We are reminded by a Facebook post from Jason Mercier (of the Washington Policy Center) that Governor Jay Inslee is currently conducting secret contract negotiations – using your tax dollars – with the labor bosses of the state government employee unions.  These unions have consistently been the largest contributors to Democrat campaigns (including the governor’s), provide thousands of “volunteers” (many are paid by the unions) to Democrat campaigns (including the governor’s), and spend millions of dollars on “Independent Expenditures” which benefit Democrat campaigns (including the governor’s). The unions are also the major funders behind many liberal “non-profit” organizations which push liberal higher taxes/bigger government policies and are often the major contributors to campaigns opposing citizens’ initiatives which aim to either reduce taxes or improve government accountability or transparency.

The funding for the unions political activity comes from these contract negotiations with the governor. The math is simple – the more state employees there are and the higher the state employees salaries are, the more money is collected from union dues. Thus more money is available to support Democrat campaigns (including the governor’s) and fund liberal organizations.

This is not at all like your typical labor/management negotiation which occur in the private sector, for in these negotiations the government employee unions funded efforts to help the governor win his job. The governor (and his Democrat colleagues) greatly benefit if the unions receive more money.  The people who are left out of these secret negotiations are those who will fund the decisions which are made behind closed doors – the Washington State taxpayers.

This is a corrupt system which impacts the lives of every Washington State resident. It is why the governor and Democrat legislators are currently refusing to consider tax relief with the billions in surplus tax revenue the state is collecting.  Instead of using that money to help lower- and middle- income households pay their bills even as double-digit inflation and skyrocketing fuel prices are eating away at their paychecks, Governor Inslee wants to use that money to increase the size of state government (which has doubled in size during the nine years the governor has been in office) and give another pay raise to state employees who have already received three pay raises since July 2020. (Jason Mercier Facebook post and Washington Policy Center 2019 Policy Guide)

The Washington State Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments on the Democrats’ unconstitutional state income tax on capital gains.  One of the primary objectives of the state government employee unions (and thus a top priority for Democrat politicians) is the passage of a state income tax.  The unions would love to open up an income tax revenue stream to fund an even more rapid expansion of the size and cost of state government, as this has done in other states like California.  However, foiling this plan has been Washington State voters, who have 10 straight times overwhelmingly rejected ballot measures (nearly every time by a two-thirds margin) to impose a state income tax.  In 2021, Governor Inslee and the Democrat-controlled legislature jammed through their latest attempt to impose a state income tax by passing a state income tax on capital gains (SB 5096).

Several citizens filed a lawsuit against the Democrat’s latest tax and a Douglas County Superior Court judge used legal precedent to determine the capital gains tax was an income tax and thus unconstitutional in Washington State.

Democrat Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has appealed this decision and the State Supreme Court announced this week that it will bypass the court of appeals and hear the case. Many have suspected that there has been an agreement between Democrat lawmakers and the nine liberal members of the court that they will ignore legal precedent (and the opinions of the IRS and 49 other states) and rule that tax is not an income tax, but rather an alternative form of “excise” tax which is constitutional in Washington. We should note that each of the nine current justices on the Washington State Supreme Court have previously received maximum campaign contributions from the state employee unions who are behind the current drive to impose an income tax on Washington State’s workers. (Seattle Times, Clark County Today, Washington Legislature Bill Summary, Spokesman-Review, Washington Policy Center, and Washington State Public Disclosure Commission reports)

Two repeat criminals robbed a Poulsbo bank and were surprised that police were able to pursue them as they attempted to get away.  A police officer spotted their pickup truck driving South on State Route 3 and received radio permission from a supervisor to pursue the vehicle. The subjects were caught in Silverdale when they rear-ended another vehicle. One of the suspects told police that he believed police could not pursue them if they sped up or drove erratically.  Officers can pursue suspects of violent felonies if police have proof they committed the crimes. (News Tribune)

There are so many crimes now being committed that police often do not make reports of offences and thus crime statistics don’t include the incidents. A retired Seattle police officer was driving on I-5 when debris was thrown at his vehicle, causing damage. The retired officer called 911 to report the incident and a Washington State Patrol officer called him and said he couldn’t make a report and that “this is happening all the time.”  This led the retired officer to think how inaccurate crime stats must be if crimes that “happen all the time” are not being recorded. This is occurring often in Seattle where the Seattle Police Department no longer has the resources to respond to “non-emergency” 911 calls and thus police reports are never filed. (KTTH)

A 21-month-old toddler was brought to an Olympia hospital after likely coming into contact with amphetamines while playing in a local park.  Fortunately the child was OK, yet the incident raised serious concerns about the possible dangerous substances being left in public places accessible to children. The Democrats in the 2021 Legislature made it virtually legal (a person needs to be caught three times possessing illegal drugs before any meaningful penalty is imposes) to possess several illegal drugs (SB 5476) including the extremely harmful amphetamines MDMA and methamphetamine. Since there are no consequences for possessing illegal drugs in public, it is easy to imagine there has been an increase in the number of people possessing drugs in public. And thus more opportunity to misplace these drugs in locations where innocent children can find them. (Q13 Fox News and Washington Legislature Bill Summary)

Within 24 hours three shooting incidents occurred on Western Washington highways as violent crime continues to increase, spurred by liberal soft-on-crime policies. The first took place in a road rage confrontation on Route 18 in Federal Way. The second incident occurred on I-5 near SeaTac when a driver shot out the back window of another vehicle. The third incident involved an exchange of gunfire between two vehicles just north of Tukwila on I-5. Fortunately only minor injuries have been reported from the incidents. (KING5 News)

The Walla Walla City Council voted to delay deciding on whether to remove a statue of pioneer Marcus Whitman from its downtown location next to Whitman College.  Previously the Walla Walla Arts Commission had supported removal of the statue and presenting it to the Fort Walla Walla Museum. The city council said it needs more information before it can decide the fate of the sculpture. The council can decide to leave the statue where it is, add statues and/or plaques to the location to provide context from a Native American perspective, move the statue to another location, or give it to the museum. (Walla Walla Union Bulletin)

The Democrats who control Washington State are not only refusing to help lower- and middle- income families with gas tax relief (as other state governments are doing), but their policies will soon increase the cost of gas even further.  Washington State has the third-highest gas tax (at 49.4 cents per gallon) in the country.  A new report from the Washington Policy Center reveals that Governor Inslee’s Cap and Trade policy will add an additional 46 cents to the per gallon cost of gas by next year. So while other states are trying to help their residents by providing tax relief during these inflationary times, the Democrats who control Olympia are actually adding more financial burdens to struggling families. This is occurring as the state’s coffers are overflowing with unexpected tax revenue. Thus the Democrats clearly believe it is more important for the state to have too much money than it is for households to have enough money to pay their bills. (Click to read full Shift article)

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