The Seattle Times editorial board was highly critical of Governor Jay Inslee’s administration for its repeated failure to produce documents sought in public records requests.  The paper described the frustrating delays which investigator/author Lynn Brewer (who Shift proudly was one of the first media outlets to interview last December) faced while seeking communications between Governor Inslee, former Employment Security Department (ESD) Commissioner Suzi LeVine, and other top officials regarding the hundreds of billions of dollars the state allowed to be easily stolen by foreign criminals, and the subsequent delays in providing much-needed benefits to Washington residents.  After months of not receiving the documents, Brewer was forced to hire an attorney to take the Inslee Administration to court.

The case revealed that the state delayed releasing documents by imposing multiple unnecessary procedures to the process.  This was not only done at the ESD, but at other state agencies run by Inslee appointees as well.   Like the current debacle over the City of Seattle failing to provide documents related to the city’s response to liberal violence, the Inslee Administration’s response to public record requests is revealing a disturbing trend.  While liberals continue in their unending quest to increase the size, power, and cost of government, they also seek to make its actions less transparent to the media, and the public. If government performance is so good, why do liberals feel the need to hide from public scrutiny? (Seattle Times and Shift’s Newsmaker interview)

Many states have cut taxes in response to better-than-expected tax revenues during the pandemic.  While liberal lawmakers in Washington State rushed this year to impose higher and more taxes despite the increased tax revenues, states run by moderates and conservatives were lowering the tax burden on their state’s residents and businesses.  Ten states have lowered their income tax on individuals and five more have reduced taxes on businesses.  Meanwhile, analysts inform us that only Washington State and New York imposed new taxes on its citizens (California did alter some exemption changes) even as they recover from the pandemic. As major employers seek new locations for their businesses, it is easy to imagine they will look more favorably at states which don’t constantly seek to raise taxes, but instead find ways to reduce the tax burden. (Route Fifty)

Former Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna provides background on the legal arguments of the lawsuit filed to throw out the Democrats’ latest attempt to impose a state income tax.  McKenna is the lead attorney in the lawsuit filed against the state by the Opportunity for All Coalition. The interview with The Lens primarily focuses on the 90 years of court precedent against a state income tax and why there is no legal basis for the Washington State Supreme Court to dismiss previous rulings and suddenly reverse course. (The Lens and Opportunity for All Coalition)

Governor Inslee did the very least he could do to help struggling border communities, including Point Roberts, after President Joe Biden stated that the United States will keep its border with Canada closed at least through August 21^st.  This was certainly a disappointment for border residents, as Canada had earlier announced it will open its U.S. border on August 9^th.  Inslee’s office quietly released a statement saying the governor was “disappointed by the federal government’s announcement today that the U.S. border with Canada will remain closed through at least August 21. This continued closure will result in continued hardship for Washingtonians living in border communities.”

One has to wonder if the Trump Administration had done the same thing in disregarding the state’s interests  –  would the governor’s response have been so passive?  Most likely Attorney General Bob Ferguson would have already filed a lawsuit (and two press releases to go along with it) and the governor would have assumed his normal position of standing behind the AG during a press conference after reading prepared remarks written by his staff. (KXLY)

The City of Seattle’s dysfunctional response to its growing homeless crisis is displayed by having three separate “interim” directors in just 10 months.  Helen Howell, who assumed the position as interim director of the city’s Human Services Department last December, when previous interim director Jason Johnson left the post, announced that she will also leave the position in September.  At that time, the new interim director, Tanya Kim, will hold the job for a couple of months until the new mayor fills the position with an undoubtedly another interim director.  (MyNorthwest)

While the region’s progressive establishment politicians continue to reward violence committed by liberal activists, mainly by further reducing law enforcement resources even as crime rates skyrocket, King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn is seeking ways to help police do their job. Homicides were increasing in King County even before the pandemic hit.  The upsurge in gang activity has been partially responsible for the higher violent crime rate. A recent report revealed there are 116 active street gangs in King County, with 15,000 members. Councilmember Dunn has proposed legislation to reestablish a dedicated Gang Unit within the King County Sheriff’s Office. (The Facts Newspaper)

Recent polling data reveals that ultra-liberal three-term Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes has very weak support, and that one of his challengers could easily defeat him in the November general elections (if he even survives the August 3rd primary).  If survey data from the liberal outfit Northwest Progressive Institute is accurate, then Holmes is in very serious trouble.  The poll, which was conducted last week, shows that only 16% of the city’s registered voters currently support Holmes. This level of disapproval is unheard of for any politician who has held office for 12 years.

Evidently it is not popular, even with Seattle’s liberal voters, to not prosecute repeat criminals and support efforts to defund the police during a crime wave.  Holmes’ two opponents, the equally out-of-touch and ultra-liberal Nicole Thomas Kennedy and more moderate Ann Davison, each garnered 14% in the same poll.  Davison recently stated that she wants to restore the adversarial relationship between the prosecutor’s office and the criminals. “We have allowed a culture of crime to be welcomed in under the Holmes approach for the past 12 years,” Davison asserted. “We need to return it to centering victims — we do not need two defense attorneys before a judge.” (MyNorthwest)

Lewis County Commissioner Sean Swope is upset that Governor Inslee’s Washington State Department of Health has taken over the Centralia Lakeview Inn and has made it a “quarantine center.”  Commissioner Swope was initially upset that no one from the state spoke with any local officials about the plan, before imposing the quarantine center on the edge of the city’s business district.  Commissioner Swope is also upset at the $30,000 in lost lodging tax that normally comes from the establishment, which goes to help local non-profits. (Centralia Chronicle)

Spokane realtors are strongly supporting candidates in two separate city council races in an effort to make housing more affordable in the city.  As in many West Coast cities, government-imposed regulations have constrained development and driven up the cost of renting or owning a home in the Spokane market.  The result has been more homelessness and residents spending a higher percentage of their income on housing. The Spokane City Council is currently dominated by liberal politicians who refuse to lift restrictions to allow more homes to be built. A spokesman for the Realtors said, “We are literally pricing Spokane out of Spokane. We are hearing story after story of renters who can no longer afford where they live, of rentals being sold off.”

On behalf of the Spokane Realtors, the Washington Realtors PAC has spent approximately $50,000 on independent expenditures to support the campaigns of both Jonathan Bingle and Mike Lish. The Realtors point out that the city council’s current membership does not reflect the views of the population, with six liberal members and only one moderate/conservative member.  It is their hope to bring “balance to the council”, allowing collaboration to bring necessary changes to the city’s housing regulations. (Spokesman-Review)

The Yakima City Council may ask the voters to determine if the city will join other Washington communities which have banned a local income tax.  Currently four cities (Battle Ground, Granger, Spokane, and Spokane Valley) have all strongly supported measures to ban a city-imposed income tax.  Yakima Mayor Patricia Byers has asked the council to discuss the issue at its next meeting on August 2^nd. “The Legislature and the courts have reopened the door for income tax now into cities, as well as into the state,” Byers said. “I feel that it’s important to let the voters of Yakima express their desire to be open or not open to an income tax in our city.” (Yakima Herald)

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