The drumbeat gets louder: Now the Seattle Times condemns the recent actions of Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) Commissioner Suzi LeVine – and almost calls for her actual dismissal – for hampering investigations into her mis-management that allowed one of the largest thefts in American history to take place and delayed unemployment benefit payments to tens of thousands of deserving Washington State residents. The Times editorial states, “ESD officials say they have been doing their best to assist outside auditors while managing heavy caseloads and responding to multiple audits. But the now-familiar excuse of overwhelm has grown tiresome. If ESD Commissioner Suzi LeVine can’t get a handle on her department’s responsibilities, the governor should appoint someone who can.”  It was Governor Jay Inslee’s 2018 decision to hire LeVine, whose primary qualification for the job is that she raised lots of money for Democrat campaigns, and it is the governor’s decision to not fire her despite her obvious failures to handle the job.  Earlier this year, Oregon Governor Kate Brown fired Oregon’s Employment Department Director over problems that were miniscule compared to what has taken place at the Washington State ESD.  These on-going problems at his lead unemployment agency during an unemployment crisis and the governor’s inaction, are making many people speculate over what hidden reason there is for Governor Inslee keeping Commissioner LeVine in her position. (Seattle Times and OregonLive)

Washington State and Louisiana require state licenses for more lower-to-middle-income jobs than all other states in the country, and often recent released felons are banned from obtaining these licenses.  In a Seattle Times op-ed, Todd Myers of the Washington Policy Center writes that these restrictions often make it difficult for those who want to become positive members of society.  Last year, the Washington State House of Representatives passed a bill which allowed felons to receive a license if it is unrelated to the crime they committed.  Unfortunately, the Democrat-controlled State Senate did not take up the bill, so it died. (Seattle Times)

Democrat politicians across the country are being called out for their hypocrisy of imposing restrictions on citizens and then not abiding by the same restrictions themselves.  The “Do as I say, not as I do” crowd goes from California Governor Gavin Newsom attending a large dinner party celebrating a lobbyist’s birthday (after imposing restrictions on people dining out with people not from their households), to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi receiving an unmasked haircut, to numerous liberal large city mayors jetting off on vacations after imposing travel restrictions on residents, the hypocrisy of the Democrats has been in full bloom.  Democrats love to impose rules and restrictions on other people, while holding the privileged belief that they are above the laws they impose. (Governing, CBS8, and CNN)

Let (us) get physical: 11 Republican State Senators call for Governor Inslee to loosen restrictions on health clubs and gyms. The senators supported the efforts of the Washington Fitness Alliance, an association of 300 Washington State gyms, to remove Inslee’s restrictions that have forced the closure of fitness centers. The group claims that both the state’s contact tracing and their own investigations indicate that gyms were not the source for any COVID-19 outbreaks.  Unfortunately for the gym operators, the only data Governor Inslee seemingly really considers is whether someone contributed to his campaign, like the state employee union members, who were given a raise by the governor while gyms were closed, and tribal governments, which are allowed to operate casinos and bars in silence by the governor while nearby restaurants are closed by his orders. Columbia Basin Journal/Centralia Chronicle)

Senator John Braun (R – Centralia) was elected the Senate Republican Leader to replace Senator Mark Schoesler (R – Ritzville) after his Monday announcement that he was stepping down from his leadership position.  Braun was just re-elected to his third term and has distinguished himself with his work on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, and his comprehensive knowledge of the state’s budget. (News Tribune)

More Seattle businesses are considering leaving the state due to City of Seattle officials not providing the police department with the resources to stop criminal activity.  The latest business owner to go public with concerns is Logan Shepardson, who is thinking about moving his manufacturing company, after repeated thefts at its South Park facility. Shepardson is very sympathetic to the police officers, but “they simply don’t have the resources, and that city leadership doesn’t really provide them with the ability to go after these guys.” Despite having video tape evidence of a recent theft, police told Shepardson they were unable to go after the suspect.  (MyNorthwest)

Complicated legal questions are arising over the City of Seattle’s payroll tax. The inaccurately named “JumpStart Tax” was passed earlier this year by the Seattle City Council.  Mayor Durkan then allowed it to become law without her signature (because she knew the council had the votes to overturn her veto).  The tax will be applied to businesses which have payrolls greater than $7 million and annual salaries greater than $150,000. The questions arise over who specifically can be taxed.  Can the city tax the salaries of all employees of a company based in Seattle or is it only employees who work in Seattle?  Can they tax the salary of an employee from a Bellevue company who works from home in Ballard? How about a Seattle company employee who works from home in Redmond? And now that Democrat legislators are considering a similar tax at the state level, the same types of questions will arise with companies and employees with employees in different states and countries. But, don’t worry, as the Democrats will not stop until they have extended all taxes to everyone. (Law360 and Washington Policy Center)

The North Kitsap S’Klallam Reservation has had a breakout of the coronavirus which forced the quarantine of 10% of the reservation’s households.  Despite tribal officials calling this “a crisis situation,” the tribe’s Point Casino and Hotel have remained open. (S’Klallam Notice on COVID Outbreak)

School Districts in smaller Chelan County communities are bringing high school students back to the classrooms.  Cashmere, Entiat, Lake Chelan, and Manson high school students are returning under a hybrid model.  District superintendents say they were concerned about low test scores the students were receiving while learning online, and that they had worries about many students’ mental health due to isolation. While the infection rate has increased in the region, school officials say students are likely safer in schools then they are at home. (Wenatchee World)

The Washington State Farm Bureau’s Government Relations Director says the delisting of the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act was a good thing, but the fight is not over yet.  Tom Davis said that environmental groups will continue to fight the federal government’s decision in court. Davis also said the decision does not mean it is “open season” on the wolves, for they will now be protected by regulations established by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. (Pacific Northwest AG Network)

Should the state recategorize 12-step meetings to allow in-person meetings to resume? Governor Inslee’s decision to prohibit in-person Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step meetings from occurring has forced recovery meetings to take place on Zoom and has caused meeting attendance to plummet. At the same time, both alcohol and marijuana sales are at record levels.  Yet, if 12-step programs were recategorized as “faith-based” instead of “group counseling,” many of the groups could resume meeting in-person. (Shift Article)

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