Mitchell Roland

Current Position: State Government Reporter

Mitchell Roland joined The Spokesman-Review in 2025 as the Washington state government reporter based in our Olympia bureau at the state capitol. A graduate of Central Washington University, Mitchell has worked at the Wenatchee World and The Chronicle in Centralia.

Email: mitchellr@spokesman.com
Phone: (206) 397-6144

Most Recent Stories

News > WA Government

‘Shortchanging communities’: Lawmakers rip Trump, RFK after staff who administered ‘critical’ heating assistance program fired

UPDATED: Mon., April 7, 2025

A federal program that provides help for thousands of Spokane County residents could be at risk after the staff who administer the program were fired last week.

News > WA Government

Washington challenges Trump election executive order

UPDATED: Fri., April 4, 2025

SEATTLE – Washington filed a lawsuit Friday against the Trump administration challenging the president’s attempt to impose federal control over elections.

News > Washington

‘We are in a trade war’: Washington leaders, business sectors largely express confusion and concern at Trump’s sweeping tariff announcement

UPDATED: Wed., April 2, 2025

Washington is uniquely positioned to feel the negative effects of a trade war spurred by a host of new tariffs, several statewide officials said this week.

News > WA Government

Gov. Ferguson noncommittal on gas tax increase, Speaker of the House says

UPDATED: Wed., April 2, 2025

OLYMPIA – Gov. Bob Ferguson has not indicated whether he would support increasing the state’s gas tax, Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins told reporters Wednesday.

News > WA Government

Gov. Ferguson rejects proposed budget reliant on new ‘wealth tax’

UPDATED: Tue., April 1, 2025

OLYMPIA – As lawmakers grapple with a multibillion-dollar budget deficit, Gov. Bob Ferguson has broken sharply with budgets proposed by Democratic legislators, telling reporters he does not support the plans passed by the House and Senate that call for billions in new spending and revenue.

News > Nation

Baumgartner and House Judiciary Committee investigating Washington AG, state’s sanctuary policies

UPDATED: Mon., March 31, 2025

Rep. Michael Baumgartner and other members of a House oversight committee sent a letter to Washington Attorney General Nick Brown claiming the state’s “sanctuary law” is preventing local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials.

News > Transportation

Senate passes Transportation budget that increases gas tax, funds major projects

UPDATED: Mon., March 31, 2025

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Senate adopted a bipartisan transportation package on Saturday that would raise billions of dollars through higher gas taxes and some car registration fees, close a deficit in the transportation budget and fund the completion of the North Spokane Corridor.

News > WA Government

Two Spokane City Council members among city officials calling for state to adopt new revenue

UPDATED: Fri., March 28, 2025

OLYMPIA – Two Spokane City Council members are among city and county officials across Washington calling on the Legislature to adopt “progressive” revenue streams to balance the state’s budget.

News > WA Government

North Spokane Corridor construction could face delays without new revenue, legislators say

UPDATED: Thu., March 27, 2025

OLYMPIA – The completion of the North Spokane Corridor and other big infrastructure projects could be delayed unless state lawmakers agree on a plan to increase revenue, which could ultimately mean increasing the state’s gas tax for the first time in nearly a decade.