Latest from The Spokesman-Review

• Budget impasse testing tempers

  April 7, 2012 in City on Page A5 OLYMPIA – With no budget agreement and time running out in an extended session, tensions boiled over Friday evening as Senate leaders of both parties accused the other side of …

• Deal on state budget remains elusive

  April 5, 2012 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – With less than a week remaining in a special session designed to solve a billion-dollar budget problem, House Democrats pushed out a new state spending proposal and a … 2

• Senate GOP unveils new budget plan

  March 16, 2012 in City on Page A6 OLYMPIA – For the first three days of Washington’s special session, everything involving the state’s troubled budget was done behind closed doors. That went by the wayside Thursday. Senate Republicans …

• Gregoire proposes oil fee

  January 11, 2012 in City on Page A5 OLYMPIA – Washington’s roads, bridges and ferries need billions of dollars in maintenance that the state doesn’t have, Gov. Chris Gregoire said. To help fix that, she wants the Legislature … 4

• ‘Dreadful’ budget cuts loom

    October 28, 2011 in City on Page A5 OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire released a list Thursday of possible choices to slash $2 billion from the state budget, more than a fourth of that total from public schools … 92

• Budget cushion sinks

  June 17, 2011 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – The state’s most likely revenue outlook for the next two years dropped slightly Wednesday as the state’s chief economist revised his projections downward about $183 million because of … 4

• Don’t release ‘worst of the worst,’ prison officials beg

  April 29, 2011 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – A legislative proposal to release some inmates a few months early as a budget-saving measure is a bad idea, Washington prison officials warned Thursday. The state already ordered … 1

• Senate outlines big cuts

  April 13, 2011 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Senate spending plans for the next two years propose cuts for public schools, colleges, health care and social service programs. College tuition would be higher, paychecks to state … 17

• Senate proposes spending less, cutting more

  April 12, 2011 in City, Region OLYMPIA – Senate spending plans for the next two years propose cuts for public schools, colleges, health care and social service programs. College tuition would be higher, paychecks to state …

• Washington state facing deeper cuts

  March 18, 2011 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – The gap between Washington’s projected state revenues and current expenses grew to about $5.1 billion for the coming biennium, prompting a call from Gov. Chris Gregoire for the … 40

• Editorial: Derailed Senate bill would help Washington Legislature rebuild trust

  February 20, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 If the term “transparency” is getting a little shopworn in political parlance, maybe that’s because it’s heard so much yet demonstrated too little. The Washington Legislature could reverse that pattern, … 1

• Gregoire’s optimism met with caution

  January 12, 2011 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Amid the tension of a state budget some $4.6 billion out of whack and proposals to cut programs for some of the state’s poorest and most vulnerable, Gov. … 2

• Gregoire calls for bold approach to financial crisis

  January 11, 2011 in City, News, Region OLYMPIA – Amid the tension of a state budget some $4.6 billion out of whack and proposals to cut programs for some of the state’s poorest and most vulnerable, Gov. … 7

• Gregoire’s budget lays out harsh cuts

    December 16, 2010 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Saying the state faces an economic crisis that requires deep cuts and government restructuring, Gov. Chris Gregoire on Wednesday proposed eliminating some state programs for schools and some … 32

• Gregoire budget slashes social programs, schools

  December 15, 2010 in City Saying the state faces an economic crisis, Gov. Chris Gregoire is proposing deep cuts in some of the state programs for schools and the poor. 50

• $1.2 billion shortfall looms for Washington

  November 19, 2010 in City on Page A7 OLYMPIA – The state is still being buffeted by the “Great Recession” and will have about $1.2 billion less than previously expected through mid-2013, Arun Raha, the state’s chief economist … 2

• Final decision on state cuts, layoffs to come by Oct. 1

    September 17, 2010 in City on Page A1 State health care programs could shrink or disappear in the coming months, at least one state prison could close and college classes could be more crowded next semester as state … 8

• Gregoire signs budget bill

  May 5, 2010 in City on Page A6 OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a new spending plan Tuesday designed to close an estimated $2.8 billion gap in the state’s operating budget with what she called a “fair … 1

• Senators spar over tax hike package

  March 7, 2010 in City on Page B1 OLYMPIA – After more than four hours of sometimes contentious debate over a proposal to raise taxes on consumers and a wide range of businesses, Senate Democrats and Republicans put … 1

• Senate delays vote on tax plan

  March 6, 2010 in City OLYMPIA – After more than four hours of sometimes contentious debate over a proposal to raise taxes on consumers and a wide range of businesses, Senate Democrats and Republicans put … 4

• Senate panel OKs tax hike

  March 6, 2010 in City on Page B1 OLYMPIA – Despite warnings of wrath from voters in November, Senate Democrats moved a step closer to a vote on some $890 million in tax increases to fix the state’s … 1

• Governor signs I-960 suspension

  February 25, 2010 in City on Page A7 OLYMPIA – There was no drama, but plenty of theatrics, as Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a bill Wednesday making it easier for the Legislature to raise taxes. Gregoire signed a … 2