We’ll be gone all next week. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Shift Wire
Gov. Jay Inslee rolled out his 2018 supplemental budget proposal last week – what is supposed to be the mid-course correction in the two-year budget cycle. Shocking no one, Inslee’s proposal includes his most-desired tax increase, a carbon tax. (Shift WA)
Happening in Olympia
State Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office claims Comcast signed up Washington state customers without telling them. In a new lawsuit against the company, the AG’s office contends that Comcast subscribed 74 people to a “service-protection plan” without the plan being mentioned at all. (The Seattle Times)
The I-405 Express Toll Lanes only have to meet one of the two performance benchmarks spelled out in state law, according to the AG’s office. With shades of Bill Clinton’s “what the definition of ‘is’ is” moment, the AG’s office argues the word “and” in the law actually means both or either. We’re scratching our heads on that one as well. (My Northwest)
Western Washington
STOP THE PRESSES! Seattle not only has exorbitantly high taxes, it also spends taxpayers’ money poorly. Seattle city government spends lavishly on very high salaries and inefficient services, as seen in an in-depth overview by the Times. (The Seattle Times)
Seattle has spent gobs of money on becoming one of the most “bike-friendly” cities around, but it isn’t working. Bike ridership has taken a spill each of the past few years, with bicycle traffic volume falling 2.6 percent, according to the city. (MyNorthwest)
Eastern Washington
The race to be the next mayor of Richland is getting crowded. Current mayor Bob Thompson is being challenged Councilman Phil Lemley, with Mayor Pro Tem Terry Christensen rumored to be weighing a run as well. (Tri-City Herald)
Meagan Bailey will be Columbia County’s next planning director. Bailey has been serving as acting director since Kim Lyonnais retired in November. (Union-Bulletin)
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