Senator Doumit resigns
Friday, October 6, 2006 7:08 AM PDT
By Don Jenkins
Printable version
E-mail this articleCathlamet Democrat Mark Doumit, vice chairman of the powerful Senate budget committee, said Thursday he will resign Nov. 1 from the Legislature to become director of the timber industry's Washington Forest Protection Association.
"I've got a lot of mixed feelings, but I felt this was best for my family," said Doumit, the father of three sons nearing college.
"The Legislature is very demanding, and it becomes very challenging to manage private business when you're basically working year-round on legislative work."
Doumit, 44, has represented the 19th District for 10 years --- six years in the House and four years in the Senate. As vice chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, he has exercised considerable influence over the state budget.
"He was in a position to do some things for the district, so he'll be missed," said 19th District Rep. Dean Takko, D-Longview.
A commercial fisherman and tree farmer, Doumit's legislative salary paid him $36,311 a year. Doumit declined to say how much he will make heading up the timber industry association. "It's a comfortable salary," he said.
Doumit will step down midway through a four-year term. Democratic precinct committee officers will meet after the seat becomes officially vacant to nominate three Democrats to fill the position.
County commissioners from Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, Pacific and Grays Harbor counties will interview the nominees and appoint Doumit's successor.
Takko said he will consider seeking the nomination, but doesn't plan to immediately launch a campaign. He's running for re-election to the House against Longview Republican Tim Sutinen.
"It's certainly something I'll consider, but right now I'm concentrating on the House race," Takko said. "My philosophy is to take it one day at a time and see how it works out. I'm very happy in the House."
The district's other House member, Rep. Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen, took the same wait-and-see approach. He's running for re-election against Kelso Republican Keath Huff.
"I'm still dealing with the shock" of Doumit's surprise departure, Blake told The Associated Press. "Their gain is our loss at the Legislature. Mark Doumit is a person with uncommon skills, somebody who can bring opposites together and find common ground."
Whoever is appointed will fill the seat during the 2007 session, which begins in January.
The appointee would have to run in a special election in the fall to serve the final year of Doumit's unexpired term. There will be another election in 2008 for a full four-year term.
Applicants for Doumit's seat will have to consider whether they want to face two tough elections in a row, Takko said. "It certainly is something I'm thinking about."
Doumit was appointed to the Senate in December 2002 to replace the retiring Sid Snyder, a Long Beach Democrat. When Snyder resigned midway through a term, Doumit was almost universally embraced by Democrats as Snyder's logical successor.
Doumit rose quickly on the Ways and Means Committee and was at the center of budget talks in 2005 and '06 between the Senate, House and Gov. Chris Gregoire.
"I'm definitely going to miss some of that aspect. It's a big job being part of a small team writing the budget and negotiating the votes," he said.
Doumit said he interviewed with the timber industry association in August. He had a second interview last week and agreed to take the job Tuesday evening.
Doumit will oversee the association's staff in Olympia, lobby lawmakers, and work with state and federal agencies on timber issues. He said he will continue living in Cathlamet and renting in Olympia.
"It's going to be a major career change, but it's in an area that's been a major interest," he said. "I've always had an interest in natural resources."
Doumit was a Wahkiakum County commissioner for eight years and was chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.
In the Senate this year, he used his influence on the budget committee to secure a tax cut for the timber industry. He argued wood-products manufacturers should get the same favorable tax rate granted the aerospace industry.
"It's a perfect fit for him," Takko said. "I think it's a great position for him."
Doumit said there's no connection between his advocacy for the timber tax cuts and the job opportunity, which came months later.
"I don't think there's any relationship at all. I've worked with the timber industry on a number of issues throughout my legislative career," he said.
Doumit will replace Bill Wilkerson, a former state revenue director, who is retiring after a long stint as head of the timber group. The association advocates for the owners of 4.2 million acres of private forestland.
The group's president, Steve Tveit, said Doumit's 18 years of experience in public life, combined with his background in farming, forestry and natural resources made him an ideal pick.
"Doumit has a record of working across the aisle in the political arena," Wilkerson said. "Having a leader who is willing to work in a bipartisan fashion is important to working the issues that will sustain our forest land base in the future."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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