This is no way to start a weekend, but we must share with you the bad news that the government “experts” at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) have been getting it wrong lately when it comes to projecting how much its projects will cost. And according to the Washington State Standard, that means a “financial reckoning is here for Washington’s transportation system. Contract prices to build roads, remove culverts, and overhaul ferries continue to soar due to a confluence of factors: inflation, supply chain woes, worker shortages, and fewer bidders.’

It’s clear from the story that the situation is not going to get better, as “the amounts earmarked in the state transportation budget or funding packages are not enough to cover the tab. It’s forcing lawmakers and the governor to ponder tough choices – forgo projects, delay some to pay for others, find new sources of revenue, or all three.” And we all know that when it comes to tough choices, Governor Jay Inslee and the Democrats will look to higher taxes.

Even worse, so-called green projects continue to get the green light, as you can read about in the frustration of one Republican legislative leader that “It is really hard for me when they’re all getting excited about planning for something that may never get built … while we can’t complete projects. A day of reckoning is coming because the priorities are so out of whack.” here… Washington State Standard.

Lacey Councilmember Lenny Greenstein joined us for this week’s Newsmaker Interview. Greenstein discussed the different approaches to homelessness between Olympia and Lacey. While Olympia has numerous encampments, Lacey remains free of them despite the cities’ proximity. Greenstein attributes Olympia’s homelessness issues to enabling drug addiction and untreated mental illness, in contrast to Lacey, which focuses on providing help and upholding the law. Greenstein, a 12-year City Council veteran, explains his views on the causes of homelessness, his opposition to Lacey’s involvement in the Olympia-controlled Regional Housing Council, and his campaign priorities for his upcoming re-election. Read more.

The money pit that is the homelessness industrial complex in King County is the spotlight again. The latest example of mismanagement, reported by the Seattle Times, comes in a draft report highlighting that “the Washington State Lived Experience Coalition, the advocacy group that received federal money to stand up the program, overestimated its ability to run and maintain the shelters, lacked oversight of its finances and didn’t communicate with its fiscal sponsor or the region’s systems that run homeless services.”

Of course, others had to empower this unqualified group, and the report concludes that “the program using hotels to shelter homeless people financially collapsed this spring, leaving nearly 300 people temporarily facing eviction, (and) everyone involved shares some blame”. You can read how this error could have been avoided had rules been followed, as “Federal Emergency Management Agency money should not have gone to the Lived Experience Coalition in the first place because it did not meet the guidelines for funding” here… Seattle Times.

Just in case you were wondering, it appears not all of the money the federal government shoveled out to Washington State to deal with the COVID crisis was used to deal with anything related to the COVID crisis.  The latest example of that truth was provided by Crosscut, which pointed out that ”Washington lawmakers have now doled out nearly all of the state’s $16.5 billion in direct federal pandemic aid … (and) also reserved $1.1 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds for a very different purpose: propping up the state’s sole operating horse racing track.”

You can see how some advocates suggest “a handout for a sports venue organized around gambling as a frivolous use of one-time funds intended for essential government services” but that the governor’s office is just happy to hide the money in a budget category where no one will find it here… Crosscut.

News coming out of Southwest Washington serves as a reminder for all Washingtonians that public teacher strikes are illegal, even though Democrat public officials will never use the law against one of the biggest campaign donors their party has (the Washington Education Association).  You can read more from The Columbian about where the tactic to raise more dues money might get used next, as “two of Clark County’s biggest school districts — Evergreen Public Schools and the Camas School District — could see delays to the start of the school year as respective teachers unions in each district have authorized potential strikes amid stalled contract negotiations” here… The Columbian.

Shift let you know a few weeks back about the federal judge who ruled that he will use race to draw a new legislative district boundary in Central Washington, after it elected a Hispanic Republican State Senator for the first time ever. But first it’s up to the state legislature to shirk its duty, which Axios-Seattle reports is what’s happening now, as “it’s been more than two weeks since a federal judge ruled that Washington state must redraw one of its legislative districts in the Yakima Valley. But so far, no one is breaking out their pencils to draw a new map.”

Since a new map could only benefit Democrats, as the area is currently only represented by Republicans, you can read more about how “the court is expected to take over the process starting in mid to late January” here… Shift, Axios-Seattle.

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