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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Olympia archive for July 2008

THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2008

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2008

More on taxes...

As I wrote in the post below, the private Economic Opportunity Institute is proposing a Washington state "high incomes" tax aimed at people making at least $100,000 a year.The group also looked at a couple of other tax increases, each of which would add hundreds…

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Toxic Toys legislation goes national...

Months after Washington passed a "toxic toys" bill aimed at limited lead, phthalates and cadmium levels, Congress is reportedly poised to pass a bill setting national standards for lead and phthalates in toys and other childrens' goods.According to the Washington Toxics Coalition, a U.S. House…

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That's the sound of lobbyists saddling up...

For years, lawmakers have been saying that someone should take a look at Washington's hundreds of tax breaks – some dating back to the Great Depression and further – and see if they're really still justified.Well, someone is. The state's Joint Legislative Audit and Review…

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Climate Action Team...

The state's "Climate Action Team" came to Spokane last week, seeking input on ways to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in Washington.On the way, they stopped at an Ellensburg-area wind farm. They met at the Spokane Convention Center, awarded high marks for its green, energy-efficient design. And…

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FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2008

The Pam Roach Report...

...is coming. Roach, the often controversial state senator, will soon be blogging from Beijing.Representing Gov. Gregoire, on August 7th I will present the leaders of Sichuan Province, our sister state, with the promise of a new, privately-funded school building. she writes. She's primarily in China,…

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TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2008



Jobs down slightly...

Mixed news on the economy:The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate rose slightly in June, from 5.3 percent to 5.5 percent, according to the state Department of Employment Security. The number of jobs is holding steady, the agency says, but more people -- particularly recent graduates -- are…

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MONDAY, JULY 21, 2008

106 days to go...

Republican response to the ethics complaint filed earlier today by Democrats against state Attorney General Rob McKenna:"The state Democrats are so desperate to resuscitate the floundering campaign of their lackluster and ethically-challenged attorney general candidate, John Ladenburg, that they've wildly fired a shot in their…

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Rolling on roads near you...

The "National Bush Legacy Bus Tour" is rolling into Boise today, according to its website, and from there heads to Seattle.Touted as a "45-foot, 28-ton museum on wheels," the bus is no traveling presidential library. Painted on the outside:"The Bush legacy: Economy in crisis, endless…

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Meanwhile...

I return, tanned, rested, and astonished at all the stuff that's happened in the past week. In no particular order:-The Seattle Times' Andrew Garber has a good overview of where the $8 billion in new spending under Gov. Gregoire went. From the story:• About half…

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MONDAY, JULY 14, 2008

The also-rans...

Barring a stunning election surprise, it will be Gregoire versus Rossi on the November ballot. But there are eight other folks in the running, most of whom you've probably never heard of.Among the contenders:-an oft-arrested "international man of diplomacy,"-candidates promoting hemp, holistic medicine and year-round…

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FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2008

This day in history...

From the Secretary of State's "This day in history" website function:This Day in Washington HistoryJuly 11, 1889People living on the North Side of Spokane complained that unsupervised prisoners from chain gangs were roving around the city, bothering and frightening people. Some had roved so far…

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THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2008

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2008


Endorsements and counting coup...

The Pierce County sheriff's deputies' union last night endorsed Attorney General Rob McKenna for re-election after interviewing both McKenna and his Democratic opponent, Pierce County executive (and former local prosecutor) John Ladenburg.Political reporters get a lot of "endorsed by" press releases this time of year,…

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Update from the Sunshine Committee...

From this morning's paper:OLYMPIA – Despite concerns by open-government advocates over two recent court rulings, a state task force looks unlikely to recommend changing the law that allows public officials and attorneys to keep some of their discussions and work secret."It's not broken, so please…

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MONDAY, JULY 7, 2008


Today Thimphu, tomorrow Olympia...

The national assembly of Bhutan has banned lawmakers from toting their laptops into the capitol, Thomson Reuters reports, "for fear they might spend their time playing computer games."Lawmakers in the Himalayan kingdom, which until recently was a monarchy, overruled objections by lawmakers who said the…

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Short takes and breaking news from the Washington Legislature and the state capital.



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