Inslee, Democrats use your tax dollars to support anti-initiative propaganda
Now that the general election voting period is open, watch for opponents of the money-saving initiatives on the ballot to crank their attacks up another level. You may have already seen ads opposing Initiative 2124, which would make our state’s long-term care payroll tax optional. Those ads are funded largely by the labor union that […]
Approve I-2124 to get a pay raise, end government’s monopoly on long-term care coverage
All four of the citizen initiatives on the upcoming general election ballot would let people keep more of their own money. That alone is a good reason to support each. Initiative 2124 stands out among those measures, as it literally offers a fast track to a larger paycheck. The passage of I-2124 would give many […]
John Braun: Pass I-2109 to end tax on capital gains
There are many reasons to repeal Washington’s tax on income from capital gains by approving Initiative 2109. One is that Washington voters, when asked about an income tax, have already said “no” 11 times. The vote folks may remember best was from 2010.That ballot measure would have taxed the top 3% of incomes in Washington. […]
John Braun: Say no to lies and economic injustice by voting yes on Initiative 2117
There’s a school of thought that says people don’t start paying close attention to election campaigns until after Labor Day, when summer family activities are brought to an end by the start of a new academic year. Whether that’s accurate or not, we also are approximately five weeks away from the beginning of Washington’s general-election […]
WAGOP files lawsuit claiming ballots cured by King County invalid
With only six weeks before voting begins in Washington’s November election, state Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh acknowledged that time is tight for his party’s legal challenge against recount results in the state lands commissioner primary. On Thursday, the party filed a lawsuit against King County over the use of an online system to aid voters in […]
WA scuttles $200,000 sale of two retired state ferries to Ecuador
Washington’s nearly two-year effort to unload a pair of retired state ferries ran aground this week as officials with Washington State Ferries announced on September 5 that the agreement to sell the Elwha and Klahowya for $100,000 each to Nelson Armas who planned to tow them to Ecuador to be scrapped. This might turn out to […]
No end in sight for Washington’s battle against invasive green crabs
Invasive European green crabs have likely found a lasting home in Washington’s coastal waters and parts of Puget Sound. The question now is whether the state can pinch down hard enough on the aquatic pests to prevent serious harm to native wildlife, shoreline ecosystems, and the commercial shellfish industry. Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, […]
City of Snohomish just added a $20,000 per unit fee to affordable housing
SNOHOMISH—The City of Snohomish has decided to increase the cost of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) by requiring separate sewer and water connections which can add an additional $20,000 to $40,000 to the construction cost of the ADU. Since the passage of House Bill 1337 (HB 1337) in 2023, cities over 20,000 in population, have been required to […]
Make life in our state better by passing initiatives, electing more Republicans
A new set of rankings from WalletHub, a personal-finance website, recently prompted a report on a prominent regional news outlet, with this headline: “Why didn’t Washington make the top 20 in best states to live?” Top 20? We didn’t even make the top 30. WalletHub’s list of best states to live in, issued August 12, […]
Unemployment in Washington is 4.9% which sounds good until compared to everywhere else
The Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) is reporting that for June the unemployment rate in Washington is 4.9%. That sounds great, until you compare Washington’s performance with the other 49 states where it ranks 7th worst in the nation. South Dakota, which during the pandemic did not implement any significant economic restrictions, has the lowest rate at […]
