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Friday, March 24

WA Supreme Court upholds capital gains tax
The Washington state Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of the state’s capital gains tax, cementing a long-sought victory for state Democrats and nudging the state’s tax system in a more progressive direction. The court ruled 7-2 Friday morning to uphold the tax. The court declined to revisit its nearly century-old precedent, which bars a progressive income tax, but instead ruled the tax is constitutional because it is an excise tax, not a property tax. Democrats passed the measure in 2021, with plans to spend the revenue on early childhood education programs. It applies a 7% tax on the sale of financial assets such as stocks and bonds. The tax only applies to profits over $250,000. It is expected to initially bring in about $500 million a year in revenue. Rep. April Berg, D-Mill Creek, chair of the House Finance Committee, said the ruling “provides the clarity needed to move forward with this significant reform to our tax structure. It’s time for the wealthiest among us to share in the responsibility of funding the needs of our communities.” Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

WA Senators propose two-year, $69.2 billion operating budget — and saving for a rainy day
Washington State Senate budget writers released their proposal Thursday for a two-year, $69.2 billion operating budget. While $5.1 billion is added in new spending for the 2023-25 biennium, no new taxes or fees are added to provide the new funding. Even with new spending, Senators have proposed leaving $3.8 billion for reserves as a safeguard for an economic slowdown as well as protection for Washington’s currently high credit rating. Major budget investments are targeted to public schools, housing and homelessness, as well as behavioral health services and investments to fight climate change. House budget writers are expected to release their budgets next week, and Senate and House lawmakers will work together to negotiate on a final spending plan by the end of the session on April 23. Continue reading at Olympian.

Affordable-housing measures see mixed success in Olympia
In the thick of the Legislature’s 105-day session, various bills aiming to provide more affordable housing for Washington residents are gaining traction, while others have fizzled out on the floor. A 2022 poll of 600 Washington residents conducted by the Sightline Institute and Lake Research Partners found that 61 percent of them support legislation that aims to fill the gap in the middle. House Bill 1110, sponsored by Rep. Jessica Bateman, D-Olympia, has a more comprehensive approach than its predecessors. Aside from more affordable housing, it aims to address discrimination against marginalized renters. “Washington is experiencing a housing shortage, which is culminating in a housing crisis. This supply imbalance is creating increasingly expensive homes, and increasingly expensive rents that’s impacting our constituents in every corner of the state,” Bateman said during a public hearing. Continue reading at The Columbian. (iStock)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Commerce funding to provide for 34 homeless housing units

Capital Press
Washington sawmills, environmentalists swap sides on carbon bill (Reeves)

Columbian
Affordable housing measures see mixed success in Olympia (Bateman, Shewmake, Liias, Taylor)

Everett Herald
Supreme Court rules state’s new capital gains tax is legal (Rolfes)
Schools, housing, salaries score big in Senate Dems $70B budget (Rolfes, Robinson, Billig)
Bill to add District Court judge in Snohomish County nears finish (Lovick)
Site clearing begins for new Lake Stevens library

News Tribune
Tacoma shelter rife with dangers, ex-workers say. Is regional housing provider to blame?

Olympian
WA Senators propose two-year, $69.2 billion operating budget — and saving for a rainy day (Robinson)
Editorial: It was human error. But missing police pursuit data still marred a Pierce County audit

Seattle Times
WA Supreme Court upholds capital gains tax
Here’s how Washington senators want to use climate dollars (Rolfes, Nguyen)

Spokesman Review
Washington state Senate Democrats release $69 billion budget proposal with focus on education, behavioral health (Rolfes)

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Capital gains tax is constitutional, Washington state Supreme Court rules
State troopers investigate ‘alarming’ number of drive-by shootings on King County highways
DUI crashes increasing in Washington, according to state patrol
ADL says antisemitic incidents on the rise in Washington, nationwide

KXLY (ABC)
Judge orders State and City to come up with a plan to clear Camp Hope

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Major ‘green’ planning underway for BP Cherry Point

Crosscut
WA Supreme Court rules capital gains tax is constitutional
Where the Starbucks union stands after rallies, proposed audit

MyNorthwest
ESD: Washington gained more than 15,000 jobs in February
Seattle small landlords blame regulations for 14% drop in properties
WA DOH wants you to eat less Columbia River sturgeon
Micro-home village for homeless approved by Pierce County

Thursday, March 23

Domestic violence survivors could be shielded under new bill. Some say the bill goes too far
A bill that would exempt state agency and K-12 public school employees who are survivors of domestic violence from public disclosure requirements is making its way through the Legislature, but not without opposition. As the law currently stands, Washington state’s Public Records Act subjects all public employees to disclosure of public records, unless an exemption exists. The Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) also currently exists for survivors of domestic violence, and allows those individuals to use a substitute mailing address if they are “attempting to escape from domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, or stalking situations.” The program can forward mail from the substitute address, and allows participants to register to vote without their address becoming publicly available. The legislation, now in Senate, had a public hearing Tuesday in the Senate State Government and Elections Committee, with both proponents and opponents testifying. Continue reading at Olympian. (Ted S. Warren)

Washington lawmakers lean into addiction treatment as reduced drug possession penalties are set to expire
After testing a new method of addressing drug possession over the last two years, Washington state lawmakers may slightly increase penalties, while keeping an emphasis on treating addiction. If passed by the House, Senate Bill 5536 would make it a gross misdemeanor to knowingly possess illegal drugs. The bill, which passed the Senate 28-21, increases the punishment from the simple misdemeanor that’s been tested since 2021 and removes a requirement for officers to offer treatment during the first two contacts with someone. However, it still encourages police and prosecutors to divert people to treatment. “Drug possession usually results from addiction,” says state Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane. “And addiction is a health problem, so it makes sense to have a health solution to a health problem.” Continue reading at Inlander.

Law enforcement push legislators to roll back restrictions on police pursuits before session ends
Under the current law, police can only chase a suspect if there is probable cause to believe the driver is impaired, an escaped felon or has committed a violent or sexual crime. A bill passed by the state Senate would add the crimes of assault, vehicular assault, and domestic violence. The future of the bill in the House is uncertain. Wednesday afternoon Speaker Laurie Jinkins said, “I think it’ll move through the process and there’s a chance it’ll come to the floor.” Monday the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs sent every member of the House of Representatives a letter encouraging them to pass the bill. Continue reading at KING5.

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Bellingham Herald
7-year-old with special needs has PTSD after restraints used at school, WA lawsuit says

Capital Press
GOING NATURAL: Farms grow native plants for Klamath River dam removal

Columbian
Experts in Clark County say post-pandemic learning losses hit preschoolers
Clark County schools to receive payouts as part of Juul lawsuit

Columbia Basin Herald
Sales tax exemption for seniors’ meals passes WA House (Timmons)

The Daily News
Community House receives $5.3 million state grant for youth homeless shelter in Longview

Everett Herald
‘It’s the closest I can be to them’: Nine years after the Oso mudslide
Editorial: State needs quicker route for its new ferries (Liias)

The Inlander
A Washington state bill proposes hitting the very, very, very rich with a new type of tax — but is it legal? (Frame, Billig)
Washington lawmakers lean into addiction treatment as reduced drug possession penalties are set to expire (Billig)
The state is funding a behavioral health facility in rural Stevens County, and the small town’s residents are in an ‘uproar’

News Tribune
Man alleges Tacoma police officers choked him unconscious after he reported hit and run
Here’s what we know about a controversial housing village approved by Pierce County
Editorial: Pierce County just passed a new tax and funded a homeless village. That’s a big deal

New York Times
Climate Change Is Speeding Toward Catastrophe. The Next Decade Is Crucial, U.N. Panel Says.

Olympian
Equity issues at North Thurston schools among topics raised at Black community forum
Domestic violence survivors could be shielded under new bill. Some say the bill goes too far (Mena)

Peninsula Daily News
State Senate proposes $7.9 billion capital budget
Telephone town hall set for District 24 (Van De Wege, Chapman, Tharinger)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Pierce County Council passes sales tax hike for affordable housing
Washington hospitals face budget cuts as financial losses mount

Seattle Medium
Seattle Public Schools Expects Budget Shortfall
Metro Seeks Feedback On Proposed Service Changes In Capitol Hill, Central District, First Hill And Madison Valley
Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison Releases Year One Analysis of High Utilizer Initiative Detailing 57% Drop in Their Criminal Referrals

Seattle Times
WA hospitals lost $2 billion in 2022. A plan to up Medicaid rates could help
Good luck, California Journalism Preservation Act; farewell Olympia press corps houses (Keiser)
Editorial: Misguided WA bill to close public records won’t ensure promised protections (Hunt)

Spokesman Review
Cantwell grills Norfolk Southern CEO, highlights Washington derailment in rail safety hearing

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Port of Columbia asks for public comment about Comprehensive Plan update

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima joins state settlement agreement with opioid pharmacies, manufacturers

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington passes ‘Kimberly Bender’s Law’ to raise penalties for sexually abusive jail guards
Book ban attempts hit record high in 2022, library org says
Law enforcement push legislators to roll back restrictions on police pursuits before session ends (Jinkins)

KNKX Public Radio
Behind the scenes of a new lawmaker’s effort to pass a utility shutoff moratorium in WA (Mena)

Q13 TV (FOX)
Momentum grows for creating Washington ‘bias incident’ hotline that could pay alleged victims with tax money (Valdez)

Web

Crosscut
Auditors flag half of Washington counties over COVID-19 aid

MyNorthwest
Judge rules against Seattle ban on criminal background checks for renters
Starbucks union calls for strikes, pickets ahead of shareholder meeting
WA hospitals operating at a loss, official calls situation ‘unsustainable’

Suburban Times
Killian Farooqi serves as Page for Rep. Bronoske (Bronoske)

Wednesday, March 22

WA state revenue forecasts predict slowdown as lawmakers prepare new spending plans
Over the next two years, Washington State is likely to bring in less revenue than previously expected, according to the latest revenue forecast officials released Monday. But lawmakers say it’s cause for caution, not necessarily concern. During a presentation with legislative budget leaders, the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council’s chief economist Steve Lerch said there are several factors behind the latest numbers, which are roughly $480 million below what was projected in November. The news comes just as lawmakers begin releasing their budget proposals for the state’s next two years of spending. Continue reading at KUOW. (N3)

‘Baby steps won’t cut it’: Inslee wants more done to address encampments on state property
Governor Jay Inslee says the state needs to rapidly pick up the pace when it comes to addressing homeless encampments on state roadways and property. Inslee spent time on Tuesday near First Avenue and Michigan Street SW, where an encampment is in the process of being cleaned up. It is the fifth site to be cleaned under the state’s Right of Way Safety Initiative that started last year. “This work is not free. Building tiny home villages is not free. Building permanent apartments is not free,” said Inslee. “This is an issue that you can’t nickel and dime. Baby steps won’t cut it. The Legislature cannot just do half measures this year. We need to step up to the plate and that means billions of dollars.” Continue reading at KING5.

Building ballparks, rewriting ferry rules, recognizing Chinese-Americans
Time to check your patience and stress levels. Things get real in the final month as policy bill negotiations get serious and spending decisions are debated. Money is a hot topic today. A new revenue forecast arrives this afternoon providing authors of the Senate and House operating budgets with figures they need to complete their work this week. Meanwhile, this morning, Senate Democrats released their proposed capital budget. Washington State Ferries wants five new ferries but it can’t find anyone willing or able to build them under the state’s current contracting rules. The spotlight is also on a marriage of two bills — one Senate and one House — to resolve a protracted legislative fight on which month is designated to recognize contributions of Chinese-Americans. Continue reading at Everett Herald.

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Associated Press
Transgender youth: ‘Forced outing’ bills make schools unsafe

Aberdeen Daily World
Aberdeen City Council to discuss Young Street Bridge

Columbian
I-5 Bridge program: If there must be lifts, limit them to 1-4 a.m.
Washington Senate’s proposed budget includes $625 million for affordable housing projects (Mullet)
Editorial: Access to fentanyl test strips could save lives (Cleveland, Stonier)

Everett Herald
Building ballparks, rewriting ferry rules, recognizing Chinese-Americans (Santos, Mullet)
Schools are ‘target rich’ for cyberattacks, fed agency helps fight back
Comment: Those with disabilities need housing benefit help

News Tribune
Pierce County Council votes on sales tax to address housing crisis. Here’s the decision
WA hospitals warn that services could be affected as their financial picture worsens
Understanding the New Clean Vehicle Credit

Olympian
WA state lawmakers speak out against ‘whites only’ group in Centralia

Seattle Times
Sen. Braun: Support special-ed students with advocates in each WA service district

Sol De Yakima
Jefe de policía, alguacil del condado de Yakima se oponen a iniciativa que prohíbe venta de armas de asalto

Spokesman Review
City of Spokane files suit to clear Camp Hope

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Port of Columbia asks for public comment about Comprehensive Plan update

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘Baby steps won’t cut it’: Inslee wants more done to address encampments on state property
Kirkland City Council votes to approve plan to turn former La Quinta Inn into supportive housing

KUOW Public Radio
‘Build in Washington’ rule may be cast overboard to obtain new ferries affordably and quickly (Liias)
WA state revenue forecasts predict slowdown as lawmakers prepare new spending plans (Rolfes, Ormsby)

KXLY (ABC)
Proposed ordinance would make open drug use in public spaces illegal in Spokane

NW Public Radio
Communities to receive $197 million in federal funding for wildfire preparation

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Analysis finds long-term, Whatcom median home prices still increasing

West Seattle Blog
FOLLOWUP: Cleanup continues at encampment by 1st Avenue South Bridge, as governor visits

Tuesday, March 21

Sen. Mark Mullet: A fiscally responsible way to tackle WA’s affordable housing crisis
There’s no doubt that housing affordability is one of the biggest challenges faced by Washingtonians. Too many people are getting priced out of living near their jobs, school or families. We need to act. The good news is the Legislature is doing a lot to address this. We’re cutting the red tape and bureaucracy for permits and design review to lower the cost of construction. We are providing powerful incentives to encourage transit-oriented development. And this year, we will make the largest investment in our Housing Trust Fund, the state’s affordable housing construction program, in the history of our state. Before the start of the session, Gov. Jay Inslee proposed borrowing $4 billion above Washington state’s constitutional debt limit to build more affordable housing. After thoughtful consideration, this proposal was not included in the Senate capital budget proposal, and I want to tell you why. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (William Brown)

WA state revenue forecast is down, reflecting expected slowdown in economy
The updated state revenue forecast for 2023-25 was released by the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council on Monday, projecting that revenue collections for the state budget, while still increasing, will be $483 million lower than previously projected. House Appropriations Chair Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane, issued a statement in response to the revenue forecast:“Today’s forecast shows that our guarded approach was the correct one and now we must take deliberate and careful steps to ensure that our budget decisions protect the most vulnerable,” he wrote. “The operating budget should be responsible and sustainable, but we cannot forget about those most affected, especially low-income communities that suffer disproportionate impacts when budgets fail to invest in the people who need it most.” Continue reading at News Tribune. (Steve Bloom)

Opinion: Thurston County superintendents say state must step up to fund special education
As superintendents of Thurston County school districts, we feel compelled to comment on bills under consideration this legislative session for special education funding. Until the Legislature and the Governor truly address the funding needed to properly serve students with disabilities, local school districts will be left to pilfer from other funding sources to meet their duty to serve all families. Other programs will be cut to cover the cost of something that is a paramount duty of the state. The Legislature has acknowledged that special education services fit the definition of basic education. The Legislature also acknowledges that current bills will knowingly underfund special education by significant amounts. This is not meeting the paramount duty. Continue reading at Olympian.

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Axios
What’s alive and dead in Washington’s Legislature

Bellingham Herald
First phase of this 992-unit housing community moves forward in Whatcom
16 townhouses proposed near these single-family homes in Bellingham

Capital Press
Bill proposes public funding to promote Washington farm goods (Morgan, Kloba)

Columbian
Oregonians moving to Clark County in droves; experts cite income tax

Everett Herald
New forecast show state revenues won’t be quite as robust as expected (Rolfes)
Comment: Disabled persons can help ease current labor shortage
Editorial: Use state forestlands to ‘farm’ carbon credits

News Tribune
WA state revenue forecast is down, reflecting expected slowdown in economy (Rolfes, Ormsby)
WA senators propose $7.9 billion for construction projects. Here’s what’s in the budget (Mullet)
Opinion: Want to cut crime in WA and hire more cops? There’s a way — but it won’t be easy

Olympian
Port commissioner not ready to take a position on Capitol Lake, seeks postponement
Olympia and Thurston County officials want your thoughts on plans to improve housing access
Opinion: Thurston County superintendents say state must step up to fund special education

Puget Sound Business Journal
Here’s what Amazon’s CEO said about the new layoffs
Opinion: Time to invest in internet access across Washington

Seattle Times
WA Gov. Jay Inslee’s $4B housing proposal faces hurdles in Legislature (Mullet, Rolfes)
Sen. Mullet: A fiscally responsible way to tackle WA’s affordable housing crisis

Skagit Valley Herald
Diesel fuel from derailment found in groundwater

Spokesman Review
Idaho bill to execute inmates by firing squad clears Legislature, heads to governor
Washington’s revenue projections are slowing thanks to inflation and an uncertain economy, new forecast says (Rolfes, Ormsby)

Tri-City Herald
$3 million federal grant to help bring biodiesel hub for farmers to Tri-Cities
Hunger’s ‘perfect storm.’ Cuts in funding leave food banks scrambling to feed Tri-Citians

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla area banks remain confident in wake of national bank closures
State audit finds deficiencies in federally funded COVID-19 programs in Walla Walla County

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Bill would increase support, cash for Washington inmates before being released (Wilson)
Lakewood passes ordinance criminalizing use of ‘dangerous drugs’ in public

KNKX Public Radio
A federal definition of ‘homeless’ leaves some kids out in the cold. One state is trying to help

NW Public Radio
Nowhere to go: Facing steep rent increases, mobile home residents are organizing

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Most people in Whatcom County’s jail are in crisis
Bellingham’s invisible housing crisis: homeless children

Crosscut
Guards in Vancouver, WA public schools used illegal restraint
How WA’s cloudy economic forecast could impact state spending (Rolfes)
As election deniers target the U.S. voter database, WA worries
Following the WA Legislature isn’t easy for non-English speakers (Saldaña)
Seguir la Legislatura de Washington no es fácil para personas que no hablan inglés (Saldaña)

MyNorthwest
Seattle Schools: ‘We need to make changes,’ but promises no closures

The Stranger
Tenant Dead, Sheriff’s Detective Shot After Eviction Attempt in Ballard

West Seattle Blog
FOLLOWUP: Seattle Public Schools’ brief budget briefing

Monday, March 20

As Washington rents go up, up, up, the air gets thin for tenants
Washington will need 1.1 million homes over the next 20 years to keep pace with the expected population growth, according to projections from the state Department of Commerce. More than half of those new units need to be “affordable for residents at the lowest income levels,” the report stated. Yet in Everett, for example, some of the biggest recent housing developments offer few or no units below market rate. State legislators were discussing a buffet of options to boost housing stock this year: zoning changes, subsidized housing, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), permitting reform, rent increase caps and transit-oriented development. Roughly 30 bills about housing and homelessness were still in play as of Friday. “What’s really exciting about this (legislative) session is we have a bipartisan and bicameral effort to tackle this issue head on,” Rep. Strom Peterson said. Continue reading at Everett Herald. (Olivia Vanni)

More than 150 years after slavery was outlawed, a debt is still unpaid
I would imagine if you asked most people if there should be repair for harm, damage or injury, they would say yes. But if you bring up the topic of reparations for African Americans, it’s a very different story. The list of ways the U.S. has denied Black Americans access to justice, housing, education and wealth creation could fill multiple books you would not be allowed to read today in Florida. In Washington’s 2023 legislative session, some lawmakers are working to repair the racial injustice of our own state’s racially restrictive housing covenants. House Bill 1474 would create down payment and closing cost assistance for those directly affected or descended from those affected by restrictive covenants. In Washington, 34% of Black families own homes, compared with 68% of white families. In King County, median income for white households is nearly twice that of Black households. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Erika Schultz)

Injured workers push for recording exams they say are stacked against them
On Tuesday the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee heard testimony from injured workers pushing for the right to record state-mandated medical exams. When workers in the state of Washington become injured on the job, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) typically orders the worker to undergo an exam by a state-paid doctor, in what are known as Independent Medical Exams (IMEs). But for years, workers and their attorneys have complained the exams are unfair, lack transparency, and are used to cut off worker compensation benefits. Allowing recordings, according to those in favor of House Bill 1068, sponsored by Rep. Dan Bronoske (D-Lakewood), would level the playing field, and would eliminate discrepancies about what actually happened during exams. Continue reading at KING5.