WA Democrats’ budget proposals intensify debate on new taxes, spending
The Seattle Times — Republicans in the House and the Senate were critical of the proposals. Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, on Monday said the House budget proposal would “crush Washington’s working families.” “This proposal includes a devastating set of tax increases — the largest in state history — all so Democrats can continue their record-breaking spending,” Couture said. “If this budget passes, it will drive jobs out of Washington state, price people out of their homes and hurt the working class.” $
Which taxes are on the table for Washington state lawmakers
Axios – Seattle — Another set of proposals would lift the current cap on annual property tax collections, which state law says can grow by only 1% per year without voter approval. Under the Senate’s plan, state and local governments could increase their property tax collections each year by the rate of inflation plus population growth. The House plan would let property tax collections grow by up to 3% yearly.
AGRICULTURE
BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR
- WA Democrats push bill to pay picketers — GOP says it tilts the field (The Center Square)
- EDITORIAL: Tribe, port’s new alliance a bright spot in unsteady economic times (The Seattle Times) $
COURTS (FEDERAL)
- WA joins multi-state lawsuit to block Trump’s dismantling of Dept. of Education (FOX 13)
- US Supreme Court declines to revive landmark climate suit brought by young Oregonians (Oregon Capital Chronicle/Oregon Public Broadcasting)
COURTS (STATE)
- Watch: Natural gas initiative backers plan to take their case to WA Supreme Court (The Center Square)
- King Co. judge strikes down natural gas access vote known as I-2066 (KVI Radio)
- Yakima County making progress on public defender shortage amid ongoing lawsuit (KAPP/KVEW)
- COLUMN: ‘A total insult:’ WA Building Industry Association lambasts judge’s ‘absurd’ ruling on natural gas initiative (John Curley KIRO Radio Host/MyNorthwest)
CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY
DRUG CRISIS
EARLY LEARNING
EDUCATION
- OPINION: Ninth Grade Success leads to student success, saves state money (Charles Anthony, Principal of Mountain View High School, and Danny Orrantia, Principal of Evergreen High School in Evergreen Public Schools/The Reflector)
- OPINION: Ninth Grade Success Team has proven its value (Dr. José Rivera, Grandview School District assistant superintendent for teaching and learning/Yakima Herald-Republic)
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE
- Postmaster General Louis DeJoy resigns after 5 years in the position (AP)
- After mass firings, rehired Gifford Pinchot National Forest workers return to work (The Columbian) $
- ‘We need to fight.’ Hundreds of incensed Tri-Citians push back on Trump, DOGE and Musk (Tri-City Herald) $
GUN RIGHTS
HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS
- Clark County health officials urge residents to stay up to date on vaccinations after two confirmed measles cases in Washington (The Columbian) $
- OPINION: Tri-Cities seniors rely on Medicaid. Protect Apple Health in Columbia Basin (Parker Rieckelman, administrator of Regency Canyon Lakes nursing center in Kennewick/Tri-City Herald) $
HOMELESSNESS
HOUSING
- WA bill would slash parking mandates to boost housing supply statewide (The Center Square)
- Rewriting the rules on garbage leases (The Washington Observer) $
IMMIGRATION
- Washington bill would speed up pardon reviews for immigrants facing deportation (Washington State Standard)
- UW Medicine employee, green card holder detained by ICE in Tacoma (KUOW Radio)
LAW ENFORCEMENT
- WA police departments oppose academy’s ‘outrageous’ ban on Sig Sauer P320 handguns (KING TV)
- ‘Big Brother’ in Stanwood? Police Chief responds to concerns over license plate cameras (MyNorthwest)
- Lawsuit claims Pasco police shot domestic violence hostage in head due to poor training (Tri-City Herald) $
LEGISLATURE
- Legislative Watch: Week of March 24th (The Wenatchee World) $
- 20th District state lawmakers still have proposed legislation in play as legislative session approaches homestretch (The Chronicle)
- Lawmakers hear mixed opinions about plan to close Yakima Valley School and Rainier School (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
- State Legislature honors late former Rep. Bill Brumsickle in ‘solemn joint session’ (The Chronicle)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Debate lingers over Washington bill’s impact on public health policies (The Center Square)
- Selecting a new King County executive is multifaceted process (The Seattle Times) $
- Delivery companies, businesses urge changes to proposed Seattle deactivation law (The Center Square)
- Spokane City Council considers outlawing employers discriminating against the homeless (The Spokesman-Review) $
- EDITORIAL: Clark County Council creates costly problem (The Columbian) $
LONG-TERM CARE
MENTAL HEALTH
OPERATING BUDGET
- Democrats in Washington Legislature pitch competing budget plans (Washington State Standard)
- Washington Democratic lawmakers release operating budget proposals (KING TV)
- Taxes, furloughs and funding for cops: WA Democrats tee up budget negotiations in Olympia (NW News Network)
- Democratic lawmakers unveil budget proposals; call on higher taxes for wealthy and companies (The Spokesman-Review) $
- Washington Senate and House Democrats unveil budget plans; sparks debate over taxes and spending priorities (KNDO/KNDU)
- OPINION: Senate Democrat budget proposal raises taxes and overspends – as predicted (Sen. John Braun/Clark County Today)
OTHER STATES
- Hundreds of Oregon bills are dead for this year (The Oregonian) $
- Judge blocks Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s requirement for union labor on many state projects (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
- Oregon lawmakers consider sending kids in foster care out of state, again. Only this time, with less transparency (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
- OPINION: Idaho Tax Commission releases state tax burden rankings (Sam Cardwell, Policy Analyst for the Mountain States Policy Center/The Center Square)
PARENTAL RIGHTS
POLITICS
LEGISLATURE
- Late Washington state powerbroker Frank Chopp left a lasting legacy (KUOW Radio)
- Statement from the family on the passing of Frank Chopp, former Washington House Speaker (KLCK Radio/Gorge Country Media)
STATE
TAXES
- ‘Zombie tax increases’: GOP rep derides WA Senate Dems’ $78.5B budget proposal (The Center Square)
- New taxes included in House, Senate Democrats’ plans to fix WA’s gaping budget hole (The Olympian) $
- Unpacking “dueling” tax packages from House and Senate Democrats (The Washington Observer) $
- OPINION: State Democrats’ hunger for more of your money is insatiable (John McCroskey, former Lewis County sheriff/The Chronicle)
- OPINION: Progressive WA needs a progressive tax structure to match (Molly Gallagher, policy lead at the Washington Statewide Poverty Action Network/The Seattle Times) $
TRANSPORTATION
- New bill aims to curb reckless driving in Washington with harsher penalties (KNDO/KNDU)
- NTSB warns 2 bridges in Washington could have similar fate to Francis Scott Key Bridge (Kitsap Sun) $
- Dow Constantine officially named as Sound Transit’s CEO nominee (The Seattle Times) $
- Sound Transit has found its preferred next CEO. Will he survive a board vote Thursday? (The News Tribune) $
TRANSPORTATION BUDGET
- Gas tax increases key to fueling Washington transportation budgets (Washington State Standard)
- WA Senate Democrats propose gas tax hike to address transportation budget shortfall (KOMO TV)
- Washington lawmakers propose gas tax hike as part of transportation budget (KING TV)
- Senate transportation plan proposes first state gas tax hike since 2016 (KIRO TV)
- WA transportation budget lays out options: All cuts or new taxes, fees (The Seattle Times) $
WATER
- Snowpack totals and February dry stretch has Washington in a state of drought (The Reflector)
- Spokane voters may be asked to rejoin 41-year-old aquifer district in which homeowners pay $15 a year (The Spokesman-Review) $
- Yakima Tieton canal faces uneasy future as district prepares for irrigation season (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
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