Governor Jay Inslee’s vaccine mandate continues to cause havoc on the state’s ferry system, making it no longer a reliable transportation method for those who are seeking to cross Puget Sound or travel to and from the San Juan islands.  Last weekend was one of the worst of the summer for cancelled sailings for the extremely short-staffed Washington State Ferry System which Inslee has created. Sailings were cancelled, often at the last minute, because vessels did not have enough Coast Guard certified crew members to set sail or an appropriately trained engineer to perform necessary tasks such as refueling.

Governor Inslee abused his emergency powers last year by mandating that all state employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID.  This caused 132 ferry system workers to lose their job and has resulted in hundreds of cancelled sailings over the past 10 months.  Because the governor stubbornly refused to include others (such as state legislators or locally elected officials) in his decision-making process, no alternatives were discussed to ensure that those who depend on a reliable ferry system were not severely impacted (as they have been because of the governor’s mandate). Ferry officials say it could take 18 months to restore crew levels. Until then, thousands of commuters will continue to wait at ferry docks for fully staffed vessels and hundreds of small San Juan Island and Kitsap and Olympic peninsula businesses will continue to lose revenue because potential customers don’t want to deal with an unreliable ferry schedule. Thanks, Jay. (MyNorthwest and KIRO7 News)

New research from the Washington Policy Center reveals that not only have voters rejected a state income tax 10 consecutive times, but state lawmakers have failed to pass any of the more than 50 income tax bills they have introduced in the legislature since 1991.  This is relevant because liberals admit that their 2021 state income tax on capital gains measure (which a Douglas County Superior Court judge ruled was unconstitutional earlier this year) is an attempt to provide the nine liberal members of the current Washington State Supreme Court with an opportunity to reverse multiple past court decisions making any form of income tax illegal in the State of Washington. For nearly 100 years, Washington State courts, voters, and lawmakers have all agreed that a state income tax is unconstitutional. All 49 other states and the Internal Revenue Service have categorized capital gains as income, and thus illegal in our state. But that doesn’t stop Jay Inslee and Democrats legislators from trying to jam one through anyway. (Washington Policy Center and Spokesman-Review)

A new report from the Washington Research Council (WRS) asserts that the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program is already in danger of running a deficit within two years after the first benefits were paid.  Monthly benefits have exceeded premiums twice in 2022, and this is expected to continue despite the payroll tax being increased from 0.4% to 0.6% earlier this year.  The amount of premiums continue to increase as more people become aware of the program. The report states that the payroll tax will need to be increased to keep the program solvent.   As WRC states, this is yet another “cautionary tale” regarding the financial problems which will likely occur with the state’s controversial Long-Term Care payroll tax (the mis-named WA Cares program) which is already projected to run a deficit even before it is scheduled to begin next July. (Washington Research Council)

Republican Idaho lawmakers have announced a one-day (September 1) legislative special session to provide tax relief for its citizens, while Washington’s Democrat lawmakers stubbornly refuse to provide similar tax cuts for lower- and middle- income households struggling due to record-breaking inflation and energy prices.  Like Washington, Idaho is running a tax revenue surplus (currently projected to be $2 billion). Yet unlike liberal politicians in our state, lawmakers in the Gem State are returning the surplus funds to taxpayers through rebates and reducing the state’s tax rate, especially for lower-income families. (Governor Brad Little media release)

The City of Seattle is facing a $141 million shortfall in its 2023 budget despite years of dramatic increases in the city budget.  The city has experienced more than five years of 4.5% – 5.0% economic growth , but due to massive overspending by liberal elected officials, the city’s Office of Economic and Budget Forecasts has informed the city council of the bleak budget forecast.  Currently city councilmembers are looking to use “excess revenue” from their payroll tax (i.e. the inappropriately named “JumpStart” tax) to partially fund the initial budget deficit, yet the city will still need to find “new revenue sources” to sustain its current level of spending.

Council Finance Committee Chair Teresa Mosqueda stated she prefers “progressive revenue” (i.e. higher taxes) over austerity measures (which she defines as any actual reduction in spending).  Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office is currently developing its budget proposal and he has asked departments to submit budgets with 3% – 6% cuts – which of course has drawn the opposition of liberal special interest groups.  The mayor will submit his proposed budget next month. (Seattle Times)

New data from the Downtown Seattle Association shows that out-of-state tourist are returning to the city, but locals don’t want to return to working there.  Tourist levels are near those of pre-pandemic levels as hotels are seeing a strong rebound of out-of-town visitors.  Yet local residents, who are more aware of the neighborhood’s crime, drug, and homeless problems, continue to stay away, as only 40% of those who worked downtown in 2019 have returned to their office space. (CenterSquare)

After multiple sewage spills into Puget Sound over the past half dozen years, King County is demonstrating that it doesn’t discriminate – by dumping raw sewage into Lake Washington as well.  Due to issues at King County’s East Pine Street Pump Station on Monday, Seattle’s sewage flowed into Lake Washington, causing the closure of Madrona and Howell parks and their beaches, and “street-end” parks at East Olive Street and East Pine Street. (Seattle Times)

Senator Ron Muzzall (R – Oak Harbor) will be hosting a grassroots fundraiser this Saturday afternoon for the two GOP House candidates running in his 10^th Legislative District (Whidbey Island, NW Snohomish County, and SW Skagit County).  First-term Representative Greg Gilday is running for reelection and real estate agent/U.S. Navy Veteran Karen Lesetmoe is challenging liberal Representative Dave Paul (who won by less than 1% in 2020).  The event, called “Burgers in the Barn,” will be held at Senator Muzzall’s Oak Harbor farm from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM.  Please click on link for more details and to RSVP. (Representative Greg Gilday Facebook post and Shift Newsmaker Interviews)

The liberal members of the Spokane City Council continue to act divisively as they seek to strip Mayor Nadine Woodward of her authority to perform her job responsibilities.   The councilmembers passed an emergency ordinance yesterday to block the mayor’s desire to place a new police precinct at the location of the recently closed East Central Library.  Mayor Woodward’s actions were in response to calls from the local community to open a much-needed new police precinct in the neighborhood, while the council is seeking to use the building for other government services.

Mayor Woodward joined several community leaders at yesterday’s council meeting to oppose the council’s actions ignoring the concerns of the local community.  “This dangerous legislation is retaliatory and continues a consistent attack on the independent authority of the Office of the Mayor to run the operation as defined by the City Charter,” the mayor stated. “The City Council led a significant portion of the community outreach that showed overwhelming support for officers moving in and is now disregarding and minimizing that feedback.”

This is the latest in a series of politically divisive actions taken by the liberal members of the council leading into next year’s city elections, for which Mayor Woodward has already announced that she is running for re-election.  (KREM TV News, Mayor Woodward’s comments at City Council Meeting, and Spokesman-Review)

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