wishing to explore and learn from our journey as a territory and a state. We can and must do more to live up to our obligation.
We now have a remarkable opportunity before us to secure our State's legacy for our children, grandchildren, and beyond. Secretary Reed has proposed a new home for our State Library and State Archives which will be designed as a timeless landmark promising to draw people to the Capitol Campus and all it has to offer. More importantly, it will introduce Washington's distinctive history to a wider audience and inspire future generations to embrace their heritage.
Today the State Library and State Archives are filled with valuable collections, but they are spread between four separate locations. This is a disservice to the people of Washington. Inaccessible, offsite storage facilities are currently used for overflow of documents and collections. These facilities do not meet security, accessibility, or environmental requirements for housing or preserving our history.
The Washington State Heritage Center will be designed to serve the people of this state and to meet the vital security and storage needs of historical documents and other treasures.
Secretary Reed believes the citizens of this state deserve a single location on the Capitol Campus where they can easily access our history of government, science, education, literature and cultural diversity. As the National Archives and Library of Congress provide American citizens a wealth of knowledge about our history as a nation, Washington State should do the same for its residents.
19. Joanie,
Thanks for all the glowing adjectives. My heart is pounding, there's a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. Why, I can almost feel my wallet being picked from my pocket as I read your missive.
Since you're on company time reading blogs and responding to trolls you really should include a disclaimer as to your position in Reed's office. Wouldn't that be the ethical thing to do? What? That's spelled e-t-h-i-c-a-l. Yes, it really is a word. You might want to tell Sam about that word.
PS, learn how to spell your own name. Doesn't look good when a Communications Director can't get their own name right.
20. Seriously, I don't see why everyone is in an uproar. Have you all gone so nutty over your irrational loathing of Reed that you can't even recognize a good idea. What's wrong with letting the thousands of visitors to Olympia learn a little something about our history. You have to admit that the public schools aren't going out of their way to teach civic education. I'm also a little shocked that you don't support his proposal for funding. Aren't we always telling our politicians that user fees are better than taxes?!? I say good for Reed! At least he worked with the organizations that will be paying the fees, that's a lot more than we usually get. I'm also a little irritated that you don't want the mill that is currently going to a landlord to be more wisely invested in a building that actually serves a purpose for our citizens. Pretty amazing...
21. Hey, "Darlene" and "MAC" -- why not be honest and disclose that you're state employees posting from office computers during work hours??
Public employees are welcome to comment here and defend their agencies and criticize the other commenters and myself, but please follow the example of Steve Excell and sign your real name and identify your position.
22. I believe there is a Microsoft DATA warehouse archive complex going into Quincy in Central Washington, why not put it there? If this is truely a repository of statewide significance, why not make it more centrally located? Spread the goodies around a little to the rest of the State. God forbid you encourage economic development in an AG based region of Washington.