Washington Education Association union president David Delaney says he is happy with the pay teachers are now receiving.  Appearing on KIRO radio, Delaney said he is pleased with the “professional compensation for educators across the state.”  In the past couple of years many school districts have given more than 10% raises to teachers and then faced budget shortfalls as a result. (Washington Policy Center)

In 1998, a strong Democrat year, Washington voters ended affirmative action by passing I-200 with a 58% vote.  The 2019 Democrat controlled legislature went against the previous vote of the people to restore affirmative action.  With Referendum 88, the voters will once again decide whether preferential treatment can be given due to color, sex, race, national origin, or color.    Tiananmen Square protestor and Chinese immigrant Ken Qiu will be voting to end affirmative action. Qui said, “Are you going to punish the people who work harder? That’s not what I came to America for.” (Seattle Times)

In a Tri-City Herald column, Washington State Treasurer Duane Davidson came out strongly against a state income tax saying many of the state’s “self-induced financial woes have readily available remedies that do not involve raising taxes or adding an income tax.”  Davidson concluded his Op-Ed with, “Taxing income would weaken Washington’s thriving economy and reduce our capacity to compete for business. We need to agree on improving our habits and reigning in state debt before considering the addition of new taxes.  An income tax is not in our best interest.” (Tri-City Herald)

After twice recently going after the U.S. military, Attorney General Bob Ferguson is suddenly concerned about the military’s budget.  In Ferguson’s latest lawsuit against the Trump Administration is for diverting military funding to build a wall along the southern border.  This despite the U.S. Supreme Court previously approving this transfer.   (MyNorthwest)

Bartell’s Drug is closing its downtown Seattle store due to security costs, senseless crimes, and the cost of doing business in Seattle.  Bartell’s will be closing its doors before the end of the year and continue to pay rent for an empty space.   Bartell’s released a statement saying, “The cost of doing business downtown due to the need for armed security guards, and the increases from a variety of Seattle’s costly requirements that have come into play over the past few years, now means that it costs us less to pay the rent with no offset than it does to operate the store.” (KOMO News)

Much criticized incumbent Seattle Councilmember Debora Juarez is facing a tough challenge from Ann Davison Sattler.  Juarez who was panned for her rude treatment of a citizen at a council meeting earlier this year, believes the homeless situation is improving.  Sattler is attacking Juarez for not working on issues important to the north Seattle district and for supporting the over budget and past due First Avenue Trolley (Seattle Times and YouTube)

In the non-partisan race for Spokane mayor, candidate Ben Stuckart is breaking long established traditions by seeking endorsements from partisan statewide politicians.  Both Democrat Senator Maria Cantwell and Democrat Governor Jay Inslee (who both previously represented King, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties in Congress) are supporting Stuckart.  Meanwhile Nadine Woodward is supported by the Spokane Police Guild, contractors, realtors, and businesses and said, “I’m running as a nonpartisan, that race is nonpartisan, so I have not sought out the endorsement of partisan elected officials.” (Spokesman Review)