OLYMPIA – Among the bromides passed off as great wisdom during this special session of the Legislature is that budget negotiators should not – nay, absolutely must not, and therefore do not – negotiate a budget in the media. This has been mentioned at various…
Loyal reader and former colleague Dan Hansen pointed out a glitch in a recent Saturday Night Live skit that probably wouldn't cause the New York staff to blink but should have struck folks in the Inland Northwest as bizarre. The skit makes fun of House…
OLYMPIA -- Leaders of the coalition that controls the Senate say they have made a counter offer on the budget to the House Democrats, who yesterday announced a $33.6 billion spending plan for 2013-15. It's a "comprehensive" offer, Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina said. It spends…
About one Washington state wedding in five between early December and the end of March involved a same-sex couple, state figures show. The state Department of Health said nearly 2,500 same-sex couples were married in Washington between Dec. 6, when a voter approved law took…
U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott received the wrath of conservatives and FOX News for his questioning of groups who were questioned about their activities by the IRS when applying for a tax exemption. Yesterday he squared off with Fox's Megyn Kelly over his testimony, and whether…
Rep. Ross Hunter explains a point in the new House budget proposal, flanked by other Democrats from the Senate and House. OLYMPIA — House Democrats offered to trim back spending and drop many proposals on taxes as part of a compromise they say would allow…
OLYMPIA -- House and Senate Democrats will release their latest 2013-15 operating budget plan this afternoon, with a press conference at 12:15 p.m. and a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee at 1:30 p.m. Whether it's a budget that can pass both houses in the…
Inslee deploys a fire shelter. OLYMPIA -- Jay Inslee completed one of the annual spring rituals for a Washington governor this morning: passing the test for minimum wildfire training in the advance of the state's fire season. To do this, one must walk a mile…
Inslee criticizes Senate plan to change estate tax. OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee, clearly frustrated over a lack of progress in budget negotiations and a plan to fix a problem with the estate tax, accused the Senate today of hurting school children to help multi-millionaires.…
OLYMPIA -- The Senate got through its pro forma session this morning in 34 seconds. That was about 5 seconds short of the record, but still in the neighborhood of "don't blink or you'll miss it." Gov. Jay Inslee has a noon press conference to…
OLYMPIA -- The Senate's top Democrat accused the coalition that controls the chamber of driving the state toward a government shutdown by stalling on budget negotiations. Sen. Ed Murray of Seattle said the Legislature is moving backwards in trying to reach an agreement on the…
OLYMPIA -- Legislators from a northern Puget Sound district want to rename the Skagit River bridge for the state trooper who was killed there last week. The delegation from the 40th District said this morning the state should rename the bridge in honor of Trooper…
Memorial to Sen. Mike Carrell in the Senate chamber. OLYMPIA -- The Senate appears poised for action this afternoon on as yet unscheduled bills. With a portrait of the late Sen. Mike Carrell looking on and a state flag folded ceremonially on his desk, the…
OLYMPIA – Politics, like nature, abhors a vacuum. So it’s not surprising that into the vacuum that is the Legislature’s special session – where the most special thing about it to date may be that so little has been done – those with nothing to…
OLYMPIA -- A rare public work day for the Senate's budget writers, who reportedly have been meeting privately -- albeit unsuccessfully to this point -- on a compromise for the state's 2013-15 operating budget. The Senate Ways and Means Committee has a hearing this morning…
OLYMPIA -- The state Department of Transportation shouldn't let trucks with oversized loads on routes where the bridges are too small, state Sen. Mike Baumgartner said Thursday. The Spokane Republican introduced a bill that would require the DOT to better label the height of state…
Ricin is big news in New York. Could this be one time where Spokane was ahead of the curve?
OLYMPIA -- Over objections that the Legislature was unconstitutionally reaching into the past to collect taxes, the House passed a change to the estate tax law that attempts to erase a loss in court. House Bill 2064 passed on a 51-40 vote after Democrats described…
OLYMPIA -- The House of Representatives returns to the floor this morning, with members expecting to vote on a bill involving the state's estate tax. After a work schedule that might charitably be described as light, that may seem a heavy lift, considering the bill…
One of the founders of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream said today his Vermont-based company will back a Washington initiative to require all foods to be labeled if they contain genetically modified ingredients. Jerry Greenfield said Wednesday the company would give away "tons" of ice…
OLYMPIA -- A bill that would fix what some believe is a loophole in the estate tax created by a state Supreme Court ruling passed a House committee Wednesday. Supporters said it would provide fairness to the state tax system by requiring the wealthiest residents…
OLYMPIA -- Time is running out for the work the Legislature needs to do in the special session, Gov. Jay Inslee said today. Inslee called a committee vote earlier in the morning on legislation go fix a problem with the state's estate tax "good progress",…
OLYMPIA -- The State Senate held a moment of silence today for Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, who died earlier this morning. Carrell, 69, a 19-year veteran of the Legislature, was a champion of legislation to help at-risk youth, fight sex trafficking, help members of the…
OLYMPIA -- The House Finance Committee holds one of its first hearings of the special session this morning on a proposal to revamp the estate and transfer tax on some property sales. You remember the special session. The one that started 17 days ago and…
OLYMPIA -- Washington will spend $150,000 from the Economic Development Strategic Reserve for a program to let the public know that businesses in and around Skagit County are open, even though a section of the I-5 bridge is down. Gov. Jay Inslee today said he…
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