Our exchange student Vlad Koposov talked about his past week and experience of basketball tryouts, and he was proud to announce that he made the JV basketball team.  Vlad also passed around photos of his family (including the infamous cat).  Vlad asked for support from the Rotary group for the trip to San Francisco he will be taking with his choir group.  To help raise money, the choir group members are selling plates.

The Activity List for Vlad (including all of his contact information) can be found on the Club Runner web site or by clicking on: http://www.clubrunner.ca/Data/5030/2187/html/7053/VladsActivityList.pdf

Announcements

Michelle Neal's parents will soon be visiting Seattle and plan to visit our Rotary group meeting.  They sent a thank you card to our group expressing their heartfelt thanks for all the help we provided post-hurricane tragedy.

Craig Neal announced the upcoming Christmas party on December 5 at Broadmoor Country Club.  Sign up sheet was distributed and Rotarians can also sign up via Club Runner.  All are encouraged to carpool to the event.

Michelle Neal thanked everyone who participated in the Thanksgiving baskets.  Val Gurin volunteered to bring food to LWHS after the meeting and Scott Becker/Jeremy Meadows will bring food to Juanita High School.  Michelle is working on the Christmas wish-list.

Felicity Burdick thanked Katherine Kehrli for her help with Community Service and it was announced that Katherine has agreed to be chair of Community Service committee next year.

Duck Dash:   Bob Webb announced he and other Group Sales committee members met with a representative from the gambling commission and learned the Rotary group is doing a good job keeping within the guidelines of the state law.

Chancellor, Steve Brown collected $198 in Happy Dollars from lots of thankful Rotarians.  Special (and entertaining) appearance made by Sven and Olle.  Pat Swenson is in her 34^th month of being cancer-free!!

Program:

Patti Smith introduced our guest, Washington State Senator (R) Bill Finkbeiner.   Sen. Finkbeiner represents the 45^th Legislative District and is the Ranking Minority Member of the Rules Committee. More information on Sen. Finkbeiner can be found at http://www1.leg.wa.gov/senate/finkbeiner.  His talk focused on three main issues:  transportation, healthcare and partisanship for the State of Washington.

The revenue related to transportation has been going down while the costs associated with transportation have been going up.  Possible solution is to raise the gas tax at the state level.  Sen. Finkbeiner is also involved with the RTED project.  Concerned raised by the audience was that raising the tax may result in driving out the viable businesses that have a positive impact on the State's economy.

Healthcare costs in 1960 were 4% of the State's gross domestic product (GDP), yet in 2003 that number has increased to 14% of GDP.  Continued double-digit increases points to an unsustainable system.  Solution is to focus on prevention (and education) to save costs, and that tort reform will help reign in costs.  Concern raised was how big government is today proportionately to what it was in 1960.

Sen. Finkbeiner expressed his support for bi-partisan politics and indicated it is difficult to solve problems when government is busy struggling with partisan issues.  Concerns raised by the audience included the need for issue-oriented debates and voting on the actual issue at hand rather than swinging to the party line.

The last concern raised was the need to change state law to allow for the annexation of Kirkland.

Honey Pot drawing:

Lucky Ticket:  Brett Johnson, but he didn't draw the lucky gift card.

Meeting Adjourned by Joanne at 7:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Elizabeth Rusnak