Session is likely to continue next week into a special session, as lawmakers are once again unable to complete their work on time. There has yet to be an agreement on a 2-year operating budget, nor has there been an agreement from both chambers on how to best satisfy the McCleary ruling.

Gov. Inslee signed a bill yesterday that will allow relocation of nuisance beavers. Western Washington beavers trapped by the Department of Fish and Wildlife can now be located to another location, as long as it is still west of the Cascades.

Gov. Inslee signed legislation that will look to create a plan for how to save acres from wildfires. The bill seeks a “forest health assessment and treatment framework” plan to help come up with a way to minimize damages in massive wildfires across our state.

Seattle mayoral candidates Ed Murray and Mike McGinn both advocate for a city income tax. McGinn initially proposed the tax because he believes Seattle has created a, “system to drive out the working class and middle class,” and wants to redistribute the wealth around the city. Murray hopped onto the train shortly after McGinn proposed the tax – which Washington voters have voted against multiple times.

The laundry list of issues with Sound Transit and their projects begin with a flawed leadership. Mariya Frost with the Washington Policy Center suggests direct elections of board members would help create the missing accountability. “Anything that we would do that would increase the amount of power the citizens have is a good thing,” Frost said in a Q13 interview. “The financial burden is not borne by the agency. It’s borne by the taxpayers.”

Spokane Transit Authority’s board of directors approved the funding application for the Central City Line through Spokane. The application will go to the Small Starts program, asking for $54 million to help fund the $72 million addition to the Central City line.

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