Sometimes, real truth is found in the funny pages. Or in this era, on Web sites devoted to comics.Artist Jorge Cham at www.phdcomics.com hit the nail on the head about polling better than several sociology and journalism text books we've perused, and we'll try to…
OLYMPIA -- Testimony for and against a proposal to suspend some provisions of Initiative 960 and permanently change others is over. The Senate Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to have an "executive session" at some future date. Rest of the day's hearing is scheduled…
OLYMPIA --Last panel of speakers for and against a bill to make changes to I-960. Mike Brown of the state Fire Chiefs said fire departments need help with 9-1-1 upgrades, hazardous materials equipment.He urges it to pass.Scott Dahlman with the Washington Farm Bureau says his…
OLYMPIA -- The chairwoman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee called Initiative 960 "clearly unconstitutional," but a Republican member of the panel strongly disagreed."It's clearly unconstitutional," Sen. Margarita Prentice said after another witness argued against any changes in a law passed by voters. "The…
OLYMPIA-- Jerry Reilly of the Eldercare Alliance urged the Ways and Means Committee to approve changes to Initiative 960."Please return majority rule to the state of Washington," Rielly said. Then use majority rule to pass a budget that meets the state's needs..
OLYMPIA -- Seth Dawson, a representative of human service organizations, urged the Legislature to temporarily suspend Initiative 960's requirements for super-majority support for tax increases."There's nothing pretty about amending this initiative..., There's nothing pretty about enacting these cuts," Dawson said."I don't envy your position. The…
OLYMPIA -- A critic of a proposal to suspend some aspects of Initiative 960 complained at the speed at which the bill got a hearing.Jim Copeland of Spanaway, who said he lost his business, noted the bill was announced at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday and in…
OLYMPIA -- Bob Williams of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, urged legislators not to "gut" Initative 960.The Legislature couldn't balance its budget when it was taking in record amounts of revenue, he said. "Your total spending is up $13 billion."Every budget that Gov. Gregoire has submitted…
OLYMPIA -- Tim Eyman, the prime sponsor of Initiative 960, warned "citizens are watching arrogant Democrats who think the law doesn't apply to them."This bill means you are above the Constitution. Voters have made clear that if state government is going to raise taxes, it…
OLYMPIA -- Nick Federici of the low income housing alliance, says the state doesn't have a spending problem, it has a revenue problem. It cut its budget last year.Without this bill, the Legislature has no options other than to cut, he saidIt would be irresponsible…
OLYMPIA -- Sen. Pam Roach warns that repealing I-960 will result in a higher percentage of voters supporting a new initiative to reinstate the two-thirds majority needed to raise taxes. I-960 failed in the city of Seattle, Roach said, but it passed with big margins…
OLYMPIA -- "What does the phrase will of the people mean to you," Sen. Don Benton asked the Ways and Means Committee.Of course Initiative 960 makes raising taxes more difficult, Benton said. But that's what the people wanted. It also makes government more transparent."Too many…
OLYMPIA -- The Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing on proposed changes to Initiative 960, the law that requires a two-thirds majority to pass a tax increase, is just starting.Spin Control will attempt to blog the highlights. Thus far, it has mainly been milling about,…
OLYMPIA -- The first step in Senate Democrats' efforts to put together a budget that could include tax increases may take place this afternoon, when a bill to suspend Initiative 960 through June 2011 is scheduled for a committee hearing.The bill, SB 6834, is described…
OLYMPIA-- When it comes to consumer complaints, collection agencies are at the top of the list for people who called the state attorney general's office last year.That's up from No. 3 in 2008, the AG's office reports. Collection agencies beat out telecommunications problems, last year's…
OLYMPIA -- Senate Democrats formally proposed this afternoon a plan to suspend the super majority required to raise taxes through the middle of 2011 and make other permanent changes to the tax-limiting initiative voters approved two years agoSenate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, called Initiative…
OLYMPIA -- Both houses of the Legislature passed resolutions honoring law enforcement officers killed in West Side incidents late last year. The House of Representatives then gave overwhelming support to bills that were spawned by those slayings.By a vote of 96-0, the House approved changes…
OLYMPIA -- Sen. Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup, took exception to a portion of Sunday's column regarding the pace of legislative action on addressing the state's budget crisis. He offered an op-ed column, which didn't fit the editorial page's guidelines, and will be trimmed down to a…
OLYMPIA -- Senate just passed unanimously the resolution honoring fallen law enforcement officers.Action moves to the House, which is considering a similar resolution.
OLYMPIA -- The Senate is voting this morning on a resolution to honor the law enforcement officers killed last year in the Puget Sound area. Look for it to pass unanimously as soon as speeches are done.Later in the morning they'll be voting on other…
OLYMPIA – The dispute between Spokane’s two biggest hospitals spilled over into the legislative session Tuesday as a Senate panel considered changing a law that would determine how a judge could settle any impasse.The dispute involves Inland Northwest Health Services, a non-profit jointly operated by…
OLYMPIA – A state agency has used illegal traps to kill moles around the Capitol and the governor’s mansion for about a decade, ever since voters banned them with an initiative.That surprised another state agency, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, which enforces the law…
OLYMPIA -- Today is the day that policy bills in the House have to get out of their committees, or else.Or else what? Well, in most cases, if they involve policy rather than money, they're dead. Thanks to amendments, complicated rules, and some members's abilities…
An update on story posted earlierOLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire said she’s confident the federal government will come up with some $435 million in money for Medicaid reimbursements over the next 18 months, easing somewhat the cuts the state would have to make on health…
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire said she's confident the federal government will come up with some $435 million in money for Medicaid reimbursements over the next 18 months, easing somewhat the cuts the state would have to make on health care spending.At a morning press…
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