OLYMPIA – Raising the tax on hazardous substances first levied by voters in 1988 is a bad idea, leaders of the Senate Transportation Committee said Monday.It would add about 3 cents in taxes to a gallon of gasoline, might make voters skeptical about any future…
OLYMPIA -- Stop me if you've heard this one: The Senate is going to vote today on whether to suspend portions of the law that requires two-third supermajorities for tax increases. Democrats see it as a necessary step in getting something constructive done on a…
OLYMPIA – The Legislature is moving toward a fight over taxes that will ultimately come down to which ones to raise.Although Republicans and some Democrats will say “none,” odds are the debate will be between bumping one big tax, like the sales tax, or a…
OLYMPIA -- With the session about two-thirds gone, some legislators are using the time this weekend or next week to check in with the voters and talkabout what's happened so far, and what's up next.In the Spokane area, legislators from the 6th District have town…
OLYMPIA -- Sports analogies in politics are often imprecise and overused, but they can be fun.After "cut off" this week, when bills that don't get out of their original house are for all intents and purposes dead, Senate Democratic staff compiled a spreadsheet of whose…
OLYMPIA -- The Legislature passes a calendar point today with Day 40 of a 60 day session. As any 4th grader learning fractions will tell you 40/60 = 4/6 = 2/3.Quite a bit -- primarly budget and tax/no tax debates -- will have to be…
OLYMPIA -- Getting $35 million for the North Spokane corridor was a big deal, even over on the other side of the state. Gov. Chris Gregoire, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown and Sen. Chris Marr all made the trip over for the ceremony. Rep. John…
OLYMPIA -- The House and Senate have pro forma sessions today to accommodate full hearing schedules.After several late nights in the House of Represenatives debating the suspension of Initiative 960, legislators might be happy to know that today is "Massage Awareness Day." They can become…
OLYMPIA – Debate over the need for supermajorities to raise taxes stretched into its second night Wednesday in the House of Representatives and invoked everything from the Gospel to the law of the jungle. There were warnings about taking away the voice of the people,…
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed this afternoon a series of tax increases as part of what she calls a "balanced approach" to the worst economic times in more than 70 years. She said the Legislature should pass a budget that makes about $1 billion…
OLYMPIA -- Having killed many bills on Tuesday, the Legislature returns to committee hearings today for the bills that made it out of one chamber, and now must be considered by another chamber.The House didn't vote on a proposal to suspend parts of Initiative 960…
OLYMPIA -- The state House of Representatives is settling in for a late night on their version of the bill to suspend tax-raising restrictions in Initiative 960.House Democrats have made some changes to ESSB 6130, which means if it passes in its present form it…
OLYMPIA -- A proposed charge on court filings to help pay for publicly financed state Supreme Court races is more like a fee than a tax, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen just ruled.That is likely to make it difficult to pass a Senate bill that would…
OLYMPIA -- The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on April 28 whether the names on ballot measure petitions are public records.The Washington Secretary of State's office announced this afternoon that the date has been set on a case that is getting national attention because…
OLYMPIA -- The House approved a bill that gives local governments more authority to impose a one-tenth of a cent local sales taxes through 2014, primarily for public safety concerns, without submitting them to a public vote.It also allows counties to levy a utility tax,…
It's always nice when other parts of the country notice us in the Inland Northwest, right?OK, not always. The New York Times has a large story on the Tea Party Movement that prominently features folks from North Idaho and Eastern Washington. And by prominently, we…
OLYMPIA -- Spin Control took a three-day weekend to celebrate President's Day (our favorite is Millard Fillmore). The Legislature did not. In fact, they've been busy moving bills through the two houses in advance of today's cutoff, so a fair amount if action took place…
OLYMPIA -- At 5 p.m. today, some legislative coaches will turn into pumpkins -- or some other type of vegetation that will be thrown on the compost heap.That's because today is one of several "cut off" days. A bill must be out of its house…
OLYMPIA – Is it better to be incompetent or duplicitous?That’s the choice being set up for Senate Democrats by initiative entrepreneur Tim Eyman after last week’s double vote on suspending portions of a ballot measure requiring supermajorities for tax increases.The proposed suspension wasn’t a surprise.…
OLYMPIA -- Ben Cabildo's appointment to the Spokane and Spokane Falls Community Colleges Board of Trustees was confirmed today by the Senate.Cabildo, a director of AHANA/Community Minded Enterprises and chairman of the Unity in the Community celebration, was cited for "commitment to communities of color…
OLYMPIA -- While the Legislature has a busy schedule of votes over (mostly) noncontroversial bills, the real attention today is on the revenue forecast.It's out, and it's a good news, bad news kind of thing: Bad news that it's down, good news that it's only…
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner has opted not to make another change in the leadership of the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department. After firing one director in 2007 and forcing the resignation of another late year, Verner has nominated interim Park Director Leroy Eadie to take…
OLYMPIA – A proposal to raise the state sales tax by 1 cent on the dollar, and tie it to high levels of unemployment, was introduced Thursday in the state House of Representatives.Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane and one of the House Bill 3183’s 15 co-sponsors,…
Vice President Joe Biden makes a stop in Seattle Friday morning to help raise money for Sen. Patty Murray's re-election campaign.Normally Spin Control wouldn't care because a) it's closed to the press except for a pool reporter which ain't us; 2) it's in Seattle, which…
OLYMPIA -- After a late night Wednesday on I-960 changes, the Senate is scheduled to debate a package of education reforms today. Both house could take floor action into the evening, but probably not as 11:15 p.m., which is when the Senate adjourned Wednesday.United Way…
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