Washington legislators are very close to approving tens of millions of dollars in new buildings and other work in the Spokane region.The capital budget, expected to be approved by Sunday, includes new community college buildings, $4.3 million for a central Spokane YMCA/YWCA, and $350,000 in…
Also Friday, lawmakers released a transportation budget that includes $28 million more for the North Spokane Corridor project and $250,000 for a turn lane at the dangerous intersection of Highway 195 and Cheney Spokane Road.Lawmakers had hoped for more for both projects. But in a…
Just 10 hours after unveiling the details, House lawmakers on Friday night approved a $35 billion state budget that includes about $4 billion in cuts.The budget, which now goes to the Senate for approval, passed on a largely party-line vote, 54 to 42. It includes…
Is here.Tip when looking for your piece of the pie: Adobe's search function is your friend.UPDATE: Here's the more-helpful Agency Detail and highlights. Start with these, rather than the budget bill itself.
Total budget (two years): $31.4 billion.-Ending fund balance: $830 million.K-12 schools: total spending: $13.4 billion-net cut after federal stimulus dollars are included: $794 million-I-732 suspended for two years-I-728 reduced by $600 million-K-4 class-size reduction fully funded-Average per school district cut : $2.6 percent-one learning improvement…
Lawmakers, as has been written, reached agreement on the budget last night. $4 billion in cuts, we're told. People will die. Big tuition hikes. Cuts to the Basic Health Plan, to mental health, to hospitals, to the social safety net. "Everything got whacked," one lawmaker…
Rep. Eric Pettigrew, D-Seattle, confirms that his plan for a third-of-a-cent sales tax hike to offset deep budget cuts has collapsed. Proponents, including House Speaker Frank Chopp, have been unable to round up enough votes. "We looked at the vote count, and it didn't look…
This is an idea that legislative advocates should have had weeks ago: The folks at the private Washington State Budget and Policy Center have put together a handy online calculator to estimate how much a person would receive if the state working families tax rebate…
Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, who had earlier proposed a state income tax on high-earners, now says that changing the state's tax system is still the right thing to do, but that this is not the year to do it."Many members of the Senate…
"Sens. Lisa Brown, Joe McDermott, Adam Kline, Jeanne Kohl-Welles and other member of the Senate Democratic Caucus with hold a press conference today at 12:15 p.m. in the majority caucus room about the need for a continued dialogue with the public about our unfair tax…
Rep. Mike Armstrong, R-Wenatchee, suffered what's being described as a "mild heart attack" last night at the state capitol. He's been hospitalized, and doctors have scheduled an angioplasty this afternoon to clear a blockage in some of his heart blood vessels.Armstrong, on his way to…
After days of last-minute, late-night negotiations, Democratic budget writers in Olympia agreed Wednesday on a state budget with about $4 billion in cuts to schools, higher education, social services, health care and other state services.Lawmakers, facing a $9 billion budget shortfall, avoided much deeper cuts…
The House and Senate have agreed on a budget, with highlights likely to be released late tonight."Our two sticking points were higher education and K-12," said Rep. Kelli Linville, D-Bellingham.
No details yet, but word around the capitol is that lawmakers have reached a deal on the budget. Stay tuned for details as they become available.
After days of negotiation, House and Senate lawmakers are very close to agreement on a budget. "All the big points have been resolved," said Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina. There's still some talk going on over minor things, he said, but things are close.
A small, single-engine plane is circling the state capitol, trailing a huge banner reading "NO HUSKY STADIUM BAILOUT TAX!"(Click the read-more line for another photo.)
Gov. Chris Gregoire today signed into law House Bill 1596, which declares that the right of a mother to breastfeed her child in public places is a civil right protected by Washington's anti-discrimination law."This new law will eliminate one more obstacle that women are faced…
My colleague Jim Camden has a good story today about the backstory on one of the dullest-sounding bills of the session: Senate Bill 5322, "Creating a five-member option for civil service commissions for sheriffs' offices."The genesis of the bill is anything but dull. Writes Camden:An…
A proposed billion-dollar sales tax hike barely cleared its first committee Tuesday, 8 votes to 7."We are at a time when people need our help," said Rep. Eric Pettigrew, D-Seattle, urging lawmakers to support his plan. "The most vulnerable need us."If the House and Senate…
-House and Senate budget writers seem close to a deal, and are shooting to release the final version Wednesday. "We're really coming along. We're exchanging paper. We're getting close," said Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton. -Taxes: A House committee is slated to vote tomorrow on a…
In a move designed to stave off the closure of dozens of state parks, the state House of Representatives voted Monday night to ask motorists to pay an extra $5 a year per car.Over Republican objections, House Bill 2339 passed, 56 to 42. The bill…
Speaking of money for local public projects, Airway Heights is the big winner in a new list of water projects proposed for state and federal stimulus dollars.Gov. Chris Gregoire and the state Department of Ecology are backing $140 million in projects, with nearly half that…
Spokane's University District and the area between Pullman and Moscow, Idaho stand to get millions of dollars in improvements under a bill lawmakers approved Monday.Senate Bill 5045 now goes to Gov. Chris Gregoire to be signed into law.The bill allows local governments to designate "revitalization…
Stuff's moving quickly, so here's a quick overview of recent developments, etc:-The polling came back Friday on a proposed third-of-a-cent sales tax hike, and the numbers prompted an on-again, off-again Saturday, with groups and lawmakers weighing whether to press ahead with a public vote on…
Short takes and breaking news from the Washington Legislature and the state capital.
