Washington State Lt. Gov. Brad Owen said on Thursday one possible solution for the difference of opinion over the budget that’s made necessary a 30-special session would be for Democrats to stop extending the courtesy of a proxy vote to ailing GOP Sen. Mike Carrell. “At some point … you might have to say...
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The Republican majority on the Clark County Board of Commissioners was subjected to several hours of vitriol stretching into the early hours of Tuesday morning from liberals incensed by the appointment of longtime 17th District State Sen. Don Benton to head the county’s Environmental Services Department. Commissioners Dave Madore and Tom Mielke agreed last...
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Clark County’s commissioners, the controversy over last week’s appointment of Sen. Don Benton to head the local Department of Environmental Services still ringing in their ears, are expected to further incense liberals tonight by voting to abolish a host of business-related fees and regulations in an effort to attract employers to the community. “Unless...
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It isn’t as eye-catching as the bigger-ticket items in the package, but a component of the transportation budget bill passed by the Washington State Legislature last week calling for a work group to study refinancing options for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge could ultimately save toll payers millions on that project and be a model...
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Twenty-sixth District Rep. Jan Angel wasted no time transitioning from governing to campaign mode on Monday, launching her active bid to claim the Senate seat left vacant in November when Gig Harbor Democrat Derek Kilmer was elected to Congress, succeeding longtime U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks. Incumbent candidates are banned from raising money while the...
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Gov. Jay Inslee was forced to order a special session of the Washington State Legislature when lawmakers adjourned on Sunday far short of an agreement on a two-year budget. Republicans had urged the governor to start the extra session on Monday to underscore the urgency of completing the task as soon as possible. Democrats...
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Even as the Washington State Legislature races to reconcile diametrically opposing views in the House and Senate regarding education, transportation and the operating budget in time to adjourn by Sunday, Gov. Jay Inslee signaled on Wednesday he still hasn’t given up on several pieces of social legislation that had been presumed dead. Asked if...
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Washington State’s House Transportation Committee last week passed what its supporters called a bare-bones, no-frills budget. On Monday, the frills were added — as was a funding package to pay for them. At the heart of the $8.4 billion package was a proposed 10-cent gas tax, along with a proposal to increase various weight...
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For The Olympia Report A bipartisan agreement regarding the Columbia River Crossing project allowed the Senate Transportation Committee to move forward today with its proposed budget. With 10 days to go in the 2013 legislative session, the budget was being held up by concerns about some $80 million that is designated for the CRC...
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The Washington State House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to approve an $8.4 billion transportation package its supporters insist is a bare-bones, maintenance-only proposal that includes no new major construction projects. The package is $1.6 billion less than the plan unveiled by Democrats in February, but still relies heavily on a 10-cent-per-gallon increase in...
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