Education is still searching for funding, but the budget proposed would give one in five workers a raise. Democrats’ claim we need higher taxes to fund education because our state does not bring in enough revenue conflicts with their work with unions to raise state worker salaries for over 95,000 employees. The Democrats’ vision of the state budget doesn’t have enough money for education because they’re too busy trying to fund liberal pet projects first.

Motorcyclists may protest at the capitol in favor of SB 5378. The bill would allow motorcyclists to split lanes with automobiles if they are traveling below 35mph, a law which is legal in California. SB 5378 passed through the Senate, but has yet to be seen in the House, and so they are demanding a public hearing.

“What does the business community want?” Seattle Mayor Ed Murray tells us: “The role of the city is to create an environment where businesses can thrive.” Murray’s statement conflicts with his constant push to raise taxes and pass government mandates telling business how often their employees should work and when they can take sick leave. “One of the struggles I’ve had is the business community has never really come up with what the business community wants,” Murray added. However, it would be difficult to understand what the business community wants when he gets marching orders from David Rolf at the SEIU. Cough, cough… that business-killing minimum wage hike.

Seattle public transit costs more money per capita than any other major city in America. Even before the implementation of the $54 billion Sound Transit 3 projects, in 2015, Seattle was spending around $400 per person on capital expenses. That number may soon rise to $500. There are only two other city regions that come within even $100 of Seattle’s spending. Why spend so much? “The simple answer is tunneling,” said director of the WST center, Mark Hallenbeck. Interestingly enough, one of the biggest setbacks with Sound Transit has been their inability to get Bertha, the tunnel-machine, to work properly. We’re sure ST3 will face a similar fate as mismanaging projects seems to be one of the few things Sound Transit excels at.

Uber and Lyft drivers will be allowed to unionize in the City of Seattle, after a King County judge ruled in favor of the unions. Uber had challenged Seattle when they implemented a law requiring the taxi and rideshare companies to negotiate with a representative for the drivers, saying not enough time had been given for all drivers to vote. The courts ruled in favor of Seattle, saying drivers had plenty of time to vote.

State Supreme Court backs Port of Vancouver in oil terminal lawsuit, agreeing they did not violate environmental laws for leasing an terminal 5 out in 2013 to be built into an oil terminal. The project may still be stopped in its tracks by the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council or Gov. Inslee – but for now, it has the go-ahead to move forward.

Growing oil sheen on the Columbia River is being fought to be contained by the Department of Ecology. Chelan County Emergency Management has provided the river support in the Wenatchee area to try to contain spreading of what the Department of Ecology spokesperson, Camille St. Onge, says is a “petroleum-like” substance. No source of the oil sheen has been determined yet.

Episcopal Diocese of Spokane ordained their first female bishop on Saturday. Gretchen Rehberg will be the ninth bishop to lead in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Former presiding bishop of Episcopal Church, Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, said, “When we sing and rejoice and give thanks, we’re sharing the love and hope of God for all that is being legalized here. Singing and joining in this great drama atunes us to the great harmony God intended before creation.”

Five major airlines are providing more nonstop links to Spokane. Direct flights to and from Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas, Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles and more are now being linked through Spokane through American Airlines, United and three more major flight companies.

Howard Schultz to step down as Starbucks CEO, possibly to step up as a politician. Schultz, who backed Hillary Clinton in the last presidential election, will step down as CEO on April 2nd. However, as liberals do, there is already talk of Schultz becoming a political candidate. His legacy at Starbucks was decisively political – with company policies and public stances on issues in the public arena.

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