Some big changes this week at the Senate Ways and Means committee (as you know, my old stomping grounds).
David Schumacher, who has served as senior staff coordinator for the past four and a half years will be leaving at the end of the month to become Director of NW State and Local Government Affairs for the Boeing Company. As Joe Turner from the Tacoma News Tribune so aptly put it, that’s a really long title for “lobbyist.” David previously served as Ways and Means capital budget coordinator and as revenue analyst during part of my tenure on the committee staff. David is also a proud Husky and it will be fun to have him on the outside of the big doors with us during the next session.
David’s replacement will be Mike Wills, who has served since 1996 as the Ways and Means budget coordinator. There are few individuals in state government who understand the intricacies of the budget as well as Mike and he will do a great job in this new role. Mike previously worked as budget director for the Department of Social and Health Services and as a consultant for Mathematica.