Op-Ed: The ballooning cost of the I-5 bridge is unjustified
Back in 2009, the Washington Policy Center noted that the preferred Columbia River bridge alternative, which included light rail, was estimated to cost $4 billion, with light rail chewing up about $1 billion of that projection. The Oregonian reported the same year that project officials were “searching for ways to make the project affordable.” Apparently, they didn’t find anything, as […]
Democrats quietly pushing rollback of estate tax increase
OLYMPIA [THE CENTER SQUARE]—As majority Democrats in Olympia push ahead with a controversial income tax bill, they are also moving to roll back another tax-the-rich policy passed during the 2025 session. Senate Bill 6347, authored by Sen. Claudia Kauffman, D-Kent, would change the rates approved a year ago for all eight brackets exactly to where […]
Confusing initiative titles should not be a thing
A recent KIRO 7 News headline from Nov. 6, the day after the recent election, reads: “‘Confusing verbiage’ may have influenced WA voters on statewide initiatives, expert says.” Ya think? You didn’t need an expert to tell you that. Read the titles for yourself. Those of us paying attention to 2024 ballot measures for months have been worried all […]
CO2 tax supporters’ latest effort to hide cost is badly flawed
According to AAA and GasBuddy, Washington state gas prices are about 25 cents per gallon more than Oregon. In December 2022, the prices were virtually identical. That gap is almost exactly the amount of Washington’s CO2 tax, imposed by the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). This is not a surprise and matches the experience in California and elsewhere where […]
Op-Ed: Why are people leaving California and could it happen here in Washington?
Demographia has just published a study, authored by Wendell Cox, that compares the affordability of housing in the international marketplace. The conclusions show that while Washington State isn’t the most expensive, it is on its way to the top spot. What’s sad is it’s all avoidable with some simple changes to state policy. Currently Seattle […]
70% of projects paused by WSDOT are funded by gas tax, not car tabs
Washington Policy Center | MARIYA FROST Last November, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), under the direction of the Governor, released a list of transportation projects that would be deferred due to the passage of Initiative 976, which reduces or eliminates car tabs. As it turns out – 18 of the 26 road projects […]
