One of the most interesting things Gov. Christine Gregoire mentioned in a meeting last week with the Spokesman-Review's editorial board was that until a week and a half ago, her budget proposal included a tax on soda pop.It's not a new idea. Former Gov. Gary…
"This is an ending that a Hollywood screenwriter could only dream about." -- Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, in a floor speech honoring longtime coach Mike Lynch and the Lind-Ritzville Broncos winning the state Class B football championship. He was referring to a last-minute pass that…
"Gregoire budget reverses some cuts to state's most vulnerable""New taxes, gimmicks in Gregoire budget disappoint Republican fiscal leaders""Governor's budget a `half step' in the right direction""Gregoire breaks campaign pledge, moves to raise taxes""Gregoire plays budget shell games to avoid vote of the people""Gregoire budget contains…
"Sure we monkeyed with it. Both sides of the aisle monkeyed with it. But we did it with fear and trepidation." -- Sen. Dan Swecker, R-Rochester, acknowledging the fact that both Republicans and Democrats have stretched the state's spending limit in recent years.
"All you have to do is say `I wasn't driving that car' and the ticket goes away...Do you really want to have cars driving themselves around the state of Washington?" -Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, in a speech on the Senate floor. He was opposing a…
Late last November, the state Department of Revenue prepared a document called "Estimated Impact of Major Revenue Alternatives" for lawmakers.The five-page document is essentially a menu of 156 possible tax increases: if you do X, it generates $Y.Here are a few of the examples that…
"Some of it has been favoritism, some of it has been empire-building, and some of it has been `Well, we think they should have higher status.'" -Tim Welch, spokesman for the Washington Federation of State Employees, on the union's theory of why the state's Washington…
"It turns out that in our zeal to look out for taxpayers, we've sometimes given them two tax exemptions for one activity."Rep. Jim McIntire, D-Seattle, urging colleagues to vote to repeal a dozen outdated and redundant tax breaks.Among them: an exemption from penalties for late…
After four years of watching every bill he proposed founder and die, Rep. John Ahern this week managed a victory.The House of Representatives has passed his House bill 1453, which would erase any statute of limitations for first- and second-degree rape of a child. State…
Over barbecue lunches, a group of Spokane social-service advocates gathered in a round room beneath the capitol rotunda recently to make their case that state budget decisions are putting vulnerable kids in real danger.To illustrate that, they'd rigged up a couple of toy trains which,…
As legislative deadlines hit, more and more bills are getting killed. Here, for example, is a sampler of (largely-Republican) bills that have died in the Senate:-SB 5905: To allow immediate eviction of tenants committing crimes or "unlawful civil disruptions."-SB 5078: Canceling all voter registrations and…
Want to give your favorite state elected official or state worker a nice gift, but just can't seem to find anything under $50?You're in luck. The state House of Representatives is considering HB 2089, which would raise the bar for such gifts to $75. As…
Short takes and breaking news from the Washington Legislature and the state capital.
| March 2005 | ||||
| 25 | 21 | 17 | 10 | 07 |
| 01 |
