Isaiah Paine of the Spokane Home Builders Association identifies the Seattle law firm which has filed lawsuits attacking citizen initiatives in Seattle (on homelessness) and Spokane (on natural gas) because the opinions of the firm’s rich liberal clients matter more than the citizens’ opinions about their own communities.  Paine writes, “The truth is these far-left individuals and organizations knew that voters in Seattle and Spokane would pass both initiatives if presented on the November ballot. So instead of losing fair and square in a battle of ideas, they took the opportunity away from voters before they even had a chance to cast a ballot.” And you wonder why liberals pay so much attention to appointing and electing far-Left judges in Washington State? (Click to read full Guest Editorial)

Governor Jay Inslee, along with his top health advisors, held yet another media availability this afternoon, this time on the state’s latest mandates to combat the highest rate COVID infections during the pandemic. Previously, in July, the governor had refuted criticism of his partisan one-man “emergency” rule for the last 550+ days by bragging he had “won the Super Bowl” against COVID.  We wonder if the latest surge in COVID infections might encourage any member of the press to ask to see the governor’s Super Bowl ring this afternoon.  The Washington Policy Center’s Todd Myers points out on Twitter that it is very predictable what the governor will say.  “When rates go down it is thanks to the governor. When they go up it is everyone else’s fault.”  (News Tribune, Q13’s “The Divide”, and Twitter)

Senator Chris Gildon (R – Puyallup) writes that Governor Inslee’s vaccine mandate, whether you agree with it or not, will have significant negative impact on many people’s lives.  Senator Gildon points it that since the mandate requires vaccinations for many professions, the result will be fewer police officers protecting the public, fewer health professionals assisting those who are ailing, and fewer teachers instructing our children.

Senator Gildon also points out that the governor has stubbornly refused to involve other elected officials (at both the state and local levels), as well as local health officials, in making important decisions for nearly 560 days.  Gildon called for a special session of the legislature, for he believes “It is time for rule by emergency to end and the rule of law to once again prevail.”

Unfortunately, we doubt very seriously that the governor will bring others into the decision-making process, for he has shown during the past 18 months that he believes that both his ideas and his powers are persuasion are not strong enough to allow for other viewpoints.  Since the legislature is controlled by his fellow Democrats, what is Governor Inslee afraid his fellow liberals will do if the legislature is allowed to have oversight on his decisions? This leads many to wonder why the public should trust Democrat legislators when the governor does not? (Gildon Legislative Bulletin)

Washington State jobless figures are once again above pre-pandemic levels. The latest unemployment figures refute Governor Inslee’s claim that he “won the Super Bowl” against COVID, as the state’s response to the pandemic has resulted in a 2.6% jump in initial unemployment claims.  This rise occurred as jobless claims have fallen across the rest of the country. The governor continues to blame the rise in COVID infections on people not wearing masks or receiving the vaccine.  If this is true, wouldn’t it make sense to bring a broad spectrum of leaders (such as elected legislators) into the decision-making process so they can be effective advocates for appropriate behavior? (Seattle Times)

The Tri-City Herald believes more cities should join the anti-income tax movement, because it is an effective “way to tell state leaders to drop their income tax game plan.”  Following the Kennewick City Council passing a resolution becoming the seventh city (after Battle Ground, Granger, Moses Lake, Spokane, Spokane Valley, and Union Gap) to ban a local income tax, the newspaper editorialized that this was an effective way to keep the anti-income tax momentum moving forward.  With income tax advocates continuing to chip away at legal precedents preventing an income tax, the paper believes a countermovement is necessary to stop this trend at both the state and local levels.  The editorial states that income tax proponents using the courts to skirt the state constitution “is not the way to (tax income) — especially when voters have soundly rejected 10 straight ballot measures that would have allowed an income tax.” (Tri-City Herald)

Many Washington State tribes will begin to see the payoff for their large political contributions to Democrat campaigns today, as legal bets on sporting events can now take place at tribal casinos.  Just as the NFL season kicks off tonight, tribes will take advantage of the sports betting monopoly that was handed to them by Governor Inslee and the Democrat-controlled legislature during the 2020 legislative session. As we have mentioned before in the Daily Briefing, non-tribal gaming establishments were kept out of this very lucrative business by state lawmakers who had received substantial contributions from tribes in recent years, leading those businesses to threaten an initiative to allow them to accept sports bets as well. (KOMO News)

Is Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff in danger of losing his job? The Sound Transit Board of Directors met for two hours behind closed doors in executive session, then removed discussion of Rogoff’s contract extension from the board’s public agenda.  The one-year extension needs to be approved by the board before the end of September.

Rogoff has received criticism for how he blindsided many board members with the news of the serious cost overruns on current construction projects.  Also, an outside report criticized Rogoff’s management abilities, which others have blamed for many of the cost overruns.  Rogoff’s annual salary is higher than any of the state’s elected officials, by far, at $379,600. Rogoff has somehow remained on the job despite many previous performance problems, including inappropriate behavior with female staff.  The taxpayer were forced to pay $550 an hour for a “coach” to help Rogoff with his administrative shortcomings. (PubliCola)

The Recall Sawant campaign says that it has turned in more than 16,000 signatures to King County Elections, more than enough to allow the voters in Seattle’s 3^rd Council District (Capitol Hill and surrounding neighborhoods) to decide the fate of the Socialist city councilmember sometime this winter.  Some 10,739 valid signatures are required to place the recall on the ballot.  Reportedly, the Recall Sawant campaign held off turning in the signatures to make sure the issue is on a special election ballot later this winter (likely in February). It is believed the campaign wanted to avoid having the issue on this November’s general election ballot, since less informed and less active voters (i.e., those who are more sympathetic to Kshama Sawant’s wacky and dangerous ideas) are more likely to vote in the general election than in a special election later in the winter.  (MyNorthwest)

A liberal activist has been found guilty of placing shunts on rails in Whatcom County in a terrorist effort to derail trains because liberals don’t like the cargo.  Two women were arrested for this act of domestic terrorism last fall, when they risked people’s lives protesting the transportation of oil. The first woman pled guilty to the charges, while the second suspect’s case went to trial, where she was found guilty. In December, another train derailed nearby, causing the spillage of more than 29,000 gallons of crude oil. Domestic terrorism by liberal protestors is strongly suspected in that derailment as well.  (MyNorthwest and Bellingham Herald)

Many leaders in the state’s agriculture community are upset that Governor Inslee’s vaccination mandate is negatively impacting 4-H volunteers, even those with almost no outside contact.  The governor’s mandate requires all state employees, contractors, and volunteers to be fully vaccinated by October 18^th or risk being fired.  Since the state’s 4-H program is administered by Washington State University’s Extension Program, it is included in the governor’s mandate. The 4-H program connects young people who have interests in farming with many educational programs and contests.

Many of the volunteers handle administrative tasks and have no contact with outside individuals, yet these people are still required to be vaccinated by the unscientific mess that is Governor Inslee’s mandate madness.  Washington State Senator Mark Schoesler (a former 4-H participant and 5^th generation wheat farmer) called this a “massive overreach” and said, “This is so far stupid I hate to even comment on it. Where does it stop?” (Columbia Basin Herald)

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