What’s on the agenda for Washington’s 2026 legislative session
With a looming $1.6 billion to $2.3 billion budget shortfall hanging over the Washington state legislature, House and Senate leaders and Governor Bob Ferguson presented differing proposals to address the issue. Three panels of House and Senate leaders discussed the state’s transportation budget and general fund, while Ferguson renewed his support for a “millionaire tax.” […]
Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins touches on Democratic priorities ahead of 2026 legislative session
OLYMPIA—With lawmakers returning to Olympia on January 12, 2026, the Lynnwood Times met with Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma) to discuss the Washington State House Democrat Caucus’ priorities going into the 2026 legislative session. At the highest level, Jinkins said, the party will be seeking to “protect Washingtonians from federal overreach” – a […]
WA governor calls for tapping reserve fund and climate law cash to fill budget hole
OLYMPIA [JERRY CORNFIELD]—Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson made a splash Tuesday with his full-throated endorsement of taxing the earnings of millionaires. The surprise declaration from the first-term Democratic governor nearly drowned out his newly released plan to erase a multibillion-dollar shortfall in the current state budget. He made “super clear” that if Washington taxes millionaires, the […]
Letter-to-Editor: Christmas Trees from around the world
The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington, D.C., is decorated with 3,000 ornaments that are the handiwork of U.S. schoolchildren. Encircling evergreens in the ‘Pathway of Peace’ represent the 50 U.S. states. The world’s largest Christmas tree display rises up the slopes of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in Italy ‘s Umbria region. Composed of about […]
Pandemic Billionaire Wealth
For the majority of Americans — honestly, for most people globally — the pandemic has been difficult financially: loss of employment, wage and hiring freezes, reduced hours, soaring inflation, etc. Yet somehow, the ten richest billionaires more than doubled their wealth during the pandemic. In a recent annual report from Oxfam, billionaires’ wealth grew at […]
