The Democrats are back in Olympia with an even bigger majority, and the upcoming legislative session is already shaping up to be a mess of bad ideas and budget shortfalls. They flipped a couple of seats, including one in Gig Harbor and another in Vancouver, but don’t expect moderation from the new crowd. Among the “fresh faces” is Washington’s first Democratic Socialist, Shaun Scott, ready to bring Capitol Hill’s flavor of chaos to state policymaking.

Rent control—sorry, rent stabilization—is back on the table. House Democrats are itching to cap how much landlords can raise rents annually. Last session, this gem didn’t even get a vote in the Senate because some Democrats (now conveniently gone) blocked it. With turnover in their favor, Democratic leadership is confident they’ll have the votes to push this through. Translation: expect rent caps whether you like it or not.

And let’s not forget the $12 billion budget deficit looming over the next four years. It’s a “perfect storm,” they say, caused by overspending, declining revenues, and the end of federal COVID cash. Republicans warned about reckless spending when the coffers were full, but hey, hindsight’s a buzzkill. Now the state’s scrambling to freeze hiring, slash services, and delay programs, while Gov. Inslee proposes cuts to paper over the mess. Incoming governor Bob Ferguson—described as “hawkish” on budgets—is set to take over the damage control, veto pen in hand. We’ll believe it when we see it. Read more at KNKX.

Outgoing King County Executive Dow Constantine is sticking to his housing-first approach to homelessness, despite glaring evidence that it’s not working. Since declaring homelessness an emergency in 2015, the unhoused population has skyrocketed by 63%, even as taxpayers have forked over hundreds of millions for programs like Health Through Housing. Constantine insists homelessness is purely a housing issue, ignoring the glaring role of addiction and mental health—despite plenty of data and visible evidence to the contrary. His Health Through Housing initiative boasts per-unit costs of over $273,000, yet homelessness numbers continue to climb, leaving taxpayers wondering where all the money is going. Meanwhile, his brainchild, the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, now demands up to $1.1 billion annually for the next decade to address the crisis. Even with budgets ballooning year after year, results are nowhere to be found. Constantine may be exiting office, but his legacy of throwing taxpayer dollars at failed policies will haunt King County for years to come. Read more at Center Square.

Rep. Michelle Caldier, R-Gig Harbor, is taking her fight for balance in Washington politics to the State Senate, announcing her bid for the 26th Legislative District’s critical seat. With Democrats holding a supermajority in Olympia, Caldier is making it clear she’s ready to be a roadblock to their unchecked agenda. Her opponent, Deb Krishnadasan, was just appointed to the seat after Emily Randall’s move to Congress, but Caldier’s decade of experience in the State House gives her the upper hand. Caldier promises to focus on reducing crime, empowering law enforcement, and strengthening schools—priorities the Democratic majority seems content to sideline. Unlike her opposition, she’s pledging to represent all voices in the community, not just the loudest on the Left. Her campaign is shaping up to be the GOP’s best shot at breaking Olympia’s one-party rule and bringing common sense back to state government. Read more at Center Square.

In a move straight out of the “How to Crush Dissent” playbook, Spokane’s liberal majority proposed procedural rules designed to sideline conservatives entirely. Councilmembers Jonathan Bingle and Michael Cathcart called out the changes, including inconvenient scheduling, requiring three sponsors for proposals, and slashing public testimony time—all conveniently aimed at making conservative voices irrelevant. They even tried to ban criticizing past policies, apparently allergic to accountability. Thanks to grassroots pushback and public shaming, the council sheepishly walked back every proposal. Turns out, the louder the public outrage, the quicker bad ideas crumble. Read more at KTTH.

Have you subscribed to the new Shift WA podcast yet? Subscribe now and don’t miss out on a single critical discussion!

Please consider making a contribution to ensure Shift continues to provide daily updates on the shenanigans of the liberal establishment. If you’d rather mail a check, you can send it to: Shift WA | PO Box 956 | Cle Elum, WA 98922

Forward this to a friend.  It helps us grow our community and serve you better.

You can also follow SHIFTWA on social media by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

If you feel we missed something that should be covered, email us at [email protected].