Washington’s new income tax is now on a fast track to the state Supreme Court—and Democrats might not love how quickly this is escalating.

Brian Heywood, founder of Let’s Go Washington, successfully leapfrogged the usual year-long legal process after the Secretary of State blocked a referendum on the tax. Now, the Washington State Supreme Court has granted an emergency hearing for April 30—because apparently the “emergency” clause Democrats used to block voters needs… an actual emergency review.

At the center of the fight? Whether lawmakers can slap a so-called “necessity” clause on a bill to prevent the public from voting on it. Democrats used that exact move to shield the income tax from a referendum—despite the fact the tax won’t even be collected for more than two years.

Nothing says “urgent crisis” like a tax you don’t need until 2028.

Heywood’s argument is simple: this wasn’t an emergency—it was a workaround. And it’s not rare, either. Out of 268 laws passed last year, 23 used similar clauses. So what was supposed to be a narrow constitutional tool is starting to look more like a routine escape hatch.

If the court sides with Heywood, the whole thing goes back to the voters—and fast. A referendum would only require about 200,000 signatures, which organizers say they can easily clear.

Meanwhile, the state is already betting big on the tax working out. Lawmakers have allocated $450 million just to build out the system to collect it. Critics warn that if even a small number of high earners leave the state, the entire financial plan starts to unravel.

So to recap: Democrats passed a legally questionable tax, blocked voters from weighing in, and are now speeding toward a Supreme Court showdown—while spending hundreds of millions to prepare for a system that might not survive.

Bold strategy. Let’s see how it plays out. Read more at Seattle Red.

Democrats pushed through Washington’s shiny new 9.9% income tax on high earners like it was a done deal. Turns out, not so fast.

Now, a legal challenge is forming—and it’s not just coming from the usual critics. Former Washington State Supreme Court Justice Phil Talmadge, a Democrat with decades of legal and political credibility, has joined the fight against the tax. Not exactly the “right-wing boogeyman” Democrats love to blame.

And he’s not alone. Former Attorney General Rob McKenna is also on the legal team, bringing experience from prior tax battles. Together, it’s shaping up to be what supporters are calling a “legal dream team”—which is probably not what Democrats had in mind when they rushed this through.

Here’s the inconvenient part Democrats keep trying to ignore: Washington courts have long held that income is property—a precedent going back to the 1930s. And under the state constitution, property taxes must be uniform. A 9.9% tax targeting only certain income levels? That’s where things get shaky—legally speaking.

Even more awkward: Talmadge himself previously argued against a progressive income tax, citing those same constitutional issues. So this isn’t new—it’s just something Democrats hoped voters (and courts) would forget.

Bottom line: Democrats passed the tax first and are now bracing for the legal reality later. And when your own party’s legal heavyweights are lining up against you, that’s usually not a great sign. Read more at Center Square.

A recall effort is quietly brewing against Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson—and it’s not over some grand ideological battle. It’s over something much simpler: he hasn’t filled key vacancies on the state’s campaign finance watchdog.

Two seats on the Public Disclosure Commission have been sitting empty—including one for nearly his entire term. That’s a problem, because with only three of five members, the commission can barely function. No quorum means no decisions, no enforcement, and no real oversight heading into an election cycle.

Yes, the same Democrats who constantly talk about protecting democracy apparently can’t be bothered to keep the agency that enforces election laws operational.

The recall petition, filed by attorney Conner Edwards, accuses Ferguson of violating his oath of office and committing misfeasance by ignoring a state law that says vacancies should be filled within 30 days. Instead, it’s been months… and counting.

Even commissioners themselves are getting frustrated. One openly questioned why nothing was done during the seven months Ferguson wasn’t busy with a legislative session. Another admitted they’re “not getting a lot of traction” trying to get the governor’s attention.

Translation: they’ve been asking nicely—and getting ignored.

Ferguson’s office says they’re “working on it,” which would probably land better if this wasn’t already a year overdue.

To be fair, the recall effort is a long shot—it would require nearly a million signatures to make the ballot. But the bigger issue is already clear: the state’s election watchdog is stuck in neutral because the governor hasn’t done one of the most basic parts of his job.

For a party that loves to lecture about election integrity, this is a pretty awkward miss. Read more at the Washington State Standard.

A new report from the Downtown Seattle Association shows a tale of two cities—and it’s not exactly flattering for Democrat-run Seattle.

On the surface, things look great. Tourism is booming again, with more than 15.3 million visitors and downtown population hitting record highs. Congratulations—Seattle is officially a nice place to visit.

But living and working there? That’s a different story.

Worker foot traffic is still stuck at just 64% of pre-pandemic levels, and downtown jobs have flatlined or declined. Meanwhile, businesses aren’t sticking around—they’re heading east to Bellevue, where it’s cheaper and a lot less chaotic to operate.

Even the report’s authors admit it: Seattle has become too expensive and uncertain for employers.

And then there’s retail. Jobs in the sector have dropped significantly, and even supporters of the city’s policies are starting to connect the dots. The “JumpStart” payroll tax—sold as a way to fund progressive priorities—appears to be doing exactly what critics warned: pushing employers out of Seattle and “jump-starting” Bellevue instead.

Locals aren’t exactly rushing downtown either. Foot traffic from nearby residents is still below pre-COVID levels, and hotel demand dipped thanks to fewer business trips and conventions—aka the people who actually spend money.

On public safety, Democrats will point to declining violent crime downtown—but that comes with an asterisk. Areas like Belltown are seeing spikes, and a handful of neighborhoods account for a disproportionate share of incidents. So yes, “improving”… depending on where you stand.

City leaders are now pinning hopes on 2026 events like the FIFA World Cup and new infrastructure projects to turn things around. Which is basically another way of saying: maybe tourists can save us again.

Because right now, Seattle’s economy looks less like a comeback—and more like a city that works best for visitors, not the people trying to build a business or a career there. Read more at Seattle Red.

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