Democrats in the 33rd District are keeping it all in the family—activist family, that is. Longtime Rep. Tina Orwall got the nod from the King County Council to slide into Karen Keiser’s Senate seat after Keiser conveniently timed her retirement to let insiders, not voters, decide her replacement. Edwin Obras, a Seattle Human Services bureaucrat and local activist, was tapped to fill Orwall’s House seat. Both will now enjoy a cozy year in office before facing actual voters in a special election next November.

Orwall, who’s been in the House since 2009, touts her work on issues like clearing the rape kit backlog and expanding school language access. Obras, meanwhile, brings 16 years of Seattle government experience and a seat on the Filipino Community of Seattle board to his new role. Both positions come with the usual Democratic talking points and a free ride until next November. For now, it’s business as usual: activists pick, taxpayers pay, voters get to weigh in later. Read more at the Washington State Standard.

San Juan County’s grand experiment with a 32-hour workweek is apparently the future of public employment—at least according to their glowing self-assessment. Employees get paid the same for working less, and absenteeism, turnover, and sick days have all dropped, while recruitment has skyrocketed. Managers report less burnout, and parents have more time with their kids (or for errands on the mainland). County leadership credits the move with saving nearly $1 million and solving a staffing crisis, all while keeping productivity intact—or so the surveys say.

Of course, not everything is sunshine and four-day weekends. Some departments still operate five days a week, causing public confusion, and salaried exempt employees are working more to cover the gaps. The “100% productivity in 80% of the time” promise hasn’t exactly been universal, but hey, maybe they’ll figure that out in year two. Meanwhile, county officials are basking in the national spotlight, with CNN interviews and union leaders touting this as the gold standard for public employees everywhere.

Is this truly a groundbreaking model for the modern workforce, or just another taxpayer-funded experiment where the math doesn’t quite add up? Either way, if San Juan County can pull it off, who’s next—Seattle? Don’t act surprised if Bernie Sanders uses it as a blueprint for his next big federal pitch. Read more at PBS.

Spokane’s progressive City Council majority tried to sneak through rule changes that would silence dissent and further marginalize conservative representatives. Proposals included cutting public testimony, requiring three sponsors to advance legislation (effectively blocking minority bills), and moving meetings to a time one conservative member couldn’t attend. The backlash was swift, with residents rallying to demand fairness, even those who often oppose the conservative minority. Facing mounting pressure, the council begrudgingly adopted amendments to preserve public input and ease sponsorship rules. While a rare moment of compromise followed, the initial attempt to stifle dissent speaks volumes about the majority’s disregard for genuine representation. Read more at Center Square.

Washington’s Health Benefit Exchange is urging lawmakers to fully fund state subsidies, like Cascade Care Savings, to offset potential premium hikes if federal tax credits expire in 2025. But critics, including Elizabeth New from the Washington Policy Center, are slamming the program as overly generous and unfair to taxpayers. New argues that subsidies for individuals earning over 400% of the federal poverty level are unsustainable and force lower-income taxpayers to foot the bill for those with more resources. She emphasizes that safety nets for those in genuine need are important but believes the current approach discourages healthcare cost containment by insulating higher-income earners from market realities.

Adding fuel to the fire, Washington taxpayers are already burdened with funding the Apple Health Expansion, a Medicaid-like program for undocumented immigrants, unlike traditional Medicaid, which receives federal funding. The program has already cost taxpayers $72 million, and as of October, 42,100 applicants sought coverage through the state’s health plan, with 75% qualifying for this taxpayer-funded expansion. According to New, this is yet another example of Washington’s growing reliance on its residents to bankroll expansive social programs without addressing the broader structural issues in healthcare costs.

Meanwhile, Exchange CEO Ingrid Ulrey warns that letting subsidies lapse would result in a 72% premium spike for 80% of enrollees, leaving 70,000 uninsured and costing the state $250 million annually. However, the Washington Policy Center counters that this approach harms taxpayers while failing to tackle the root cause of soaring healthcare expenses. With the state already shouldering significant costs for undocumented immigrants, lawmakers need to reassess these priorities instead of piling more burdens onto hardworking residents. Read more at Center Square.

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