WA revenue forecasts decline as lawmakers set to release budget proposals; Top Ferguson aide resigns amid hostile workplace allegations

WA revenue forecasts decline as lawmakers set to release budget proposals

FOX 13 — Republican budget writer Sen. Chris Gildon of Puyallup said the revenue forecast confirms legislators should limit spending and avoid implementing new taxes. “Legislative budget writers should take heed and show restraint going forward, especially with the uncertainty about actions at the federal level that could affect our situation,” he said in a statement. On the other hand, Democratic budget leaders said they expected the slight decline in the forecast, highlighting the need for new sources of revenue.

Top Ferguson aide resigns amid hostile workplace allegations

Washington State Standard — Gov. Bob Ferguson’s top advisor and closest political confidant resigned Wednesday amid complaints that he fomented a toxic workplace that contributed to the departure of another key administration official. “I deeply regret that the allegations of a hostile work environment have created an unhelpful distraction that impacts the team’s ability to do their work, as well as my ability to be effective in the near term,” Mike Webb wrote in his resignation letter released by the governor’s office.

HOUSE & SENATE REPUBLICAN MEDIA AVAILABILITY

• “How many and how much?” Democrats want new tax increases to address budget deficit | March 18, 2025

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Why Washington legislators want to add textured hair care to beauty industry training (Washington State Standard)
• WA keeps details of severe workplace injuries, deaths from public (Cascade PBS)
• Microsoft at 50: President Brad Smith talks Olympia, Trump, DEI, TikTok and more (KOMO TV)

CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM

• OPINION: Another increase in the state’s CO2 tax; Another failure by Ecology staff to understand the market (Todd Myers, Washington Policy Center/Clark County Today)

CHILD CARE

• Proposed changes to child care provider qualifications spark debate in Washington (KXLY TV)
• Snohomish County mulls new daycare ordinance to help meet childcare demand (KING TV)

CONGRESS

• WA health leaders join Sen. Cantwell against proposed Medicaid cuts (FOX 13)
• WA congressional delegation tackles landslide preparedness (KPQ Radio)
• Rep. Michael Baumgartner meets with Ukrainian refugee community in Spokane (KREM TV)

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• Spokane County commissioners seek solutions to county jail overcrowding (KREM TV)

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Trump not in contempt in Seattle Children’s gender-affirming care case, judge says (The Seattle Times) $

COURTS (STATE)

• Families sue 2 drivers after fatal Tri-Cities crashes. One was an off-duty WSP trooper (Tri-City Herald) $
• Former Auburn officer appeals murder conviction, claiming legal errors (The Seattle Times) $
• Former Zillah Mayor Gary Clark granted furlough ahead of sentencing in child rape case (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

DRUG CRISIS

• Sheriff’s office finds hallucinogenic drug operation at residence near two Spokane schools (The Spokesman-Review) $

EDUCATION

• Democrat Ortiz-Self defends controversial parental rights bill (MyNorthwest)
• COLUMN: Seattle was told it was ‘disappearing’ its top students. Did SPS hear? (Danny Westneat/The Seattle Times) $

ELECTIONS

• OPINION: Election security shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Defunding DHS programs puts it at risk (Mary Hall, Thurston County Auditor/The Olympian) $

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Washington looks at new agency to build transmission lines (Capital Press) $

ENVIRONMENT

• Panel discusses county’s proposed Critical Areas Regulations ordinance (The Everett Herald) $

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• Could millions of Washington residents get a DOGE refund check? Here’s the latest (Kitsap Sun) $
• Social Security Administration to require in-person identity checks for new and existing recipients (AP)

GUN RIGHTS

• WA gun bill could have major implications for Grant Co. Fair (Columbia Basin Herald) $

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Snohomish County resident identified with measles (The Everett Herald) $

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Seattle University will acquire Cornish College of the Arts (The Seattle Times) $

HOMELESSNESS

• COLUMN: Homeless drug addicts, dealers take over vacant lots from Seattle to Auburn (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

HOUSING

• No permitting fees for affordable housing developers in Olympia? Officials discuss proposal (The Olympian) $
• When social housing could open in Seattle (Axios – Seattle)
• Seattle Council approves housing in Sodo amid controversy (The Seattle Times) $
• Over 200 new homes are being built on JBLM, demand for housing expected to increase (KING TV)
• EDITORIAL: Make vacant strip malls part of solution to WA’s housing crisis (The Seattle Times) $

IMMIGRATION

• ICE defends forced entry in Spokane arrest as legal battle over gang allegations heats up (KOMO TV)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Budget cuts force King Co. Sheriff’s Office to reduce staffing at two precincts (The Center Square)
• Seattle police chief makes first appearance at community engagement meeting (FOX 13)
• COLUMN: ‘We’re being used as pawns’: Guild president slams deputy reductions in unincorporated King County (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

LEGISLATURE

• Kennewick Representative April Connors pushing bill to ease youth job entry barriers (KNDO/KNDU)
• Walla Walla lawmaker proposal to boost small cafés and markets fails in Olympia (KNDO/KNDU)
• Recycling reform in Washington, Kennewick senator warns of bill’s impact on families (KHQ TV)
• District 16 lawmakers address questions about housing bills, budgets at virtual town hall (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin) $
• OPINION: As more of our neighbors go hungry, WA lawmakers must do better (Marcia Wright-Soika, executive director of FamilyWorks and co-chair of Seattle Food Committee, and Jim Wigfall, CEO of Sound Generations/The Seattle Times) $

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Vancouver City Council weighs ‘going big’ by annexing entire urban growth area (The Columbian) $

MEDIA

• Tri-City Herald honored for dogged public records work. ‘People want to know why things happen.’ (Tri-City Herald) $

MILITARY & VETERANS

• Federal judge blocks Trump administration from banning transgender people from military service (AP)

OPEN GOVERNMENT

• EDITORIAL: ‘Legislative privilege’ violates the public trust (The Columbian) $

OPERATING BUDGET

• Washington’s latest budget outlook shows another $845M dent in state revenue (Washington State Standard)
• Washington’s budget deficit grows to $13 billion over the next four years after newest projection (KING TV)
• Trump tariffs, potential cuts could muddy WA’s financial future (Cascade PBS)
• WA sees $845 million drop in state revenue in new budget outlook (The Seattle Times) $
• Clouds in state-revenue forecast: Projected collections through 2029 drop $845 million (The News Tribune) $
• Economic forecast projects Washington to see nearly a billion less in revenue over four years (The Spokesman-Review) $

OTHER STATES

• Oregon lawmakers reveal plan to pay for urgent wildfire costs (The Oregonian) $
• Oregon’s sperm and eggs donors might no longer be anonymous: Bill says offspring have right to know (The Oregonian) $

POLITICS

NATIONAL

• Rep. Smith’s crusade against Democrats’ left wing gets attention, flak (The Seattle Times) $

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Top Gov. Ferguson aide resigns amid workplace complaints (The Seattle Times) $
• Gov. Bob Ferguson visits Grays Harbor County (The Daily World) $
• ‘These folks are heroes’: Four Washington Department of Ecology employees receive state’s top civilian honor for rescuing woman (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Ferguson, WA lawmakers honor Seattle-born guitar icon Jimi Hendrix with Medal of Merit (The News Tribune) $

TRANSPORTATION

• State losing millions? No license plate readers on SR 167 since 2008 (KIRO TV)
• Major Puget Sound area construction project could be delayed amid funding concerns (KING TV)
• Stuffed sloth taken down from perch overlooking I-5 near Bellingham (The Seattle Times) $
• King County Metro to add safety enhancements to current and future buses (The Center Square)
• OPINION: Zero-emission trucking is a noble idea, but Washington isn’t ready to transition yet (Sheri Call, president and CEO of the WA Trucking Associations; Jana Jarvis, president and CEO of the OR Trucking Associations/The News Tribune) $
• OPINION: ‘Michelle Belkot wants to protect your wallet and NOT pay for TriMet’s light rail O&M’ (Rep. John Ley/Clark County Today)

TRIBAL ISSUES

• Clinic closures, firings, buyouts: Pacific Northwest tribes sound alarm about cuts to health care, education and other key services (Investigate West/The Reflector)
• Makah Tribe applies for permit to resume its traditional whale hunt (KNKX Radio)

WATER

• Camas could be the first community in Washington to remove fluoride from drinking water (The Columbian) $

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