WA governor pressed to veto $1.8B piece of Democrats’ tax bill; UW condemns violent protests, vows to enhance campus safety measures

WA governor pressed to veto $1.8B piece of Democrats’ tax bill

Washington State Standard — House Bill 2081 would affect an estimated 191,000 taxpayers and is projected to bring in nearly $2.1 billion for the budget that begins July 1, and $5.6 billion over four years. The House bill, which passed over the strenuous objections of Republican lawmakers, would permanently increase the state’s two primary business and occupation tax rates on gross proceeds — 0.471% and 0.484% — to 0.5%, starting Jan. 1, 2027. Those would be the first increases to what’s known as the B&O tax rate since 1983, according to Democrats.

UW condemns violent protests, vows to enhance campus safety measures

KOMO TV — New, destructive protests at the University of Washington that included dumpster fires and occupation of the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building (IEB), where self-proclaimed pro-Palestinian protestors smashed high-tech engineering equipment, are being slammed by both the university and groups that have been working for more than 18 months to end antisemitism on campus. The UW said it’s “committed to maintaining a secure learning and research environment and strongly condemns this illegal building occupation and the antisemitic statement that was issued by a suspended student group Monday.”

AGRICULTURE

• WA wildlife crop damage law signed (Columbia Basin Herald) $

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Clark County staffing companies brace for tax expansion awaiting governor’s signature (The Columbian) $

CAPITAL BUDGET

• Othello receives $1 million capital budget allocation for water reuse facility (Columbia Basin Herald) $

COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES

• OPINION: Want a higher birthrate? Make having babies safer, more affordable (Robin Pickering, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Public Health in the School of Health Sciences at Gonzaga University/The Seattle Times) $

CONGRESS

• WA’s congressional lawmakers press for reversal of millions in canceled DOJ grants (Washington State Standard)
• Patty Murray grills VA secretary over planned layoffs, handling of computer system rollout (The Spokesman-Review) $

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Supreme Court allows Trump ban on transgender members of the military to take effect, for now (AP)

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• COLUMN: ‘Big One’ will hit one day; today’s the day to prepare (Tom Burke/Everett Herald) $

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Chelan County PUD negotiates power, land agreement with nuclear fusion company Helion (The Wenatchee World) $

ENVIRONMENT

• Spokane’s recycling bin blues: Many plastics end up incinerated despite residents’ best efforts (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Yakima County landfills receive $1 million to reduce methane emissions (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• U.S. Justice Department investigating new Washington law requiring clergy to report child abuse (NW News Network)
• EDITORIAL: Keep WA-B.C. ties strong despite D.C. bluster (The Seattle Times) $

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Data breach compromises info of 1,000 patients from Edmonds hospital (The Everett Herald) $
• EDITORIAL: Merger’s demise victory for patients, community (The Columbian) $

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Pro-Palestinian protesters cause $1M in damage to UW engineering building, equipment (KOMO TV)
• Sen. Braun praises UW officials for response to Monday protests, calls for prosecutions (Clark County Today)
• Trump administration opens antisemitism probe into UW after protest unrest (Axios – Seattle)
• Riley Gaines UW speech against trans athletes met with protestors, harassment (MyNorthwest)
• CWU trustees to review cuts to student newspaper and magazine next week (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
• OPINION: We must affirm the principles that have guided higher education (Daniel J. Morrissey, professor and former dean at Gonzaga University Law School/The Spokesman-Review) $

HOMELESSNESS

• Spokane City Council sets stage for homelessness overhaul amid ongoing tensions (The Center Square)
• It’s supposed to bring medical care to the homeless. Why isn’t it operational? (The News Tribune) $

HOUSING

• Gov. Ferguson expected to sign rent control bill that caps increases at 7% (AP/KOMO TV)
• Higher taxes, insurance and HOA fees strain homeowners as affordability worsens (Puget Sound Business Journal) $
• Seattle-area spring housing market arrives with mixed signals (The Seattle Times) $

IMMIGRATION

• Washington’s immigrant rights orgs mobilize amid deportation push (Cascade PBS)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• WA police academy pays deputy $500K over sexual harassment lawsuit (FOX 13)
• Tacoma Interim Police Chief Patti Jackson discusses new role, violent crime, and building trust (KING TV)

LEGISLATURE

• OPINION: What the 2025 legislature tells us about why Washington’s government keeps failing (Todd Myers, Washington Policy Center/Clark County Today)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• King County executive’s ‘200-day plan,’ has new sales tax, federal fight (The Seattle Times) $
• Watch: Seattle mayor signs bills to boost downtown storefronts, save housing projects (The Center Square)
• COLUMN: Council member faces ethics complaint for trans ordinance, called ‘Nazi’ in unhinged voice mail (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

OTHER STATES

• Oregon school districts grapple with budget woes as federal funding hangs in the balance (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

PARKS

• Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge rebuild is at an impasse 2 years after fire (The Seattle Times) $

RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Railroad repair shop expansion could bring jobs to struggling Pend Oreille County (KXLY TV)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• As Real ID deadline becomes reality, WA wait times stretch really long (The Seattle Times) $

TAXES

• OPINION: Legislative Democrats found their villain (Anthony Anton, is president and CEO of the Washington Hospitality Association, and Tammie Hetrick, president and CEO of the Washington Food Industry Association/The Spokesman-Review) $

TRANSPORTATION

• WSDOT still seeking cause of Hood Canal Bridge jam (The Seattle Times) $
• As WA ferries falter, a hydrofoil water taxi makes waves in Seattle (FOX 13)
• Over 150 Sea-Tac aircraft fuelers vote ‘overwhelmingly’ to authorize strike (MyNorthwest)
• Sea-Tac Airport levels up with retro gaming lounge (Axios – Seattle)
• FBI offering $10,000 reward as it continues to investigate increase in aircraft laser strikes at Spokane airport (KREM TV)
• Light rail ridership: Will new Redmond stations fill empty Eastside trains? (The Seattle Times) $

TRANSPORTATION BUDGET

• Sen. Muzzall successfully worked to get $900k in state budget to engineer suicide prevention at Deception Pass Bridge (Whidbey News-Times) $

WATER

• Mattawa in line for additional water rights (Columbia Basin Herald) $

WEATHER & CLIMATE

• Washington boosts climate accountability; governor signs Kennewick lawmaker’s bill (KHQ TV)

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