Readers of these pages have long known that the impact of Governor Jay Inslee’s misguided cap-and-trade tax scheme would be higher fuel costs and higher costs for anything that requires transportation to reach its market. And now that the results of the state’s first carbon auction have been factored into the cost of gasoline, guess what – as the Washington Policy Center reports, “Washington’s gas prices have increased between 35 and 52 cents more than neighboring states since the state launched a tax on CO2 emissions at the beginning of the year.”

You might recall that Governor Inslee said the cost of his carbon scheme would be “pennies,” and other Democrats attacked as fear-mongering those who suggested gas prices would go up, perhaps by 46 cents a gallon. Even the state’s taxpayer-funded website addresses the cost question, “Will the new climate policies result in a 46-cent-per-gallon increase in the gas tax starting in 2023,” answering with a direct “no.” The real-world data show, in fact, that is almost exactly where they are now.”

But the real world is not where Gov. Inslee and the Democrats prefer to reside these days. You can read more about their wonderland here. (Shift, Washington Policy Center)

People are trying to give Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell the benefit of the doubt when it comes to public safety, even though we might have expected something faster on cleaning up downtown than a semi-plan some 18 months after the election from someone with a decade of council experience to draw on. However, when Axios-Seattle reports, his “executive order will have the Seattle Fire Department test a new unit ‘dedicated to quickly engaging overdose survivors.’ At the same time, the mayor is directing the Seattle Police Department to more aggressively enforce laws against drug dealing and trafficking.” You wouldn’t think the loudest pushback would come quickly from the Left.

That’s right, his buddies at the ACLU are suggesting that “directing police to crack down on individuals who sell drugs ‘is at odds with that effort,’” since by “effort,” they mean not to punish anyone. More distressing details are here. (Axios Seattle)

The priorities of Governor Jay Inslee are never clearer than when one of his precious “green” projects is up for consideration. Costs and community concerns are of no consequence if a project meets the governor’s “green” definition. That’s why it was no real surprise to read in the Capital Press that “Gov. Jay Inslee has approved side-by-side solar installations in Yakima County, a development county commissioners tried to stop with a moratorium on solar projects.” He displayed his arrogance by claiming that “he was satisfied that the projects, covering more than 3,000 acres of rangeland, comply with local land-use laws. He encouraged the developer, California-based Cypress Creek Renewables, to plant vegetation around the solar installations to help preserve the rural landscape.”

So, the governor’s hand-picked, partisan appointees approve his hand-picked developer to roll over a county that he doesn’t care about. And suggests they plant vegetation to hide their corruption. More about Inslee’s power grab here. (Capital Press)

You can tell when legislative Democrats are running into trouble jamming a new tax through the process when they start calling in local officials to claim that the state legislature must bail their communities out – by raising taxes at the state level and allowing them to raise more local taxes. Such is the case with Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards taking the editorial page of the News Tribune to claim that the legislature can make housing more affordable if only it would triple the rate property taxes could go up every year and give local governments a chance to tax every real estate transaction in their jurisdiction. To can learn more about the mayor’s very confused economics theory and how it would allow the Democrats to spend even more of your money as they think best here. (News Tribune)

Unfortunately, Shift cannot celebrate the passage of the so-called “police pursuit” fix by the Democrat-controlled legislature, even though Senate Bill 5352 is now heading to the governor for signing. We say, unfortunately, because this weakened version of the bill will do little to halt the plague of stolen vehicles and other crimes which Democrats have decided are not worthy of a legal police pursuit. At least police can once again act on “reasonable suspicion” when deciding to pursue some suspects, even though this worries Democrats who were fighting even this weak bill. Perhaps the public debate will continue even though Democrats have put their boot on the legislative process. (KOMO)

PLEASE FOLLOW ALONG: POLICE CHASE NO, STEAL CARS YES

STATE RUNNING A HUGE BUDGET SURPLUS, WHY STILL GOING THROUGH OUR POCKETS FOR MORE?

AND THESE ARE THE SAME HOMELESS AGENCIES DEMANDING BILLIONS MORE IN TAX DOLLARS TO “MANAGE”?

To get early insight into what might make Shift’s next Daily Briefing worth reading, tune in to 570 KVI on your AM dial weekday mornings at 8:05, to hear John Carlson talk Washington State legislative politics with Shift co-founder Randy Pepple. And you can always stay for the rest of the Commute with Carlson by tuning in here.

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