OLYMPIA -- The state House of Representatives is settling in for a late night on their version of the bill to suspend tax-raising restrictions in Initiative 960.House Democrats have made some changes to ESSB 6130, which means if it passes in its present form it…
OLYMPIA -- A proposed charge on court filings to help pay for publicly financed state Supreme Court races is more like a fee than a tax, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen just ruled.That is likely to make it difficult to pass a Senate bill that would…
OLYMPIA -- The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on April 28 whether the names on ballot measure petitions are public records.The Washington Secretary of State's office announced this afternoon that the date has been set on a case that is getting national attention because…
OLYMPIA -- The House approved a bill that gives local governments more authority to impose a one-tenth of a cent local sales taxes through 2014, primarily for public safety concerns, without submitting them to a public vote.It also allows counties to levy a utility tax,…
It's always nice when other parts of the country notice us in the Inland Northwest, right?OK, not always. The New York Times has a large story on the Tea Party Movement that prominently features folks from North Idaho and Eastern Washington. And by prominently, we…
OLYMPIA -- Spin Control took a three-day weekend to celebrate President's Day (our favorite is Millard Fillmore). The Legislature did not. In fact, they've been busy moving bills through the two houses in advance of today's cutoff, so a fair amount if action took place…
OLYMPIA -- At 5 p.m. today, some legislative coaches will turn into pumpkins -- or some other type of vegetation that will be thrown on the compost heap.That's because today is one of several "cut off" days. A bill must be out of its house…
The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.
