Democrat lawmakers who support the state’s poorly developed Long-Term Care payroll tax (i.e. the misnamed “WA Cares”) may soon require those who received an exemption from the state-run plan to “recertify” that they are still carrying a private long-term care insurance policy.  This goes against current state law, which says workers only needed to prove one time that they had a private plan to exempt themselves forever from the state plan. Thousands of workers bought a private plan for a few months to obtain the exemption, but dropped their private coverage, especially after the Democrats postponed the implementation of the plan until after this November’s elections (the tax currently is scheduled to commence in July 2023).

The Washington State Long-Term Trust and Supports Trust Commission is considering suggesting this recertifying requirement to the Washington Legislature, which will then have to change state law in order to break its previous promise to state workers.  This would be a heck of a shock for the nearly half a million Washington State workers who received exemptions from the state plan by showing they had purchased a private plan.

Sadly this is the latest example of how poorly conceived the “WA Cares” tax plan was and why it should be repealed. That’s what happens when legislation is written by Democrat lawmakers to reward the large campaign donations they received from the Service Employees International Unions’ labor bosses who collect mandatory dues from the home health care workers who will receive much of the money from the state-run plan. Democrat legislative candidates should be asked by voters if they will support making this change, which clearly breaks a promise the state made to workers. (Washington Policy Center report)

Highly respected University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences Professor Cliff Mass stated that Governor Jay Inslee’s recent comments on the weather misrepresents the science in order for him to obtain political leverage.  Recent comments by the governor make it sound like it never hits 90 degrees in Western Washington (though it has done so multiple times nearly every year of recorded temperature history here). Professor Mass, who literally wrote the book on region’s weather (The Weather of the Pacific Northwest), believes the governor’s recent comments (along with help from the media) are just fear-mongering to get the liberal base riled up. “What really disturbs me is how some of the media, like the Seattle Times, is constantly hyping every single heatwave or weather event, and I think that’s very damaging,” Mass said. “First, it doesn’t reflect the science, but then, on the other hand, it also gets people fearful, paranoid, and anxious.”  (MyNorthwest, Shift’s Newsmaker Interview, and Amazon)

A plea bargain deal for a man who raped a minor allowed that repeat offender to serve only 15 months in the King County Jail, and 36 hours after his ultimate release he became the only suspect in an unprovoked attack which resulted in the death of a senior wheelchair-bound man .  The King County Prosecutors Office plea bargained the rape of a 16-year-old girl from a second degree rape (which is a Class A felony carrying a life sentence) down to a third-degree assault with sexual motivations, which is a Class C felony and carries a five-year sentence.  King County Superior Court Judge Maureen McKee then reduced the sentence down to just 15 months and the man was set free in early July. Witnesses identified the man, just a day after his release, as the perpetrator of a senseless attack on a disabled 63-year-old man (in a wheelchair) at the Bellevue Transit Center on July 10^th.

The good government advocates at Change WA say this story illustrates two of the major flaws in our local criminal justice system.  Too often serious crimes with meaningful penalties are plea bargained down to far less serious crimes which carry lighter penalties for the offenders. This often occurs with criminals who are the kind of repeat offenders who truly deserve longer sentences. The other concern is that liberal judges often give lighter than recommended sentences which allow the criminals to be quickly released to commit more crimes. (Change WA)

The Vancouver Police Department has conducted retail emphasis patrols due to the increase of organized theft rings in the community following the Democrats’ passage of their 2021 anti-police package in the Washington State Legislature. The Vancouver Police Department worked with local businesses to conduct two recent emphasis patrols which resulted in the arrest of 11 individuals who were caught stealing merchandise. (Vancouver Columbian)

A crime ring theft hit a Downtown Seattle jewelry store early Wednesday morning, as criminals used a stolen SUV to smash into the business. The store on 1^st Avenue, near the Pike Place Market, had its front doors rammed by the driver of the stolen SUV at 3:30 AM. The criminals then smashed display cases to steal merchandise before fleeing the scene. (MyNorthwest

Governor Inslee’s unscientific and unilateral decision to impose a vaccine mandate on state workers (including volunteers) has reduced the number of individuals available to fight wildfires and will result in larger fires, more property damage, and more injuries.  Central Washington fire chiefs said that the governor’s abuse of his “emergency” powers (now on day 879) has significantly reduced the number of volunteers who are available to fight wildfires.  A recent survey of volunteers found that less than half of them have been fully vaccinated and less than 20% are willing to show their vaccination card to the Washington State Patrol.  Volunteer firefighters are called upon by the state’s Fire Marshall Office when a fire becomes to large for local fire departments to handle. Said one fire chief, “We are just going to wear our personnel out.” (Wenatchee World)

Moderate pro-business Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward announced that she is seeking a second term and will run for re-election in 2023. Recently the mayor has had several clashes with the liberals controlling the Spokane City Council who fear her success.  Mayor Woodward asserts that while the liberal councilmembers continue to push for actions which are best for fellow liberals and city bureaucrats, she has been pushing for solutions which have come from the public. She points to the recent re-location of the East-Central Police precinct.  Mayor Woodward said, “The neighborhood council approved it, the East Sprague business association, the businesses wanted it, there was plenty of engagement there. I just don’t think the city council wanted to put a police precinct there, but I listened to the neighborhood, and did what the neighborhood asked.”

Even though there is no announced candidate against Mayor Woodward, it is widely assumed that liberal career politician and Inslee cabinet member Lisa Brown will seek the position.  Commerce Secretary Brown recently drew controversy over her decision to move out of Olympia (where nearly all of her department’s workers are based) to work remotely in Spokane (so she can attend varies local Left-wing events to garner support for a future race). Brown is even making Washington State taxpayers pick up the expenses for her trips to Olympia.  Like her boss forcing taxpayers to fund the extra security costs associated with his failed presidential campaign, Secretary Brown evidently believes she is part of the privileged class whose political ambitions should be funded by taxpayers. (KXLY, Concerned Taxpayer Accountability Center media release, and KOMO News)

With primary ballots in voters’ hands and the general election approximately 100 days away, the Democrats in Washington State have suddenly flipped-flopped away from their relentless attacks on the police.  Governor Jay Inslee led the Democrats’ reversal last week by claiming that he was against the “defund the police” movement.  This statement would have perhaps been meaningful if uttered two years ago when the governor’s liberal supporters were violently rioting in the streets of Seattle, illegally taking over portions of the city, and attempting mass murder against police officers. Yet, when he was asked at the time about the attacks on police officers and the shutting down of the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct, the governor didn’t stand up for those who protect our community, instead he notoriously feigned ignorance and stated, “That’s news to me.”

Obviously the Democrats are seeing the same polls everyone else is seeing.  Their legislative candidates, especially in swing suburban districts, are facing a difficult challenge as Democrats are rightfully being blamed for the dramatic increase in crime, inflation, higher taxes, and Governor Inslee’s never-ending abuse of his “emergency” powers (now on Day 878).  The Democrats’ sudden support of the police, after passing a dozen anti-police bills during the past two legislative sessions, should be seen for what it is – a campaign gimmick.  If the Democrats are able to keep control of the legislature, is there any doubt that the liberal lawmakers will return to their previous pro-criminal ways and support such bills as Representatives Tarra Simmons (Bremerton) and David Hackney’s (Tukwila) HB – 1692 which will reduce the penalties for those convicted of drive-by shootings?  (Click to read full Shift Article)

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