Today is Day 850 of Governor Jay Inslee’s undemocratic abuse of his “emergency“ powers.  Washington remains the last state in the country where only the governor can terminate the state of emergency and it still continues. There are a couple of other states which don’t have an end date for their COVID related emergency orders, but the legislature in those states have the power to terminate the orders. Governor Inslee has yet to say when he will end his abuse of “emergency” powers or even what data points are necessary for this to occur.

Legislative Democrats have enabled the governor to abuse his “emergency“ powers, which he has used to eliminate the legislative branch of state government, locally elected officials, local health officials, and the public from having any input on decisions which impact millions of people’s lives.  Not only did the Democrats in the legislature fail to support multiple Republican attempts (including HB 1772) to limit the length of an executive’s emergency powers, but the Democrats even failed to pass their own fake reform bill (SB 5909) during the 2022 legislative session.

One of the eleven “Initiatives to the Legislature” developed by Let’s Go Washington is I – 1480 which would limit the use of emergency powers to 30 days unless extended by the legislature. If more than 325,000 people sign the petition by the end of 2022, then the 2023 legislature must act upon it. If the next legislature passes the measure then it becomes law without the governor’s signature.  (Governor Inslee media release, National Academy for State Health Policy, Maine Policy Institute, Washington Legislature Bill Summary, and Let’s Go Washington)

This Friday (July 1) is when many state fees will dramatically increase to pay for the Democrats $17 billion transportation package. Despite having billions in surplus revenue, Democrats chose to increase various Department of Licensing fees by as high as 400% to pay for their partisan plan. Democrat legislators like to mislead voters about not raising the state’s gas tax (which at 49.4 cents per gallon is already the third highest in the country) to fund the package. Democrats instead choose to significantly increase fees on such things as license plates, driver’s licenses, ID cards, and auto dealers’ temporary plates. These increases will hurt lower wage workers the hardest.

Republicans put forth a funding plan which would have used some surplus revenue and existing funds to pay for the transportation package, but the Democrats chose to ignore these suggestions as they sought to have the state take even more tax dollars from Washington workers. So while states across the country, even those controlled by Democrats, have provided tax relief to their residents so they could afford to buy groceries and gas as prices are skyrocketing, Washington State’s Democrat lawmakers decided the state needed to add more financial burdens onto our working families.

It was good to see the Seattle Times finally mention today the fees the Democrats are imposing on Washington State drivers and vehicle owners. While the article did mention that Republicans did not vote for the package, it did not mention that the Democrats for the first time in Washington State history shut out the minority party in determining what construction projects to fund and how to pay for their wasteful spending. The article also failed to mention the alternative Republican plan would not have increased state fees. (Shift Article, Representative Andrew Barkis Seattle Times op-ed, Rocky Mountains PBS, and Seattle Times)

A new report from the Washington Policy Center shows the dramatic impact which the Democrats’ economic and energy policies will have on the average family’s Fourth of July celebration. A cookout for 10 people will cost an average of $82.11, which is $18.21 higher (nearly 30%) than last year. Also, for those who plan to take a short trip over the long weekend, the price of gas has risen approximately 63% since last year (today’s AAA average price for gas in Washington State is $5.49 per gallon).   Despite the significant rise in costs thanks to liberal policies, Governor Inslee and Democrat legislators have refused to provide any tax relief to Washington residents. Even the extreme liberals who control California are debating how to provide tax relief to their citizens ($1,000+ tax rebate). Evidently for Democrat lawmakers in our state it is more important for the state government to have too much money than it is for Washington residents to have enough money to pay their bills. (Washington Policy Center, AAA average gas price by state, and Route Fifty)

Republican State Senator Ron Muzzall (Oak Harbor) has joined the large chorus of both Republicans and Democrats calling for the resignation of six-term Democrat Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler.In a recent radio interview, the lawmaker from Whidbey Island stated, “I have to wonder … if he is actually competent to stand as our insurance commissioner.” Senator Muzzall, who must work with the Insurance Commissioner’s office often as the ranking Republican on the Senate’s Health & Long-Term Care Committee, said he was surprised that even the normally ultra-partisan Governor Inslee had also called for Commissioner Kreidler to resign. “I think that the governor’s pressure brings more pressure to bear on him.” (KTTH Radio)

There is a picture circulating on social media that is said to be the inside of a Sound Transit light rail train this morning. The image shows someone transporting a large couch. First, we have to wonder if the person who is moving the furniture paid the fare (since this is no longer a requirement to ride on the system). Also, isn’t it nice of the taxpayers to fund a $135 billion (and still rising after voters were promised it would only cost $54 billion) U-Haul for local residents. (Picture from inside Sound Transit train and Seattle Times)

West Seattle residents are frustrated by the City of Seattle’s previous lack of action at the homeless encampment which was the site of a violent murder a week ago and was set on fire over the weekend. Neighbors said they have witnessed prostitution, drug deals, stolen cars, fires, and shootings at the small encampment just off SW Juneau Street. They said the city did not respond to their concerns.  Last week a man was shot in the face and murdered in his tent. The encampment’s residents left the location after the murder, but apparently someone returned to set the encampment and its massive debris pile on fire.   One nearby resident said, “Not feeling safe at all. Nope.”  City officials did not respond to media inquiries to explain why the city failed to respond to citizens’ previous complaints. (KOMO News)

The two men charged in the shooting of a Spokane police officer and with two related drive-by shootings on Sunday were recently  released from prison and were eligible to have their voting rights restored under a bill passed by the Democrats and signed by Governor Inslee in 2021. One of the suspects was released from prison last March and the other in May. Under the Democrats’ HB 1078, both men were eligible to have their voting rights restored. HB 1078 was part of the anti-police package passed by the Democrats in 2021 as they caved into the radical public safety demands of liberal rioters. The bill passed both the House and Senate with only Democrat support. When Governor Inslee signed the bill he said, “I’m glad that in Washington here, we’re expanding our access to democracy.” And to expanding felon access to firearms. (KXLY TV, Washington Legislature Bill Summary, and Seattle Times)

As Washington Democrats continued their assault on the Eastern side of the state, the delegates at the State Democrat Party convention chose to ignore science and economic reality to instead support a motion to tear down the Snake River dams and eliminate the clean energy they produce. The motion, which passed the liberal conclave  534-75, made no mention of the salmon-killing  Skagit River dams, which provide energy to many of the urban liberals who supported the motion. (CenterSquare)

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