69% of state's legislative districts approved I-1366
According to a breakdown by the Secretary of State's Office, voters in 69% of Washington's legislative districts (34 of 49) approved I-1366 (supermajority for taxes). This is significant since it takes...
View ArticleNew Poll: Lawmakers should act on supermajority for taxes amendment
According to a new statewide poll, a supermajority of voters want lawmakers to act on a constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority for tax increases. The poll, commissioned by the Washington...
View ArticleAttorney General defends Initiative 1366
Today is the first day of the 2016 Legislative Session. One of the issues facing lawmakers is how to respond to the people's approval of Initiative 1366 last November. Opponents of the measure have...
View ArticleState employee contract transparency bill introduced
Later this year Governor Inslee will once again begin secret contract negotiations with state employee unions to determine their compensation terms for the 2017-19 budget. Once this deal is reached...
View ArticleDo Eastern Washington voters want to impose slavery?
Although I've only lived on the Eastside for a couple years after more than a decade in Olympia, I am happy to report that overturning Brown v Board of Education or reinstituting slavery is not on the...
View ArticleCourt tosses I-1366; 65% of voters want legislature to still act
"Unconstitutional!" That's the word from King County Superior Court today on voter-approved I-1366. Does this mean the legislature has just been handed a "get out of jail" free card to punt on this...
View ArticleState's public unions are right on supermajority protections
With the dust still clearing from yesterday's court ruling on I-1366 and Senate hearing on SJR 8211, it is a good time to reflect on examples from across the country when it comes to supermajority...
View ArticleGraduated income tax amendment proposed
No legislative session would be complete without a proposed constitutional amendment to impose a graduated income tax in Washington. Today SJR 8214 was introduced to amend "the Constitution to allow an...
View ArticlePublic must receive meaningful notice of rule making
Two little known state boards have come under fire recently for lack of meaningful public notice for their ruling making. The Human Rights Commission has agreed there was a lack of adequate public...
View ArticleLawmakers consider legislative fiscal office
The House and Senate are currently considering bills (HB 2830 and SB 5915) that would utilize a dynamic fiscal note process as well as study the creation of an independent legislative fiscal office....
View ArticleNo Valentine for voters; 2/3 for taxes fails
No one likes to go through a breakup but it stings even more when it happens around Valentine's Day. Despite voters sending lawmakers six separate love letters asking that their elected officials feel...
View ArticleTreasurer warns lawmakers not to raid rainy day reserve
The State Treasurer's Office (STO) testified last week on HB 2968 (Using rainy day funds for K-12 classes) and warned lawmakers not to use the state's constitutionally protected reserve account for...
View ArticleNew tax protection amendment proposed in Senate
Having failed to receive the votes needed to send voters SJR 8211 to implement the six time voter-approved supermajority for taxes requirement, a new proposal has been introduced in the Senate. This...
View ArticleLawmakers target 74% of dedicated performance audit funds
Ignoring a prior warning from Acting State Auditor Jan Jutte that additional raids of the dedicated I-900 performance audit funds would imperil important work, the House budget released this week...
View ArticleSenate considers 3/5 for taxes amendment
The Senate Ways & Means Committee held a public hearing yesterday on SJR 8215 (3/5 for taxes or voter approval). Prime sponsor Sen. Braun said he was trying to respond to some of the concerns...
View ArticleWith two weeks to go budget debate set
An on-time finish to the 2016 Legislative Session is just two weeks away - at least we hope it is. The vastly different approaches taken by the House and Senate in their supplemental budgets, however,...
View ArticleDo good end results on bills justify bad process?
With the deadline to save charter schools just a week away, several "title only" bills have been introduced to serve as a "vehicle" in case a last minute deal can be reached by lawmakers. Amazingly,...
View ArticleNo supplemental budget isn't good but won't result in government shutdown
Today Governor Inslee held a press conference where he issued a blanket veto request for every bill currently on his desk and anything lawmakers send him until a supplemental budget is adopted. Under...
View ArticlePublic budget details - what, you think this is Sunshine Week?
Like most Washingtonians on day six of the special session, I'm still trying to get caught up on what happened last week when the Legislature adjourned without finishing the supplemental budget. One of...
View ArticleCongress approves Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act
Exciting news to share - last week Congress approved and sent to President Obama the bi-partisan Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act of 2016. The bill was co-sponsored by Washington’s Sen. Patty...
View ArticleAll Quiet on the Western Front - Budget Edition
With the House and Senate adjourned until the 13th day of the special session (March 22), things are all quiet on the Western Front, too quiet. As we wait for word of a supplemental budget armistice,...
View ArticleHistoric votes as Senate overrides Governor's mass vetoes
With the same warp speed the Governor used to veto 27 bills on March 10, the Senate today started to override each of those vetoes. As of now 15 override votes have been taken with more planned for...
View ArticleFate of performance audits now rests on Governor's veto pen
Now that lawmakers have adopted the 2016 supplemental budget and taken 74% of the voter-approved dedicated performance audit funding away from the State Auditor's Office, all eyes turn to the Governor...
View ArticleNo new taxes supplemental budget adopted
At long last the legislature has approved a 2016 supplemental budget. Didn't have time to read the budget's 352 pages before the vote? Don't feel bad, neither did most lawmakers . . . READ MORE
View ArticleCharter schools now law - Cinderella edition
For this Cinderella story, the clock striking midnight was a good thing. With a tick of the clock to midnight on Sunday, Washington joined 42 other states with charter schools. Though we would have...
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