As Sen. Brian Weinstein stuggles to get his home buyer's bill of rights through the House of Representatives, Seattle blogger David Goldstein recently floated an interesting theory about what might be going on behind the scenes.After an interpersonal meltdown last year over homeowners legislation, Weinstein's…
The 81,000-member state teacher's union is running radio ads that pointedly pin the blame for suspending teacher cost-of-living increases on Gov. Chris Gregoire's main Republican challenger this year -- and urges her and lawmakers to do better."Remember Dino Rossi?" the Washington Education Association ad begins.…
the finest source of fake news on the Internet: "Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results of 2008 Election Early."Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early
-that's liberal blogger (and KIRO talk-show host again, for a fill-in stint) David Goldstein, on Ralph Nader's weekend announcement that he's running for president again.
One of the coups that House budget writers pulled off this week was plugging an extra $50 million into housing assistance, including help for November's flood victims in southwest Washington, money for a special quick-response fund so affordable-housing builders can buy property quickly and a…
As lawmakers ponder ways to curtail Washington's greenhouse-gas emissions (land-use planning, cleaner cars, etc.), the animal-rights group PETA is offering up what it says is a better way: Stop eating meat.This morning, the group sent a letter to Gov. Chris Gregoire claiming that meat consumption…
The University of Washington's Washington Poll has interesting new results out this morning in both the presidential and state gubernatorial races.The researchers contacted 300 people, initially surveying them in October and then again this month to gauge if and how public opinion is shifting. (Stats:…
Two dead bills involving new fees on your car -- both of which were dead on arrival when lawmakers filed them this year -- continue to live on in the Internet, where they're spurring get-a-load-of-this blog posts and angry calls to action. (And it's working.…
Trying to set up what the Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown termed an economic "one-two punch" to help families, lawmakers yesterday voted to launch a program that would send tens of millions of dollars in checks to some Washington families.Because of the state's slim budget…
Little-known fact: drug companies can see what your doctor's prescribing and use the information to tailor the pitches of their salespeople.A bill approved late Monday night by the state Senate would ban that. Proponents say the practice likely drives up costs – are the salespeople…
For a dead bill, Sen. Eric Oemig's SB 6291 apparently touched a nerve.The bill, a tongue-in-cheek poke at conservative rhetoric, would have withheld state utility project money from rural communities unless local voters acknowledge that the money is "government welfare."The Kirkland Democrat said he wanted…
Washington will have $423 million less than expected in revenue for the current biennium, state revenue forecaster ChangMook Sohn predicted minutes ago. (Sohn, also widely expected to run for state treasurer, also announced that this will be his last forecast.)As state lawmakers try to hash…
has been turning up at legislative hearings lately, and it's always interesting.Hill is apparently a colorful fixture at Tacoma-area government meetings and a legislative candidate. As a candidate, Robert "The Traveller" Hill (his chosen monicker and spelling)has proferred a diverse agenda of policy ideas, including…
Tomorrow, at 4 p.m., the state's economic weatherman, Chang Mook Sohn, will predict the state of Washington's treasury in the coming months and years.Few, if anyone, expect it to be good news. Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown has said she wouldn't be surprised to see…
At last.After years of second-city status, Spokane would finally get its due under a bill passed Wednesday by the Washington state Senate.Senate Bill 5318 would require state fish and wildlife officials to work with their American and Canadian counterparts to protect a massive wildlife corridor…
The first bill cutoff fell on Friday, another yesterday, and the next one early next week. Here, courtesy some unfortunate at the Senate Democratic caucus who traditionally has to compile a list each year, are some of the casualties so far:SB 6228: Reducing phosphorus in…
Give the Service Employees International Union credit for being fast on its feet. As Congress is moving ahead with a plan to mail out millions of dollars in checks as an economic stimulus, the union's members are arguing that the state could get a similar…
Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, both headquartered in Seattle, are trying to put the brakes on SB 6269, an airline passengers' bill of rights.The bill, patterned on one in New York, requires that passengers get things like drinks, food and medical care if they're stranded…
That's the question that a judge in Thurston County will soon have to decide.Foes of a proposed initiative to allow assisted suicide for terminally ill people are challenging the ballot title and ballot summary, saying the language written by the state Attorney General's office uses…
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire – a Democratic superdelegate who announced late last week that's she was backing Obama – was asked by a reporter Monday if the Clinton-leaning superdelegates should change their votes to reflect Obama's strong win here in Saturday's caucuses. (For more on…
After a decade in Olympia, state Rep. Lynn Schindler, R-Otis Orchards, says she's decided not to run for re-election this fall."Ten years is a long time," said Schindler, 63. She and her husband are building a new home in Liberty Lake, she said, and would…
Details re: Michelle Obama appearance in Spokane tomorrow: She'll be at the downtown Fox Theater (1001 W. Sprague St.). Doors open at 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but organizers are strongly encouraging people to RSVP. You can register online…
Janet Huckabee is tentatively coming to Kirkland on Friday, according to Joe Fuiten, a conservative pastor in Bothell who is backing the candidacy of the former Arksansas governor.
As her husband heads to Seattle for an appearance Friday, Michelle Obama is coming to Spokane for a free public event.Both times and places to be announced.