The Washington trucking industry is urging the state legislature and Governor Jay Inslee to break away from California’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) program, citing concerns over – you guessed it – the impact on supply chains. The ACT mandates a transition to zero-emission medium and heavy-duty trucks, with sales targets starting in 2025. By 2030, the targets rise to 30-50% depending on vehicle class.

Washington Trucking Associations (WTA) President Sheri Call raised issues including high vehicle costs, limited infrastructure, and operational challenges. Call noted that zero-emission trucks are over twice as expensive as clean diesel trucks, carry less cargo, and have limited range. She warned that the policy could push companies to operate in states without such mandates, undermining Washington’s supply chain resilience. Call also highlighted that California’s long history of decarbonization efforts includes robust incentives, which Washington lacks.

Governor Inslee’s office responded that the state is working on a strategy and that they remain confident the targets are achievable with combined public and private initiatives. In other words, Inslee does not care about the consequences – just as long as his extreme “green” agenda remains alive. Read more at Center Square.

Bob Ferguson’s credibility issues just keep piling up. The latest fiasco? His office failed to notify key stakeholders, like Let’s Go Washington and Rep. Jim Walsh, about a crucial Aug. 9 state Supreme Court conference involving three major voter initiatives. As State Senator John Braun (R-Centralia) pointed out in a recent op-ed, instead of owning up to the lack of transparency, Ferguson went on a social media rampage, accusing critics of pushing “right-wing talking points” and peddling “wild, irresponsible theories.”

Of course, the initiatives in question aim to repeal Washington’s cap-and-tax law, capital-gains income tax, and long-term care payroll tax—measures widely supported by voters. Ferguson’s office claims the court dockets were publicly available, so it wasn’t their job to send notifications. But, as Braun points out, who’s monitoring Supreme Court dockets daily? Instead of a simple email, Ferguson resorted to bizarre excuses, suggesting legislative staff briefings should have been enough to inform the people directly impacted. Braun explains how the mess raises serious red flags about Ferguson’s transparency and ethics, especially as he runs for governor. Meanwhile, the initiatives are likely headed to the ballot—where voters will have the final say. Read more at The Chronicle.

The Seattle Times editorial board recently criticized the idea of giving needy families direct access to their child’s education funding through Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and other school choice programs. School choice is gaining traction nationwide, with 32 states offering programs that allow families to use public funds for private education. Critics argue that ESAs drain funds from public schools and allow private schools to “cream” the best students, but these claims are unfounded. As the Washington Policy Center points out, the evidence shows that states with school choice programs have not seen reduced funding for public schools; in fact, public education budgets have increased.

Additionally, ESAs typically provide less funding per student than traditional public schools, leaving more resources available for public systems. The reality is that school choice empowers parents, especially those in low-income, minority communities, by giving them access to high-quality education alternatives. What it doesn’t do is give power to teachers’ unions and, thus, to Democrats. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.

The Washington lands commissioner primary has come down to a razor-thin margin of 51 votes out of 1.9 million cast, triggering a likely hand recount. King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove narrowly leads GOP-endorsed Sue Kuehl Pederson by a thousandth of a percentage point. Both candidates have 20.82% of the vote, while Republican U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler secured first place with 22%. The recount, expected to take place around early September, will determine who advances to the November general election. Election officials are racing against tight deadlines to print ballots and voter materials for the November 5 election, as delays may impact preparation. Both campaigns have actively worked to “cure ballots” to close the gap. The last statewide recount in Washington was in 2004 when Christine Gregoire won the governor’s race by 133 votes. The outcome of this primary could either lock out Democrats from the general election or result in a competitive race between a Democrat and a Republican – which goes to show just how fed-up voters are with the way Democrats have handled forest management in our state. Read more at the Seattle Times.

Have you subscribed to the new Shift WA podcast yet? We’ve already released three full episodes, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive:

• Judge Dave Larson joins our podcast to discuss his candidacy for the Washington State Supreme Court. He shares his journey from his initial interest in law to becoming a judge and his reasons for running. We explore the nature of judicial elections in the state, the challenges of campaigning for a judicial position, and recent legal news, including four ballot initiatives. We also touch on the public defender system and, in closing, address whether Judge Larson watches legal shows and how they impact him. We wrap up with his ideas on improving the justice system with a more personal approach.

• The hosts break down the results of the Washington state primary election. Why are people reflexively voting for Cantwell? What did we learn in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th congressional races? They touch on all those federal questions and pontificate about the major state races including OSPI, commissioner of public lands, and that other one.
• David Olson talks about his bid for the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, including the role of OSPI, implications of I-2081, and his approaches to learning loss and school tech policies. He also addresses rising anti-Semitism in schools and the need for more apprenticeships.

Subscribe now and don’t miss out on these critical discussions!

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