Latest from The Spokesman-Review

• Both sides win issues in hard fought state budget

  April 12, 2012 in City on Page A5 OLYMPIA – For almost 91 days the Legislature wrestled with a looming budget problem. For the first 90, it was even odds, at best, whether the Legislature would win. The … 4

• Councilwoman seeks to unseat state Senate majority leader

  March 28, 2012 in City on Page A5 The Democratic majority leader of the Washington Senate is facing her first reelection challenge by an opponent with a winning campaign history. Spokane City Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin, a Republican, launched …

• Lawmakers at budget impasse

  March 8, 2012 in City on Page A5 OLYMPIA – The Legislature is headed into overtime over its troubled budget, although like most things dealing with spending this year, there are significant disagreements on the whats and whens … 2

• Senate budget includes funds for Sally’s

  March 8, 2012 in City on Page A6 Funding for the Salvation Army’s Sally’s House, a safe harbor for children who have been abused or neglected, or whose parents have been jailed, was included in a budget passed … 1

• Sally’s House serves as children’s haven

  March 5, 2012 in City on Page A1 Three-year-old Kate lived in a dog crate in a meth house in Spokane and walked on hands and knees like an animal. Winston lived in a home with no running … 22

• Spin Control: Neither side has corner on budget transparency

  March 4, 2012 in City on Page B3 OLYMPIA – As the state Senate descended into an extended match of political jujitsu Friday, the word of the night – perhaps the entire legislative session – was “transparency.” It … 1

• Washington Senate OKs GOP budget

  March 4, 2012 in City on Page B1 OLYMPIA – A $30 billion budget drafted by minority Republicans passed the Senate early Saturday morning after more than nine hours of sometimes contentious debate and parliamentary maneuvering. That spending … 15

• Senate Democrats offer state budget

  February 29, 2012 in City on Page A5 OLYMPIA – Democrats in control of the state Senate want fewer cuts in key programs than there were in the budgets proposed last year by Gov. Chris Gregoire and earlier … 2

• State also faces a deficit of understanding the other guy

  December 23, 2011 in City on Page A5 So Kevin Parker said this great thing the other day about the state budget: “We can’t just cut, cut, cut.” My thoughts exactly. Which was not what I expected to … 16

• State Senate approves partial budget fix

  December 15, 2011 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Realizing it wouldn’t find $2 billion in budget savings in 30 days, the Legislature settled Wednesday on a fourth of that in 17 days, and called it quits … 3

• Gregoire to seek half-cent sales tax hike

  November 21, 2011 in News OLYMPIA — Voters could be asked to approve a half-cent sales tax increase next March to help replace some of the $1.7 billion in cuts the Legislature will be asked … 69

• Shadle students discuss budget with Gregoire

  October 29, 2011 in City on Page B1 If Chris Gregoire gets tired of being Washington’s governor, she might have a future as a Shadle Park High School economics teacher. She might, anyway, if the state weren’t making … 3

• State wants employees to pay more for health care

  October 27, 2011 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire wants state employees to pay more for their health insurance, and is asking union leaders to reopen labor contracts. Their initial response: Not unless businesses … 20

• Gregoire to set special session

  September 22, 2011 in City on Page A1 CLE ELUM, Wash. – The state’s economic outlook is likely to get worse in the next two months. Until she knows how much worse, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Wednesday she … 1

• State economist cites ‘sinking feeling of pessimism’

  August 12, 2011 in City on Page A5 OLYMPIA – Washington’s economic outlook for the next two years has gone from cautiously optimistic to “a sinking feeling of pessimism,” the state’s chief economist said Thursday. “The risk of … 1

• Pessimism darkening Washington’s economic forecast

  August 11, 2011 in News, Region Washington’s economic outlook for the next two years has gone from cautiously optimistic to “a sinking feeling of pessimism,” the state’s chief economist said Thursday. 5

• Gregoire: Two’s enough

  June 14, 2011 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Chris Gregoire, who became governor of Washington in the midst of controversy and managed the state during some of its greatest economic adversity, said Monday she won’t seek … 34

• Deal cuts hours, pay for state workers

  December 15, 2010 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Union leaders for state workers have agreed tentatively to cuts in wages and increases in health premiums for the next two years. Union officials and Gov. Chris Gregoire, … 16

• Gregoire beefs up collection force for business taxes

  December 1, 2010 in City on Page A7 OLYMPIA – Facing revenue shortfalls for the next 30 months, Washington state is making changes in its tax collecting agency to go after businesses that aren’t paying what they owe, … 4

• Lawmakers’ deadline arrives with few budget proposals

  November 30, 2010 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Warning that every month is critical in solving the state’s looming budget shortfall, Gov. Chris Gregoire tried Monday to prod legislators into suggesting budget cuts more palatable than … 4

• Gregoire still waiting for alternative spending plans

  November 29, 2010 Warning that every month is critical in solving the state’s looming budget shortfall, Gov. Chris Gregoire tried Monday to prod legislators into suggesting budget cuts more palatable than hers. 15

• Letter details targeted cuts to Medicaid services

  November 25, 2010 in City on Page A1 Thousands of Washington’s poorest residents will receive a letter early next month informing them that they will lose health care services in the coming year as the state cuts Medicaid … 82

• State targets wildlife budgets

  November 14, 2010 in Outdoors on Page C13 OLYMPIA – Some fishing and hunting opportunities are almost certain to decline as Washington’s state budget woes continue. Even though wildlife officials have drafted a blueprint for the first across-the-board …

• Airway Heights prison to lose about 45 jobs

  November 11, 2010 in City on Page A7 Cuts at Washington state prisons will eliminate about 45 jobs at Airway Heights Corrections Center and could cancel a rehabilitative program designed to prepare inmates for re-entry to society. “It’s … 5

• GOP gains mean more of the same at Idaho Statehouse

  November 7, 2010 in Idaho on Page A1 BOISE – While much of the nation endorsed a sharp change in political direction Tuesday, Idaho went its own way – the same way it’s headed for the past four … 4

• State leaders see tighter coffer, bipartisan tilt

  November 7, 2010 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Washington politicians who had any doubt the public is in no mood for more taxes should have had that cleared up Tuesday. For the budget struggles ahead next … 19

• Care oversight office loses funding

  November 4, 2010 in City on Page A1 The future of the state office charged with protecting the rights of residents of nursing homes and assisted-living centers is in doubt after officials learned it will lose a third … 10

• College presidents plead for state funding

  October 21, 2010 in City on Page A6 SEATTLE – The Legislature doesn’t get back to work for about three months, but leaders of Washington’s public colleges and universities began their fight for a share of dwindling state … 2

• Furlough day for many Washington state employees

  October 11, 2010 in City While Columbus Day is a holiday for federal workers, Monday is an unpaid furlough day for tens of thousands of Washington state employees at dozens of agencies. 26

• Rossi’s earmark stance questioned

  September 10, 2010 in City on Page A6 Republican Dino Rossi’s latest television commercial repeats an objection to certain types of federal spending known as earmarks that has become a hallmark of his campaign against incumbent U.S. Sen. … 6

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