Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
Sorted by date Results 1 - 21 of 21
Landlords and property owners gathered under the Capitol dome in Olympia Jan. 13 to protest a bill that would cap increases on rents. Corey Hjalseth, who is getting ready for retirement with his wife, said the bill will ultimately force them to sell their properties. "When somebody artificially comes in and tells me how much I can raise the rent or how much I can charge a tenant for a late fee, or that I have to help them with relocation expenses if I raise their rent more tha...
More than 100 young people in Washington became homeless last year as they transitioned out of the state's foster care program. Some legislators say state and federal restrictions are standing in the way of the resources they need to keep their housing. "Stable housing is critical," said State Sen. Wilson, D-Auburn. "These are our children. These are state-raised children. We would not put our own children into a space where they don't have a place to live." Senate Bill 5082...
Gov. Bob Ferguson was sworn in and legislative members, state employees and the public celebrated the event with an inaugural ball. Dressed in black tie attire, inaugural ball attendees swarmed on the steps of the Legislative Building Jan. 15 and filled the rotunda inside, where Squaxin Island tribal members performed ceremonial songs. The first day in office wasn't all pomp and ceremony, however. Shortly after being sworn in, the new governor signed three executive orders....
As they were cheered from the gallery by friends and family and treated to a ukulele version of "America the Beautiful," legislators gathered Jan. 15 for the opening of the 2025 Washington State Legislature. "As long as we stay focused on making sure people are better off by our decisions, we will get through our challenges and we will keep moving this state forward," said Rep. Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, who was elected as speaker of the House for the sixth time. In the...
Meaningful, independent journalism is at a crossroads. Advertisers who once filled newspaper coffers and funded local journalism have shifted resources to the Internet. And although newspapers are reaching more people than ever in print and online, the money that was once available for journalism has gone elsewhere. Nowhere is this more apparent than Olympia's Capitol Campus. Before the press corps was moved to the Capitol building, offices in the old press houses were...
Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson unveiled a budget-cutting plan to ease a projected $12 billion statewide budget deficit during a 2025 legislative preview in Olympia Jan. 9. "Washingtonians expect that we will increase revenue as a last resort. I will not contemplate additional revenue options until we have exhausted efforts to improve efficiency," Ferguson said. Estimates of the deficit vary widely, from $7 billion to $15 billion. To make up the deficit, Ferguson proposes cutting...
Washington State voters want legislators to cut spending but also support spending more on specific programs, according to a recent poll. “People are not anti-government,” said pollster Stuart Elway during a legislative preview session Jan. 9. “People want government to work and to provide needed services but done efficiently and effectively.” Elway established the Cascade PBS/Elway Poll in 1992. This year, 403 registered voters across Washington State were surveyed between Dec. 26 and 30, with phone calls, text message...
The latest attempt to put Washington at the center of nuclear power development is happening at the site of the state's last effort, which mostly failed almost 40 years ago. And one of the state's biggest users of electric power will have a hand in its development. "We're building in the shadow of an unfinished reactor. It'll be constantly on our minds," said Gregory Cullen, vice president for energy services and development at Energy Northwest. The site is Energy Northwest's...
ILWACO - Dungeness crab managers for the mainland West Coast did as expected and delayed opening the commercial Dungeness crab season until at least Dec. 15. Crab have been slow to put on meat and their shells are still too soft - only about 10% are hard enough in the prime area between Klipsan and the mouth of the Columbia. The meat level was 17% when last tested on Nov. 7, far below the 23% requirement. It appears unlikely the season will open before the end of the year....
With 15 inches of new snow and wet weather in the forecast, the North Cascades Highway (State Route 20) is officially closed for the season, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced Monday (Nov. 18). The route was closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) on Friday (Nov. 15). WSDOT said at the time that it would re-evaluate travel conditions before deciding whether to reopen the highway. The Monday announcement was not unexpected, given prevailing weather...
He is 81 years old, a long-time Democrat and a 24-year veteran of the state Legislature. But this year is the last one in which Sen. Sam Hunt will wield a gavel. “It's time to step aside and, and let some younger folks come in,” Hunt said. “I would like to have a January morning where I could sleep in.” Hunt, who lives in Olympia, started in politics when he was just 12 years old, sticking campaign signs in yards around Yakima for former Gov. Albert Rosellini. Hunt’s dad was a...
Washington's ferry system is in jeopardy. It is struggling to meet the demands of its routes, and officials say it may be three to four years before any new ferry can go into service. Currently, 19 ferries serve the island communities of Washington, but the state needs 26 boats to fully fill the sailing schedule. While some are blaming a switch to electric boats for the delay in getting new vessels built, the problems go back nearly 25 years. In 1999, voters approved...
An initiative prohibiting imposition of a state income tax was approved March 5 by the state Legislature. "This is a great day for everyone in Washington," said Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, Walsh. "Codifying Washington's long-standing tradition of opposing any state tax on personal income will help working families and local economies...When common-sense conservative policies lead the way, things get better for everyone." At the hearing on the initiative, every chair in the...
Washington State is recognized for its effective voting processes, but officials say too many ballots are rejected because signatures don't match. "I think we can do a lot better in Washington State," Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall said. "Updating how our offices reach out to voters is a simple step to ensuring both integrity and voter access." Signature verification is done to prove the mailed ballot was filled out by the person it was sent to, but too often, people...
In the mainly white, buttoned down, business suit environment that is the Washington State Legislature, Sen. Rebecca Saldaña stands out. The Seattle Democrat swapped heels for cowboy boots, has Chicana roots, wears brightly colored traditional rebozos and recently lost her hair to chemotherapy. "It's about making sure that whatever makes you feel powerful that you want to wear without feeling that you are putting yourself in an unsafe situation," she said. Saldaña has held t...
A sea of red, white and blue covered the Capitol steps as hundreds of Washingtonians proudly waved American flags and demanded hearings on six initiatives that would roll back taxes, give parents more rights and police more authority. The initiatives funded by the political action group Let's Go Washington all received the requisite number of signatures to be approved for consideration but have yet to receive a hearing from the Legislature. In all, 2.6 million citizens signed...
Money to expand and upgrade the state’s ferry fleet will be included in this year’s supplemental budget, but lawmakers warn funding could go away if voters choose to repeal the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). “If the CCA is repealed, it will have a devastating impact on transportation funding. About one third of our Move Ahead package was funded by CCA,” said Sen. Marko Liias, D- Everett. Move Ahead Washington is a transportation plan adopted in 2022 that invests $17 billion over 16 years in projects statewide. “If the CCA fund...
On the second level of the white and gray marbled Capitol building stands the Governor's office, guarded by a State Patrol trooper stationed outside. On the interior walls are portraits and paintings showcasing past Washington Governors. In the heart of the conference room stands a grand dark wood table surrounded by twelve bulky wood and brown leather chairs, and the one at the head of the table, where Jay Inslee sits, has leather detailing of Washington's State seal at the...
Washingtonians may lose their cherished ultra-late-night sunsets in the summer if Washington state opts for permanent Pacific Standard Time (PST). "If Congress had acted, we would not be here with this bill," remarked Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley. The U.S. Senate, in March 2022, passed the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021 that would have made daylight saving permanent, but it has not been approved by the House. The measure now under consideration in the Legislation would...
A proposal to make voting mandatory drew criticisms from two thousand people in a Legislative hearing Jan. 25. "We are already in a moment of extreme distrust in elections, so you should not be doing anything to further that perception," said Sharon Damoff. Lawmakers mainly dismissed the large number of people signing on to testify, as they believe one organization was responsible. "The election deniers have ramped up this year," Sam Hunt, D-Olympia, said. "Conservative Ladies...
Meaningful, independent journalism is at a crossroads. Advertisers who once filled newspaper coffers and funded local journalism have shifted resources to the Internet. And although newspapers are reaching more people than ever in print and online, the money that was once available for journalism has gone elsewhere. Nowhere is this more apparent than Olympia's Capitol Campus. Before the press corps was moved to the Capitol building, offices in the old press houses were...
