After the Seattle City Council slashed the police department’s budget last year, which led to nearly 200 officers volunteering to leave the force, councilmembers (many of whom campaigned for office on INCREASING the police budget) are currently looking to cut the department’s budget even further.  Clueless councilmembers appear to be oblivious to the skyrocketing crime rate and the mass exodus of families and businesses from the city, as they allow radical political ideology to dictate their moves.  Sadly, the Democrats in the legislature are taking guidance from Seattle, as they seek to place similar constraints on law enforcement departments across the state. (Click to read complete Shift Article)

Thousands of Shift readers have participated in the first two rounds of the Madness in Olympia tournament, and we are down to the championship match-up to determine what has been the Democrat’s 2021 Worst Legislative Idea.  Play today and help decide whether a State Income Tax on Capital Gains (SB 5096) or Eliminating Police Resources (HB 1054) is to earn this dubious crown from Shift readers. Share with your friends.  We will officially crown the winner next week. (Click to participate in Shift’s Madness in Olympia tournament)

In a strongly worded editorial, the Seattle Times proclaims that yesterday’s projection, that state revenues for the next budget will grow $3.2 billion more than previously estimated, means that Governor Jay Inslee and the legislative Democrats “should accept this evidence the state is on strong fiscal footing without a capital-gains tax.”  The Times meant to type “state income tax” into that sentence, but at least the editorial argues that “While the state budget is in good shape, families are hurting,” and that the “new tax could hobble the long-term economy.”  The paper claims that passage of the income tax on capital gains bill “could provide an incentive for the wealthy (i.e. job creators) to move out of state — and likely take businesses with them.”  While the Times editorial provides logical reasons why the unnecessary and unconstitutional tax should be abandoned, we have yet to see logic play a meaningful role in determining Governor Inslee or legislative Democrats’ decisions. (Seattle Times)

A new bi-partisan bill to curb the emergency powers of the governor was introduced today in the state House of Representatives.  Representative Drew MacEwan (R – Union) and Representative Mike Chapman (D – Port Angeles) sponsored HB 1557, which would limit the governor’s emergency powers to 60 days unless extended by the legislature.  If the legislature cannot convene, then support from three of the four party leaders (the Republican and Democrat leaders from the House and Senate) would be needed to extend the governor’s emergency powers. (Washington Legislature Bill Summary)

While Seattle legislators are attempting to impose Seattle’s failed policies onto the rest of the state, Seattle’s U.S. Representative in Congress is attempting to force President Biden to impose Seattle values onto the rest of the country.  Representative Pramila Jayapal, as head of the extreme left Congressional Progressive Caucus, met with Biden’s Chief of Staff Ron Klain and demanded a wide variety of income redistribution policies, such as that President’s Biden’s next big legislative proposal include the radical left’s proposals for climate change, health care and more social programs.  It will be interesting to see if President Biden, who campaigned on the promise to be “president for all Americans, not just those who are Democrats,” will keep his pledge, or if he will do what previous Democrat Administrations have done, and cave into the radical demands made by party extremists. If so, 2022 shapes up to be another great year for Republicans, similar to the results after previous Democrat overreaches in both 1994 and 2010. (Politico)

The Everett City Council passed its “No Sit, No Lie” ordinance to combat homeless encampments in a 10-block area near downtown.  By a 5-to-1 vote, the council made it a criminal offense to lie down or sit in the street or sidewalk in the designated area.  Employers in the neighborhood stated that encampments were driving away customers, and they were concerned about increased crime impacting the safety of their workers.  The law will not go into effect until a million-dollar-per-year, 20-unit shelter is operational, which is expected in June. (Everett Herald)

Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney broke his 10-month silence, and responded to the allegations of those who mounted an unsuccessful recall campaign against him.  Recall proponents claimed Sheriff Fortney’s refusal to enforce portions of Governor Inslee’s “emergency” orders was unconstitutional, and that he acted in “an unreasonable manner” by rehiring three deputies fired by the previous sheriff (whom Fortney defeated in 2019).  In a 14-minute video posted on Facebook, Fortney and his wife discuss the “hypocrisy” of the four attorneys who organized the recall campaign, and defended the deputies that he rehired.  The recall supporters had until March 9^th to turn in the necessary signatures, yet the date passed with no signatures turned in.  (Facebook)

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is looking to increase toll rates, since tolling revenue declined significantly in 2020.  Tolling revenue was down 44% ($93 million) between last March and January 2021.   WSDOT is looking to increase tolls on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, SR 520 Bridge, and SR 99 Tunnel.  Thus far, no tolling increases are expected for I-405 or SR 167. (MyNorthwest)

Small property owners in Spokane are being severely impacted by Governor Inslee’s eviction moratorium.  Large apartment complexes have more ability to absorb the failure of a few tenants to make rent payments, but those owners with fewer rental properties have a difficult time when a tenant or two is not paying rent for a year.  Many have been forced to sell their properties in order to pay bills.  This only increases rental rates, as many of these properties (often homes) are removed from the rental market. The eviction moratorium is expected to end on March 31^st.  (KXLY)

She must enjoy pain, because Suzi LeVine “loved every minute” of her disastrous tenure as Governor Jay Inslee’s appointed leader of his Employment Security Department.  In her January 21^st resignation letter, LeVine fails to mention that her management allowed foreign criminals to steal $600 million from taxpayers, and that her actions forced hundreds of thousands Washington State residents to wait months before receiving their promised benefits.  While everyone else would be fired for such catastrophic results, LeVine’s skill set of knowing many wealthy potential Democrat donors (and knowing how to get them to write big checks) allowed her to obtain a high-paying federal government job in the Biden Administration.  LeVine displayed one last piece of arrogance in her letter, when she equated her new job at the U.S. Department of Labor with the actions of actual heroes in the military, law enforcement and fire departments across our country.  LeVine claimed she is now “an economic first-responder for our country.” (Click her to read complete Shift Article)

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