WA State Democrats thinking about revenue options after governor’s criticism; Search is on in Washington Legislature for new tax options

WA Democrats thinking about revenue options after governor’s criticism

FOX 13 — House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, told reporters Wednesday there are other revenue options lawmakers could explore. “There will be tax increases. It’s figuring out the right kind of balance and making sure that we’re able to minimize any harm that comes to regular, everyday Washingtonians,” she said. Senate Republican budget leader Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, argued his caucus’ budget proposal without any new taxes is better aligned with what the governor wants. The senator criticized all the Democratic revenue proposals – especially lifting the 1% cap on property tax revenue growth, saying it is “the most regressive tax that is out there.”

Search is on in Washington Legislature for new tax options

Washington State Standard — Republican legislators were glad the governor dissed the wealth tax but disappointed he didn’t go further. “I wish he had also pushed back against the Democrats’ property-tax increase, as that will take billions upon billions from families of all income levels — but maybe it will be next,” Sen. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco, said in a statement.

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Unemployment benefits for striking workers being considered in Oregon, Washington (AP)
• Economists blast calculations for ‘bombshell’ Trump tariffs as faulty while stocks plunge (States Newsroom/Washington State Standard)

CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM

• Canada ends nationwide carbon tax after Washington voters kept one (KVI Radio)

CAPITAL BUDGET

• 18th District lawmakers ensure vital funding for projects in SW Washington are included in proposed 2025-27 House capital budget (Clark County Today)
• Odessa groundwater funding in proposed Senate budget (Columbia Basin Herald) $

CONGRESS

• Republicans moving ahead with Trump’s ‘big’ bill of tax breaks and spending cuts amid tariff uproar (AP)

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Judge blocks Trump’s $11B in health cuts to WA, other states (The Seattle Times) $
• States sue to block Trump’s election order, saying it violates the Constitution (AP)
• Alliance Defending Freedom files civil rights complaint against WIAA, Washington state (MyNorthwest)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• WA man granted clemency by Inslee indicted on drug trafficking charges (The Seattle Times) $
• Seattle Police Department introduces new plan to tackle violent crime (KOMO TV)
• Youth crime in Spokane County shows shift toward more violent offenses (KXLY TV)

CYBERSECURITY

• Sea-Tac Airport begins alerting victims in last year’s cyberattack (The Seattle Times) $

EARLY LEARNING

• DOGE cuts hit learning program for low-income children in western WA (KING TV)

EDUCATION

• WA lawmakers race to fix illegal special ed cap before April 27 deadline (The Center Square)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• WA pulls funding for Puget Sound tidal energy project (The Seattle Times) $
• Washington officials: Natural gas company violated safety rules in 2023 fatal Toppenish fire (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Federal funding cuts have Pierce County health officials ‘reimagining’ services (The News Tribune) $
• Snohomish County Health Department faces up to $3.4 million in cuts (The Everett Herald) $
• A Seattle doctor was investigated for fertility fraud (KUOW Radio)
• EDITORIAL: Proposed care cuts diminish public health (The Columbian) $

HIGHER EDUCATION

• WSU students protest directives to take away LGBTQ+ protections and DEI programs (The Lewiston Tribune) $
• Grant given to CWU to close racial gaps in STEM (KNDO/KNDU)
• EDITORIAL: Surprising bright spot in higher ed shows what’s worth saving (The Seattle Times) $

HOMELESSNESS

• Spokane expands scattered-site model, opens women’s shelter amid closure (The Center Square)

HOUSING

• Washington rent control bill sparks debate on housing stability and supply issues in Spokane (KHQ TV)
• Rent stabilization bill makes progress in Olympia (Columbia Basin Herald) $
• Washington AG takes software company to court over rental price-fixing allegations (Washington State Standard)
• Spring wakes up the Seattle-area housing market (The Seattle Times) $
• What Trump’s tariffs mean for the Tri-Cities housing shortage and home prices (Tri-City Herald) $

IMMIGRATION

• Refugees are still coming to Washington state despite Trump’s policies. But help is hard to find (KUOW Radio)
• Fear and heartbreak: Families react to mass immigration arrests in Washington (FOX 13)
• COLUMN: WA Democrats now openly defending businesses hiring illegal immigrants (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

INSURANCE

• WA insurance restitution bill fails to advance in Legislature (KONA Radio)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• SPD chief launches new ‘Violent Crime Prevention’ plan to boost public safety (MyNorthwest)
• WSP trooper’s blood-alcohol level was 0.17% 6 hours after fatal crash (MyNorthwest)

LEGISLATURE

• WA State Senate Members of Color Caucus: ‘Washington is and will remain a welcoming state’ (MyNorthwest)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Spokane Mayor highlights potential risks to funding as state budget negotiations continue (KREM TV)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• Decade of reductions at Naval Hospital Bremerton push out retirees, beneficiaries (Kitsap Sun) $

OPERATING BUDGET

• Ferguson: House and Senate budgets have ‘far too much taxes’ (Capital Press) $
• Proposal to close Yakima Valley School moves forward (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

OTHER STATES

• Oregon Democrats unveil ambitious road funding proposal. Now the haggling begins (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Oregon bill would mandate health care employers track, report workplace violence (The Oregonian) $
• Trump promised to deport millions of immigrant workers. Oregon bill would bar employers from capitalizing on that fear (The Oregonian) $

PARENTAL RIGHTS

• Divides over gender identity flare as Washington debates parent access in schools (NW News Network)
• OPINION: Legislature tries to gut Parents’ Bill of Rights (Rep. Jeremie Dufault/Yakima Herald-Republic)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• WA commerce secretary reviewing digital navigator program grants, citing audit concerns (KOMO TV)

TAXES

• WA House Finance Committee considers three major tax increase proposals (The Center Square)
• Puget Sound commerce leaders denounce state’s proposed ‘kamikaze economic policy’ (The Center Square)
• Washington small businesses and organizations push back on tax proposals (FOX 13)
• Costco, Microsoft, Amazon among 60+ biz leaders asking WA lawmakers to avoid tax hikes (The News Tribune) $

TRANSPORTATION

• Analyst: Elon Musk’s Tesla ‘biggest beneficiary’ of WA EV mandates, policies (The Center Square)
• Seattle’s e-scooters are hot. Helmets are not. The brain injuries can be ‘profound’ (KUOW Radio)
• OPINION: Washington’s EV sales far short of next year’s state mandate (Todd Myers, Washington Policy Center/Clark County Today)

TRANSPORTATION BUDGET

• WA House passes $15.2B transportation budget, setting stage for talks with Senate (The Center Square)
• Washington Legislature approves $15.2 billion transportation budget (KOMO TV)
• Washington lawmakers considering fee based on fuel efficiency to fund transportation (KAPP/KVEW)
• OPINION: As WA lawmakers, we often disagree. But not on the transportation bill (Sen. Marko Liias and Sen. Curtis King/The Seattle Times) $

WATER

• Plenty of snow for Oregon, but too little in parched Washington (Capital Press) $
• Yakima Basin water allotment for junior rights holders up to 58% following wet March (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

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