OLYMPIA -- Washington residents are likely to pay an extra 25 cents a month next year for every phone line they have, whether it’s a land line, a cell phone or an internet connected system.The House of Representatives passed an increase Friday in phone taxes…
OLYMPIA -- The House of Representatives returned today in force, if not quite en masse, to handle several bills and get an update on tax discussions with the Senate.But they're expecting to be sent home this afternoon, with no debate or vote on the state's…
OLYMPIA – Idaho Gov. Butch Otter continues to “court” Washington businesses, sending personal letters to their owners that suggest they should move to the Gem State.That’s fair, Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire said Thursday, because the Evergreen State makes similar overtures to businesses in other states,…
OLYMPIA – Small distilleries will be able to produce more liquor under a new law that triples their maximum capacity to 60,000 gallons.The law, signed Thursday by Gov. Chris Gregoire, is a reflection of the fast growth of the Spokane's “craft” distillery, Dry Fly, which…
Democrats may be paying Dino Rossi the ultimate compliment.The guy is not a candidate against Patty Murray -- not yet, anyway, and possibly not never -- and yet they are going after him hammer and tong. Or more accurately, Web site and Twitter.The Democratic Senatorial…
OLYMPIA -- Reports of a "deal" between House and Senate Democratic leaders on the taxes and budget package appear to be greatly exaggerated.The Senate was briefly in session today, passing a bill that allows a 25 cent tax to help fund Enhanced 911 service. Democrats…
OLYMPIA -- Senators are coming back today to do more than just open the session and go right into recess. Democrats have a caucus to discuss progress on talks to figure out a tax plan that solves the problem they've had for months:Namely, that the…
OLYMPIA -- Here's the good news as the Special Session creeps through Day 17: things are waaaay cheaper when most of the honorables are out of town and back home.The initial cost estimates for the Special Session were $18,300 a day, when all the expected…
Turn out the lights.Or at least, that's what will happen at the Capitol Building in Olympia and City Hall in Spokane from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. It's part of a worldwide observance of Earth Hour. Not to be confused with Earth Day,…
OLYMPIA – Using a compromise plan suggested by the governor, House Democrats stripped an increased sales tax out of plans to balance the state budget and countered with higher business taxes.Saturday afternoon they voted 53-42 to stake out different territory in their efforts to combine…
The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cGary Locke Pt. 1www.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorHealth Care ReformOh right, the census.That's why former Washington Gov. and current Commerce Secretary Gary Locke was on the Daily Show Thursday night. The Commerce Department, see, is…
OLYMPIA – Washington counted twice as many people working in “green” jobs last year as in 2008.Although changes in the way jobs were counted are responsible for much of that growth, the state still saw an increase in people building wind turbines, constructing new energy-efficient…
OLYMPIA -- Republican leaders of both house in the Legislature showed clear frustration with the pace -- or lack of it -- thus far in the special session.A few minutes after the state Senate recessed for the day, GOP leaders in the House and Senate…
OLYMPIA -- Secretary of State Sam Reed will have cancer surgery Monday in Seattle, his office announced this morning. He's expected to return to work after a brief recovery period.Reed, 69, was diagnosed recently with the early stages of kidney cancer: "Thanks to early detection…
OLYMPIA -- Legislators continue to say "no, thanks" to the $90 per diem they can receive for the special session.Among those who aren't taking it are:Rep. Kevin Parker, R-SpokaneSen. Tracey Eide, D-Des MoinesSen Paull Shin, D-MukilteoSen. Randy Gordon, D-BellevueAdd them to the names reported earlier…
OLYMPIA -- Debate sometimes gets so heated in the Legislature that the honorables mix their metaphors or jumble their allusions.Today's House debate on the Democrats' "Jobs" bill, which asks for $861 million in bonds to do energy refits in schools around the state, was one…
OLYMPIA – Legislators retraced some of their steps Tuesday from the regular session, re-approving some bills that one chamber supported but the other didn’t before time ran out last weekThe House passed an $861 million bond measure to retrofit public schools and make them more…
OLYMPIA -- The House of Representatives resurrected a bill -- and the arguments for and against -- to sell state bonds to pay for energy updates at school.It was one of the earliest bills to pass the House during the regular session, but stalled in…
OLYMPIA-- Both the Senate and House start up around 10 a.m., with some housekeeping stuff, some caucusing and then plans to "run bills."Which is to say vote on them and likely pass them. Because everything "rebooted" for the special session, each house will have to…
OLYMPIA – The Legislature picked up Monday where it left off Thursday trying close estimated $2.8 billion hole in the state’s operating budget. Legislative leaders said they were closer to agreeing how much to cut and spend, and how much to raise in taxes, but…
OLYMPIA -- The list of senators refusing their $90 per diem for the special session right now stands at 15 -- 12 Republicans and 3 Democrats.Alphabetically, they are:Randi Becker, R-EatonvilleDon Benton, R-VancouverMike Carrell, R-LakewoodKaren Fraser, D-OlympiaMike Hewitt, R-Walla WallaJanea Holmquist, R-Moses LakeJim Honeyford, R-SunnysideDerek Kilmer,…
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire is calling the Legislature back into session starting noon Monday to solve the state's projected $2.8 billion budget shortfall and telling them to do it in seven days.Democratic leaders say ageement, and budget negotiators from both houses will work over…
OLYMPIA – The town of Fairfield takes the American flag seriously – arguably more seriously than any place else in the country. Thursday, the state saluted Fairfield for its 100 years of saluting the flag. With about two dozen current and former residents of the…
OLYMPIA -- Rep. Alex Wood of Spokane got a pre adjournment send off this week, with a resolution in the House honoring him for his seven terms there.Honoring outgoing members is a tradition, of course, but it's also one of the few things that all…
OLYMPIA -- The end of the session -- or what was scheduled to be the end -- is a time when various "legislator of the year" awards are announced. But one that seems to have some currency in the halls of the Capitol went to…
