When Democrats start accusing other Democrats of corruption, it must be really bad.  Democrat State Auditor Pat McCarthy sent Governor Jay Inslee and his Employment Security Department (ESD) Commissioner Suzi LeVine a stern letter stating that auditors, who are conducting five separate investigations of the dysfunctional department, were encountering “management interference” that was hampering their efforts to conduct legally required audits of the department.  This has led many to wonder what is the Inslee Administration and his ESD leadership team trying to hide from an auditor’s office that is conducting investigations into whether ESD management decisions allowed one of the largest thefts in American history to take place and why it took so long for tens of thousands Washington residents to receive their benefits after losing their jobs due to Inslee’s emergency orders.  This latest incident has increased the call for Governor Inslee to fire Commissioner LeVine for her colossal mismanagement of the ESD and taxpayer funds. (Shift Article)

The large education state bureaucracy that has been built by Democrats and liberal special interests groups is failing to provide even basic information regarding the spread of the coronavirus within the schools, or even how many students have returned to in-person instruction. Even as more parents become concerned about the failures of distance learning (i.e. poor grades, mental health issues, low participation rates, etc.), the state is failing to provide basic information regarding the spread of COVID-19 within school settings, how the crisis is impacting learning/grades, and best practices for returning students to classrooms. The Seattle Times article says that the state education system is “falling flat at reassuring parents and teachers that schools are safe. And they are coming up short on measuring the amount of learning that’s being lost in this most unusual school year.”  (Seattle Times)

The Inslee Administration is failing dramatically to reach its goal of contacting 90% of the state’s coronavirus cases within 24 hours to collect “contact tracing” data to slow the spread of the coronavirus.  If fact, Inslee’s team is missing its goal by a whopping 84%!  In the Washington State Department of Health’s latest report, it was revealed that the state had managed to reach only 6% of the newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, and the numbers keep getting worse.  It is because the state has failed to obtain the necessary information as to where people are contracting (and spreading) the coronavirus that caused Governor Inslee to see fit to impose his latest restrictions on retailers, restaurants and bars (without any supporting data that they were the cause for the spike in the number of new COVID-19 cases). Thus, the governor is using a one-size-fits-all approach of punishing employers and small businesses for the disease spread, because state workers (who have not lost any wages during the pandemic and nearly all received a pay raise last summer) have failed to collect the necessary data to identify outbreaks. (Washington Policy Center and Shift)

As Shift mentioned yesterday in our “Overheard on the Internets” section, Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler (R – Ritzville) has announced he will step down from his leadership position, which he has held for eight years.  The Republican Senate Caucus will elect a new leader later this week during organizational meetings.  In the Democrat caucus, the members have decided to punish Senator Mark Mullet (D – Issaquah) for defeating a pro-income tax challenger who was heavily financed by the state employee unions (which are often Democrat legislative candidates largest contributor) and endorsed by pro-income tax Governor Inslee. The caucus removed Mullet from his Majority Whip position and demoted him to the newly created meaningless position of “Leadership Liaison to the Business Community.” (The Olympian)

After months of parents expressing their frustrations with Washington State’s school system being ill-prepared for distance learning, Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal has finally admitted (now that the election is over) that his policies are not working for many of the state’s students.  While providing no proposals to improve the state system, Reykdal did say his office is in the process for considering revising the state guidelines to encourage more in-person instruction. (Yes, that is “government speak” for saying the government might do something in the future, but there is no real commitment or timeline for action.) (KNKX News)

The impact of not being able to socialize with their friends at school and elsewhere is impacting the mental health of children.  Even though there is little hard data available, because the world is still in the midst of the pandemic, the data collected thus far, along with anecdotal information, is very worrisome for many children’s health specialists.  Data is showing that anxiety and depression are rising among children and that many students are having difficulties concentrating on school work. (NPR)

There is one small piece of good news that has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic – Democrat members of the Washington State House of Representatives have been asked to limit the number of bills they introduce to just seven.  House committee chairs have been asked to limit the number of bills they pass out of committee.  While these are good proposals, many open government advocates are legitimately concerned about the Democrat committee chairs also being instructed to reduce the number of public hearings they hold on legislation.  (NW News Network)

Another state-run facility sees a spike in the number coronavirus cases.  Government-run facilities continue to be a major source of new COVID-19 cases, with Western State Hospital reporting that 30 patients and staff members have become infected with the virus in the past week.  (AP/Patch)

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan signed the city’s 2021 budget, which includes a reduction in the number of police officers but does provide safe heroin injunction sites at city health facilities.  Over the past year, many councilmembers have flip-flopped from supporting more money for the Seattle Police Department to pushing a randomly chosen measure to cut police funding by 50% (to placate rioters who took over a police precinct and occupied 6 blocks of Capitol Hill last June).  In the end, the council’s budget cuts the Police Department’s budget by 17%, with 51 fewer officers, even as violent crimes are increasing. But funding for training staff at city-run “low barrier emergency shelters” on how to respond to heroin overdoses was included.  And, while there is strong support statewide to reduce car tab fees, Seattle’s budget calls for the city to double its share of the fee from $20 to $40. Just because. (MyNorthwest)

Since the Inslee Administration has failed to provide important data (see contract tracing story above) to school officials for determining when and how to return students to schools, three Pierce County school districts have begun a COVID testing program for students and staff.  The Pierce County Council is funding the program with money received from the federal CARES Act.  Weekly COVID-19 testing will take pace in the Eatonville, Peninsula, and White River school districts. Data collected will help school officials determine next steps at bringing students back to the classroom. (KING5 News)

Yakima City Council members will consider sending a letter to Governor Inslee asking for more local control over restrictions placed on activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The council’s letter also expresses disappointment in the state funding package the governor has proposed to alleviate the economic damage his orders have caused. A draft of the letter states, “We are concerned that the lack of ongoing financial support will leave Yakima (and the state) with a substantially diminished economy, high unemployment, more need for government services, and more misery for the employees and businesses that are trying to manage through this.” (Yakima Herald)

The Wenatchee Valley Community College has decided to remain online through Spring quarter.  The campus will continue to be closed to students and faculty into the summer, except for those attending a few classes which require in-person attendance. (iFIBER One)

Democrat legislators are moving to impose radical Seattle style policing “reforms” onto the rest of Washington State.  While polls show that Seattle’s extreme measures are not even supported by Seattle residents, this has not stopped Democrats from trying to impose the same concepts onto every Washington State community.  The Democrats have excluded Republican legislators from its “Policing Policy Leadership Team” as they move forward in imposing Seattle’s radical anti-police ideas at the state level. (Shift article)

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