OLYMPIA -- Senate Democrats pushed changes to voter-approved tax-raising restrictions out of committee today, moving one of the more contentious issues of the legislative session toward a floor debate.Democrats on the Senate Ways and Means Committee rejected several amendments proposed by Republicans that would have…
OLYMPIA -- Some obituaries were written over the weekend for bills that "died" in the Senate last week. That is, they didn't get out of their committee after having a hearing .It's a list with enough diversity to make everyone shed a tear and heave…
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire says there are too many questions about last week's court ruling on the state's definition of "basic education" to say whether she supports an appeal.Billions of dollars of state school funding could be at risk in the decision by a…
OLYMPIA -- The Senate Ways and Means Committee is expected to vote this afternoon on a bill that would suspend supermajorities for tax increases. If it comes out of committee as expected, it could go to a floor debate on Tuesday.Elsewhere, the House Ways and…
OLYMPIA – One of the surest things about this legislative session is that police officers will be honored.The only real question is how many proposals, from better pension benefits for slain officers’ families to constitutional amendments to keep more bad guys in jail, will be…
Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Dave Stevens said early this afternoon that he has officially informed his boss, Prosecutor Steve Tucker, that he is running against him in the August primary.The meeting, which started about 10:30 a.m., lasted a minute and a half or less, Stevens…
OLYMPIA -- The state Senate has passed a resolution affirming that they really, really like the Boeiing Co.Even though it moved its headquarters to Chicago and plans to open an assembly line for its new jetliner in South Carolina, the state appreciates all the aerospace…
Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Dave Stevens should find out more about his employment status this morning when he meets with his boss, Prosecutor Steve Tucker.Stevens announced this week that he will challenge Tucker in the August primary. Both are Republicans. On Thursday, Tucker said “all…
OLYMPIA -- A resolution honoring basketball legend John Stockton for his careers at Gonzaga Prep, Gonzaga University and the Utah Jazz has been introduced in the state House of Representatives.It honors Stockton, the recent Hall of Fame inductee, for his basketball accomplishments, contributions to the…
Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Dave Stevens announced Thursday that he'll challenge his boss, Prosecutor Steve Tucker, in the August primary.Both Tucker and Stevens are Republicans, and the battle is off to a tough start."Until I came here, I'd never seen a total lack of leadership,"…
Sometimes, real truth is found in the funny pages. Or in this era, on Web sites devoted to comics.Artist Jorge Cham at www.phdcomics.com hit the nail on the head about polling better than several sociology and journalism text books we've perused, and we'll try to…
OLYMPIA -- Testimony for and against a proposal to suspend some provisions of Initiative 960 and permanently change others is over. The Senate Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to have an "executive session" at some future date. Rest of the day's hearing is scheduled…
OLYMPIA --Last panel of speakers for and against a bill to make changes to I-960. Mike Brown of the state Fire Chiefs said fire departments need help with 9-1-1 upgrades, hazardous materials equipment.He urges it to pass.Scott Dahlman with the Washington Farm Bureau says his…
OLYMPIA -- The chairwoman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee called Initiative 960 "clearly unconstitutional," but a Republican member of the panel strongly disagreed."It's clearly unconstitutional," Sen. Margarita Prentice said after another witness argued against any changes in a law passed by voters. "The…
OLYMPIA-- Jerry Reilly of the Eldercare Alliance urged the Ways and Means Committee to approve changes to Initiative 960."Please return majority rule to the state of Washington," Rielly said. Then use majority rule to pass a budget that meets the state's needs..
OLYMPIA -- Seth Dawson, a representative of human service organizations, urged the Legislature to temporarily suspend Initiative 960's requirements for super-majority support for tax increases."There's nothing pretty about amending this initiative..., There's nothing pretty about enacting these cuts," Dawson said."I don't envy your position. The…
OLYMPIA -- A critic of a proposal to suspend some aspects of Initiative 960 complained at the speed at which the bill got a hearing.Jim Copeland of Spanaway, who said he lost his business, noted the bill was announced at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday and in…
OLYMPIA -- Bob Williams of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, urged legislators not to "gut" Initative 960.The Legislature couldn't balance its budget when it was taking in record amounts of revenue, he said. "Your total spending is up $13 billion."Every budget that Gov. Gregoire has submitted…
OLYMPIA -- Tim Eyman, the prime sponsor of Initiative 960, warned "citizens are watching arrogant Democrats who think the law doesn't apply to them."This bill means you are above the Constitution. Voters have made clear that if state government is going to raise taxes, it…
OLYMPIA -- Nick Federici of the low income housing alliance, says the state doesn't have a spending problem, it has a revenue problem. It cut its budget last year.Without this bill, the Legislature has no options other than to cut, he saidIt would be irresponsible…
OLYMPIA -- Sen. Pam Roach warns that repealing I-960 will result in a higher percentage of voters supporting a new initiative to reinstate the two-thirds majority needed to raise taxes. I-960 failed in the city of Seattle, Roach said, but it passed with big margins…
OLYMPIA -- "What does the phrase will of the people mean to you," Sen. Don Benton asked the Ways and Means Committee.Of course Initiative 960 makes raising taxes more difficult, Benton said. But that's what the people wanted. It also makes government more transparent."Too many…
OLYMPIA -- The Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing on proposed changes to Initiative 960, the law that requires a two-thirds majority to pass a tax increase, is just starting.Spin Control will attempt to blog the highlights. Thus far, it has mainly been milling about,…
OLYMPIA -- The first step in Senate Democrats' efforts to put together a budget that could include tax increases may take place this afternoon, when a bill to suspend Initiative 960 through June 2011 is scheduled for a committee hearing.The bill, SB 6834, is described…
OLYMPIA-- When it comes to consumer complaints, collection agencies are at the top of the list for people who called the state attorney general's office last year.That's up from No. 3 in 2008, the AG's office reports. Collection agencies beat out telecommunications problems, last year's…
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