Inslee extends summer – instead of working

The daily calendars of Jay Inslee never cease to amaze – if you want to see how someone does so little work and still gets paid for it. In the same week when it became public that the governor’s salary was being raised to over $173,000 a year, Inslee managed to work almost 14 hours for the taxpayers – with the majority of that work coming in the first full day he has put in all summer.

Jay started his Labor Day week by taking Labor Day off – even a traditional union-sponsored Labor Day picnic didn’t make it on to his schedule. Evidently he had to rest up, because he kicked off his Tuesday at 8:30 with a phone call to staff, before fitting in a 90-minute lunch with Attorney General Bob Ferguson (perhaps to discuss the AG’s future run for Governor?). But what truly made his day was a 15-minute campaign call to that old internet inventor himself, Al Gore.

Then he spent the rest of the day campaigning.

Then he spent all of Wednesday campaigning, including a fundraising lunch, shopping at Nordstrom and a fundraising evening reception.

Evidently that rested him for “photo-op Thursday”, when he spent two-and-half hours visiting three different schools, pretending that he wasn’t using public funds to campaign during that time. Of course, it just so happened that his school visits were close to the fundraising lunch  and evening fundraiser that he had on the schedule.

This rigorous week set Inslee up for probably his busiest day since the legislature adjourned, as he put in an 8-hour day in his Olympia office. From meeting with Democrat legislative leaders (but evidently not Republican ones), to some ceremonial visits, to getting a haircut, and having lunch alone – Inslee was able to govern for a whole day before knocking off work at 5 pm, so he wouldn’t get too worn out.

Of course, the weekend was restful, with all day Saturday off, and Sunday spent off the grid, somewhere near Burlington. But, he returned to Seattle for an evening reception with China’s Hainan Airlines, which presumably did not involve raising money.