If you believe fuel prices are too high today, just wait a few more months for the impact of Governor Jay Inslee and the legislative Democrats’ expensive cap and trade policy to raise fuel prices an additional 46 cents a gallon by next year and by 80 cents by 2030.  A new report from the Washington Policy Center (WPC) points out that the additional cost on fuel is now projected at nearly five times greater than what state staffers told legislators when they were deliberating on the cap and trade measure during the 2021 legislative session.

Between the state’s 47.4 cent per gallon tax on fuel (still third highest in the nation) and the expected 46 cents per gallon price increase due to the state’s cap and trade fees, Washington drivers will send almost a dollar to the state’s overflowing coffers every time they purchase a gallon of gas.  While Governor Inslee was very happy to give his wealthy environmental friends an unnecessary sales tax break when they purchase expensive $70,000 – $100,000 electric cars, he selfishly believes there is no justification to help lower- and middle income workers now who are suffering due to the high price of gas and its impact on the cost of other goods due to higher transportation costs.   It’s the Inslee way – if you are a wealthy contributor to Democrats you will receive tax breaks, but if you are not, then you must pay higher taxes and fees to fund the Democrats desire to keep rapidly increasing the size and cost of state government (which has already doubled in size in just nine years!).

The WPC report also explains there are some Washington State industries were exempted from paying the additional fee on their carbon emissions so the legislation could garner enough votes to pass.  These “energy-intensive, trade-exposed” (EITE) industries (such as food producers and semiconductor manufacturers) are those which use a lot of energy and would certainly be forced to close (and eliminate the jobs they provide) if they were required to pay these additional state fees which their global competitors are not subject to pay. The WPC report exposes a growing destructive movement within the wealthy environmental groups to remove these exemptions. The WPC report argues that removing the exemptions on EITEs would actually increase global carbon emissions since the Washington businesses, which are still subject to other state and federal emissions standards, would be replaced by manufacturers in less regulated countries (such as China and Russia).  Thus, if the EITE exemptions are removed, the environmentalists’ actions would result in more worldwide climate damage. (Washington Policy Center and CenterSquare)

Respected education attorney William Maurer explains in a Spokesman-Review op-ed why the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Carson v. Makin case could result in more educational options for Washington State students. The court ruled that it was unconstitutional for the State of Maine to prohibit students from using its tuition assistance funds to attend schools which offer religious instruction. Since Washington State currently has a similar prohibition against religious schools, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling means those laws are also unconstitutional.

If Washington State lawmakers or citizens pass laws to provide tuition assistance to students,  families could consider schools with religious affiliations in their process for determining which option is best for their situation. Maurer concluded his article by writing, “Washington children should have diverse educational options and, thanks to the Court’s decision in Carson, they are no longer barred from taking advantage of some of these options because of limitations rooted in bigotry, xenophobia and a desire for conformity.” (Spokesman Review)

Starbucks announced the closure of five Seattle (and one Everett) locations due to crime-related problems.  Since the dramatic number of crime victims has not motivated liberal Seattle leaders to reverse their reckless and harmful public safety policies, maybe the reduction in the number of locations where they can obtain their expensive coffee drinks will bring about needed change.  Other safety measures the company will implement include redesigning some stores, staff will be trained on how to deescalate possibly violent situations, and store managers at all Starbuck’s locations will be allowed to decide if the restrooms are available to the general public or to just paying customers. (Seattle Times)

Fortunately only two people were hurt when more than 50 shots were fired at two-related scenes in Central Seattle on Sunday evening.  The violence occurred at a rap concert at Washington Hall and two blocks away on Yesler Avenue. Thankfully more people were not hurt in this latest round of the violence which has rapidly increased since the Seattle City Council irresponsibly imposed severe restrictions on police officers. These actions have resulted in skyrocketing crime rates and a mass exodus of police officers. While city leaders claim they were slashing police funding to benefit members of the minority community, it is minority-dominated neighborhoods which have experienced the greatest increase in violent crime. (MyNorthwest)

A Seattle parent is claiming racism for the poor education her special needs son is receiving in Seattle Public Schools. Janelle Williams filed a lawsuit last year after finding out her then eight-year-old son had been locked inside a cage-like structure to discipline him. The school principal was asked to resign (with full pay) after this charge was made public. The mother contends that a year later View Ridge Elementary has yet to develop a plan for educating her son who has ADHD and is autistic. Williams asserts this is because her son is black. “And I know, essentially, if it were a teacher of color did that to a European American child, it wouldn’t happen the same kind of repercussions.” (KIRO News)

People in illegally parked RVs are complaining that City of Tacoma officials did not provide them with weeks’ of notice that they were going to remove the Milwaukee Way encampment (which is just outside the Port of Tacoma).  City law requires 72-hour notice, which city workers adhered to by providing at least four days’ notice that the area was going to be cleaned up starting today. The illegal campers said other encampments were given multiple weeks of advance notice and that the city is treating them unfairly. Beyond saying that they were not provided with adequate notice to stop their illegal behavior, the RV residents are also demanding the city provide them with more services and to pay for housing. (KOMO news)

The Thurston County election manager says that since her county’s elected leadership has chosen not to provide the financial resources for new election facilities, then the federal government should spend $20 billion to provide funding for local elections offices. Tillie Naputi-Pullar wrote in an Olympian op-ed that for 23 years the election department has been forced to work in a “modest” building and that the Thurston County government has not paid for them to move into larger, more modern facilities.  This has occurred even as the state has recently lessened the financial burden of conducting elections by paying the cost for running elections in even-numbered years.  Yet, if the elected officials of the county have not deemed it a priority to spend money collected from Thurston County taxpayers on a new elections facility, why should taxpayers from across the country fund the project?   (The Olympian)

The Eastmont School District (East Wenatchee) has approved the hiring of a second School Resource Officer due to an increase in local gang activity, the Uvalde shooting, and a recommendation from East Wenatchee Chief of Police Rick Johnson.  The district is seeking federal grant money to fund the position to help provide security at the district’s one high school, three junior highs, and five elementary schools. (KPQ Radio)

The Douglas County Auditor stated that many voters might think they have received the wrong ballot when they are delivered in the mail at the end of this week.  While a large majority of East Wenatchee has remained in the 12^th Legislative District, the rest of the county is now represented by 7^th Legislative District lawmakers (Representatives Maycumber and Kretz, and Senator Short). The 12^th Legislative District has shifted west after the recent redistricting process and it now crosses over the Cascade Mountains to include rural portions of King and Snohomish counties. (KPQ and Redistricting Commission maps)

We have heard multiple reports that there will be a Republican write-in candidate challenging six-term Democrat incumbent Senator Karen Keiser in the 33^rd Legislative District. The 74-year old Senator Keiser is the Washington State Senate Pro Temp (i.e. the one who has been there the longest) and has raised nearly $200,000 despite not having faced a serious challenge for many years. Rumor has it that several Republican candidates who are seeking to unseat other Democrat Senators have been hoping someone will challenge Senator Keiser in the belief that she will spend less of her money helping their opponents if she has to defend her own seat.  The GOP candidate will need to obtain more than 200 write in votes in the August 2^nd Primary in order to appear on the November general election ballot.  The 33^rd Legislative District includes Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and parts of Kent.  Republicans are looking to win four seats in November to take control of the Washington State Senate. Shift will provide additional information as soon as we receive official word of the write-in candidacy.

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