Governor Jay Inslee has an addiction to raising taxes. During the 2012 campaign, candidate Inslee promised to veto any tax increase that crossed his desk. Following a debate, it was perhaps the only direct promise he made publicly about taxes during the campaign. The media reported it prominently.

Yet, like many suffering from strong addictions, the governor’s ability to keep his promises is tempered by the need for a “fix.”  So instead of keeping his commitment to voters to veto any tax increase, especially with the booming economy he inherited from his predecessor, Governor Inslee has actually sought tax increases every single year he has been in office.

During the past nine years, state revenues have nearly doubled from $32.1 billion to over $62 billion this year. Like dealers who financially benefit from a junkie’s addiction, government employee unions are the enablers of the governor’s needs by demanding/receiving significant pay raises in each of the past three years.  Washington State voters have the opportunity to provide the “tough love” Governor Inslee needs this November.  By removing enough enablers in the Democratic caucus, voters could remove the governor from his addictive environment and place him in a tax rehab.  (Click to read full Shift Article)

Olympia insiders (and anyone else paying attention) have noticed the lack of support from the leaders of the Senate Democrat Caucus for their endangered colleague Senator Mona Das’ bill to reduce the state’s portion of the sales tax from 6.5% to 5.5%.   Senator Das (Kent), who relied on an unsubstantiated rumor against her opponent (which the local liberal media helped to amplify without proof) to barely win in 2018, has proven herself to be the most vulnerable Democrat in the 2022 elections.   All observers suspect that Senator Das has proposed the sales tax cut bill (SB 5932) in an attempt to erase the fact the she has supported  all other major tax increases (including the state income tax on capital gains and the Long-Term Care payroll tax) and expensive energy bills (which will significantly increase the cost of gas and other necessities) during her four years in the legislature.  It is also worth noting that Senator Das has never signed on to co-sponsor any of the many tax cut proposals which Republican senators have introduced during her time in office.

Without support from any Democrat Senate Caucus leader, like Majority Leader Senator Andy Billig (Spokane), Deputy Leader Senator Manka Dhingra (Redmond), Caucus Chair Senator Bob Hasegawa (Seattle), and/or Senate Ways & Means Chair Christine Rolfes (Bainbridge Island), the bill will not pass the Democrat Senate. It is also noteworthy that the bill has yet to be scheduled for a mandatory public hearing.

Analysts are certain that Senator Das’ tax cut bill will never receive support from her colleagues.  It’s obvious that Democrats have other plans to pay off liberal special interests with their budget winnings, and are holding firm in not supporting any tax cut for Washington taxpayers, despite $8 billion in unexpected tax revenue for the state.  A few observers are even stating that many Democrat senators hold a grudge against Senator Das for the embarrassment she caused them in 2019, when she publicly claimed that once the Democrat caucus doors closed, she “heard hate, misogyny and racism and sexism” from her liberal colleagues.  (Washington State Wire, Washington Legislature Bill Summary, and Kent Reporter)

Representative Alex Ybarra (R – Quincy) expressed his concerns over Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal’s lackadaisical attitude about student test scores and strongly suggested the state begin to spend federal education aid to help students who will soon graduate (despite receiving nearly two years of subpar education from the state).  Recent test scores reveal a significant drop in the percentage of current students who have met state standards in math and English. The percentage of Washington State students who are proficient in English has dropped from 61% down to 53%, while those who met state standards in math dropped from 50% to 33%. The state received $334 million from the federal government to assist those whose education has been impacted by the pandemic and distance-learning.

Representative Ybarra, who is the Ranking Republican on the House Education Committee, points out that the state will not have the opportunity to help current students once they graduate.  He suggests the state target these students (high school seniors and juniors) to provide them with the extra instruction they need.  Meanwhile SPI Reykdal doesn’t share Representative Ybarra’s concerns and says the state has two years to decide how to spend the federal money. (KOMO Radio and Seattle Times)

Under a misleading headline, the Seattle Times ran a lengthy story about a wife who now faces the tough circumstance of having to take care of her husband who has dementia.  The headline insinuates that the Democrats’ poorly developed WA Cares tax/program (funded by the Long-Term Care payroll tax) would “change their lives and the lives of their loved ones.”  Yet buried deep in the story is the admission from the wife that “while the program sounds like a good idea, the money wouldn’t change her situation.”  We can expect many similar stories in the weeks and months ahead as liberal special interest groups convince their friends in the media to help improve the very negative image the WA Cares/Long-Term Care payroll tax has earned with the public.

It will be interesting to see if media members will be honest, if they ever report on someone who actually would benefit from the Democrats’ government-run mandatory program, to admit they would likely benefit more from the Republicans’ privately-run voluntary program like the one proposed (HB 1913) by Representative Drew Stokesbary (R – Auburn). (Seattle Times and Washington Legislature Bill Summary)

Democrats passed bills to make it easier to be a criminal in Washington State in their 2021 “police reform” package, so now they want to send people to jail for carrying a fake COVID vaccine card.   Senator Jesse Salomon (D – Shoreline) has introduced SB 5667 to make it illegal to carry a fake vaccine card, punishable up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.  If someone is caught selling fake vaccine cards, they could face five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.  The Senate Committee on Law & Justice has scheduled a vote on the bill this Thursday.  No word from Rep. Solomon on whether selling fake cards while also selling heroin (which is ok with Democrats) would allow them to avoid arrest. (Spokesman Review and Washington Legislature Bill Summary)

The Everett Police Department has developed a method to protect car owners from the dramatic increase in catalytic converter thefts. After the passage of the Democrats’ “police reform” package during the 2021 legislative session, the theft of catalytic converters has skyrocketed in Washington State.  Senator Jeff Wilson (R – Longview) has introduced legislation (SB 5495) to prevent sales of stolen converters.  Yet until the bill is passed, car owners are still vulnerable to having their car targeted by thieves.

The Everett Police Department has launched Project CATCON ID to engrave the vehicle ID# on the converter in bright paint to scare off the thieves.  The department will hold an event this Saturday for those interested in having their cars protected. (Q13 FOX, Washington Legislature Bill Summary, and Everett Police Department)

Representative Tom Dent (R – Moses Lake) is again working to create a volunteer-based Rangeland Fire Protection Association in Washington State.  The program is based on a similar program to fight wildfires in Eastern Oregon, where local volunteers can start to combat fires until Department of Natural Resource crews or the local fire departments arrive.  Dent’s bill (HB 1891) is scheduled for a vote this Friday in the House Committee on Rural Development, Agriculture & Natural Resources. (Pacific Northwest AG Network and Washington Legislature Bill Summary)

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife’s office in Yakima was burglarized earlier this month, with the thieves stealing 15 -20 guns in what appears to be a targeted incident.  Today the Yakima Police department announced it had arrested a subject. (YakTriNews)

Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) President Mike Solan stated that the Democrats’ “police reform” package passed by the 2021 Washington Legislature (and signed by Governor Jay Inslee) and the “defunding” of the police department effort by the Seattle City Council both played a significant role in the death of an individual in crisis and K-9 officer Jedi.  Solan based his assessment from breaking down the body and vehicle camera footage of the January 5^th incident on Seattle’s Beacon Hill, in the SPOG podcast “Hold the Line.”  He describes how the lack of non-lethal options (which were removed by the Democrats’ “police reform” bill) and the lack of enough officers (due to the city council’s slashing of the police department’s budget) were contributing factors in the death of the suspect and the K-9 officer. In response to the Democrats’ poorly crafted 2021 “police reform” package, Republican legislators have proposed nearly 50 bills as part of their “Safe Washington” package to restore public safety as a priority in the state. (Click to read full Shift Article)

Do you like The Daily Briefing?

Please consider making a contribution to ensure Shift continues to provide daily updates on the shenanigans of the liberal establishment.

Forward this to a friend.  It helps us grow our community and serve you better.

You can also follow SHIFTWA on social media by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

If you feel we missed something that should be covered, email us at [email protected].