Two very important Washington State House of Representative committees are not meeting during the legislature’s Committee Assembly Days.  Every year, legislators meet in September to discuss issues which have emerged since the regular session ended and to highlight priorities for the next year’s session. Yet, with significant legislative action needed to fix a state budget that is facing an $8.8 billion shortfall in projected revenue, it is revealing that Democrat House “leadership” has chosen not to convene either the House Appropriations or House Finance committee, while most other House committees are currently meeting.  These two committees are responsible for the spending cuts or tax increases required to balance the budget.  The glaring absence from the Assembly Days schedule of these important budget-related committees demonstrates the lengths the Democrats are willing to go before the election in concealing their extreme plans to raise taxes to keep the budget full.  Rumors are now spreading in Olympia that Governor Jay Inslee and Democrat legislative leaders may call a special session to repair the budget – but not until November, after the general election.   By waiting until after November 3^rd to provide solutions to the state’s financial problems, the Democrats aim to remove the public’s voice from the decision-making process.  If Governor Inslee and legislative Democrats believe that the best way to fill the state budget is to raise taxes on Washington citizens (who are currently facing severe financial insecurity), then do it before the election and defend it to the voters.  Hiding their intentions until after the elections shows that even the Democrats know their objectives are unpopular with Washington State voters.  (Washington State Legislature Committee Schedule)

Washington State has run a cash deficit nearly every day in September.  This is what is known as “breaking thew law”, with Jay Inslee and his fellow legislative Democrats evidently taking their taste for laws from their friends in the CHAZ. State law requires the governor to either make across-the-board cuts (as Gov. Chris Gregoire did during the last recession) or call the legislature into special session if any fund (like the general fund) is running a deficit. Yet, as the recent apple maggot episode has proven, Governor Inslee does not really believe Washington State laws apply to him. (WPC for Government Reform Facebook page, Washington Policy Center, and Daily Caller)

University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences Professor Cliff Mass explains the science behind his argument that climate change is not the cause behind recent wildfires that have engulfed the Pacific Northwest.  Last week in his Shift Newsmaker Interview, Professor Mass stated, “climate change hardly seems a probable cause” of the wildfires.  In a lengthy blogpost, Mass walks through the science that shows how dry easterly winds over the Cascade Mountains caused the rapid spread of fires that were originally started by lightening strikes and human activity.  Mass also provides evidence that destructive easterly winds will actually decrease due to climate change.  Mass concludes his post by criticizing those (like Governor Inslee) who are spewing the false argument that climate change is the cause of wildfires. “Such deceptive information undermines society’s ability to deal with wildfires in an effective way, such as improved forecast management (e.g., thinning, proscribed fires), more aggressive extinguishing of fires before dangerous situations like this month, and better warnings to move people out of harm’s way.” (Cliff Mass Weather Blog and Shift Newsmaker Interview)

Former Democrat State Auditor Troy Kelley is asking the United States Supreme Court to review his 2017 conviction for possession of stolen funds and filing false tax returns.  By asking the court to review his conviction, Kelley is delaying the start of serving his 366-day sentence. (NW News Network)

House Republican Leader JT Wilcox will be (virtually) holding his annual Salmon Bake this Thursday evening (September 24^th), from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.  This fun event normally draws hundreds to Wilcox’s Pierce County farm, but this year it will be conducted online.  The event is free, and the organizers promise many surprises and door prizes for those who attend.  Register by clicking on this link. (JT Wilcox Facebook Post and Salmon Bake Registration)

61% of Washington voters oppose (and only 31% approve) the Seattle City Council’s efforts to defund the police department.  One would think that with a two-to-one margin in public support that establishment Democrat officials would find the backbone to stand up against the extreme (and unpopular) actions of their fellow Democrats and Socialists on the Seattle City Council.  Yet, while Governor Inslee, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, and Washington State Democrat Chair Tina Podlodowski (and others) keep speaking out on many federal issues which they don’t actually have any responsibility for, they have been noticeably quiet about a local issue they could impact and which has made national headlines.  It is as if Democrat officials believe that not upsetting the extreme members of their party is more important than the public safety of the 775,000 state residents in Seattle. (KOMO News and Strategies 360 Poll)

Yet another employer has decided to pull out of Seattle due to the anti-business environment within the city.  Employees of Columbia Sportswear have confirmed that the company will not re-open its downtown Third and Pine location due to street crime and shoplifting, among other negatives.  The business has been boarded up since looting took place during the May 30^th riots/”peaceful protests”.  As Seattle politicians continue to push their extreme agenda, employers are taking their jobs and tax revenues (which pay for all the liberal social programs the politicians love) out of the city. (Seattle Times)

King County restaurant and bar owners are asking that Governor Inslee reconsider his order that forces bars to close at 10:00 PM.  Some 150 employers have signed a petition asking that the hours’ restriction be removed, saying they have not seen the scientific data that shows closing early slows the spread of the virus,.  Some bar owners believe that because bars practice social distancing, and must maintain a clean environment, that drinking in their establishment is likely safer than having thirsty folks chose to gather at other people’s homes. (MyNorthwest)

Buried in an endorsement of Democrat State House candidate April Berg, the Seattle Times revealed its editorial board policy of supporting candidates who want to raise taxes instead of candidates who believe there is room to reduce the state’s bloated budget to its level of a year ago without harming the most vulnerable in society.  Despite the budget exploding a record 20% in the past two years, the Times Editorial Board only wants candidates in favor of higher taxes/opposed to cuts to help balance a state budget impacted by an estimated $8.8 billion revenue shortfall.  After discrediting budget cuts in its endorsement editorial, The Times states, “Berg not only talks enthusiastically about tax increases, including a capital-gains tax, she also says the state should consider increasing its debt to help raise more money for the budget.” What better way to highlight the Democrat priorities for Washington State than to endorse an income tax-supporter who cannot identify any area in the state budget she would reduce, and who wants to increase the state’s debt despite state laws against doing so. (Seattle Times)

The Puyallup School District has announced its schedule for bringing students back to school. Special education students will resume in-person instruction four days a week starting next Tuesday.  Starting October 6^th, kindergarten and 1^st graders will be in school Tuesday through Friday and online on Mondays. Grades 2 – 6 will split their classes in half and divide their time between online and in person teaching.  After November 3^rd, grades 7 – 12 will also divide their time between online and in person instruction. (News Tribune)

In an effort to show the Wenatchee/East Wenatchee area has a lower COVID-19 rate than currently stated, and to allow schools to resume in-person education, the Chelan Douglas Health District is considering testing 10,000 residents for the coronavirus.  Current testing methods (only on those showing symptoms) provides data that shows 200 people out of 100,000 have the virus, but testing results need to be below 75/100,000 for local schools to resume. Health district commissioners believe if testing were to reflect a better representation of the local population, the infection rate would be within the acceptable range and students could return to school. (Wenatchee World) 

Spokane’s Military Officers Association of America chapter awarded a $2,685 college grant to a Black Lives Matter supporter who saved an American flag during a June 7^th protest.  While other protestors were attempting to burn an American flag, Lysa Cole grabbed the flag away.  The Military Officers learned that Cole was having difficulties paying for her higher education and decided to provide her with financial assistance to reward her actions. Cole, who has had several family members serve in the military, said, “Saying ‘Black Lives Matter’ isn’t saying ‘Oh, I hate America’ and saying ‘Oh, I stand for the flag, I support our troops’ is not saying, ‘Oh, I hate all Black people’… When you’re saying, ‘Black Lives Matter,’ it’s also being patriotic because America was made to be an equal opportunity place for everybody.” (KNDO/KNDU)

In the hotly contested State Senate race in Pierce County’s 28^th Legislative District, Democrat T’wina Nobles is receiving strong support from those who want to spread Seattle’s failed policies to the rest of the state.  These endorsements, from special interest groups who financially benefit from higher taxes and bigger government being forced on Washington citizens (and the usual assortment of high-ranking Democrats), demonstrate that Nobles is out of touch with the needs of the suburban district. While her opponent, Senator Steve O’Ban, has been fighting for the 66% of the district who supported I-976 (lower car tab fees), Nobles takes the opposite approach and stands with the Seattle special interests who fight for higher taxes. (Shift)

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