This week’s Newsmaker Interview is with Steven Strachan, the Executive Director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC).  This week the organization released its annual Crime in Washington report which revealed that while violent crime rates are dropping around the country, they continue to rise in Washington State.

The report also showed that Washington ranks dead last (behind all other states and the District of Columbia) for the number of police officers per the number of residents they are paid to protect.  The data also demonstrated that it is persons of color who have been disproportionately impacted by the rise in crime and the reduction of police officers.

In Shift’s interview with Executive Director Strachan, he discussed the data in WASPC’s report and how local and state lawmakers must be mindful of the disturbing trends when developing “balanced” future public safety proposals.   He also shared his thoughts on how more police officers can be recruited to the state, the legislature’s recent “fix” of the Blake decision (drug possession laws), and what still needs to be done to improve law enforcement’s ability to pursue suspected criminals… Shift.

Washington State Democrats sure have been proud of all the high-cost/low-benefit environmental policies coming out of Olympia in recent years, led by Team Green’s cheerleader-in-chief Jay Inslee.  However, they are starting to sing a slightly different tune now that they have determined that the voting public doesn’t like the price impacts of their high-profile Cap-and-Trade program – especially when Democrats from Governor Inslee on down were bragging over the last few years that there would magically be no cost to consumers even while billions would be generated for their favorite green projects.

Turns out the cost for cap-and-tax is fast approaching 50 cents a gallon, with the Washington State Standard capturing an oil industry spokesperson saying “There is gouging going on, but I think it’s the state that’s doing it.” The association for West Coast oil companies also pointed out that “Washington leaders continue to adopt the disingenuous approach of refusing to admit that these programs have any cost impacts at all.” You can read much more finger pointing here … Washington State Standard.

A start-of-the-week press conference highlighted a major difference between Republicans and Democrats in Olympia, one which deserves further attention as the week draws to close – and more people start noticing a new state tax being taken from their mid-July paycheck.  As the Seattle Times quoted one GOP senator “The bottom line is, it’s your money. This should be your choice on how you spend it.”

The issue at play is the state’s much-criticized Long-Term Care tax, which began hitting paychecks July 1. And that distinction featured in the press release is that Republicans trust you to invest your retirement healthcare dollars how you see fit, while Democrats want to tell you what type of care you get (and make sure that more union dues are collected in the process). You can read more about those competing perspectives here… Seattle Times.

A relatively new blog is making a splash in local Spokane politics, as the “On the Ball 509” site highlights the dark money and other tawdry games being played by Democrats in local government elections, including this year’s mayoral campaign. You can read more about some of the ethical challenges which are already dogging the Left’s favorite candidate, former State Commerce Secretary Lisa Brown, here… On the Ball 509.

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