It has been long (as Shift highlighted back in 2015) established using scientific data – as opposed to campaign promises – that Governor Jay Inslee’s prized cap and trade policy approach has little to do with actually reducing carbon emissions, but is instead a multi-billion dollar transfer from taxpayers to state government (and then to the Democrats’ preferred special interests). Now the Washington State Standard is providing an initial look at how the new carbon tax slush fund is being spent, and it’s pretty eye-opening to see “(M)ost of the money was handed out in grants by the state Department of Transportation and Transportation Improvement Board to increase bus ridership, improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety, expand rural transportation services and help transit agencies with major purchases.”

Sure, helping underperforming transit agencies to underperform a little less sure seems like a great deal in exchange for Washington soaring to tops in the nation in gas prices last summer, but that doesn’t seem like what the public was promised by Inslee and company. Or consider that the state’s new carbon tax was able to spare “$500,000 for public outreach in King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap counties about a program allowing those aged 18 and under to ride free on public transit,” to make sure some Democrat consultant would get paidbig money to tell people how to pay even less to ride underperforming transit.

Of course, it’s embarrassing how very little in the state’s report indicates emissions were reduced anywhere, even though “Ecology’s annual report is also supposed to include data to assess the environmental benefits of investments, including estimated emission reductions.” You can read on to see how the state is already setting the stage for not being able to tell the truth about the program, as money is already flowing out the door and “the funds were either used for administrative purposes and building capacity or the recipients were not yet able to provide data on verifiable greenhouse gas reductions” here… Shift, Washington State Standard.

This year’s election results were disappointing for many Eastern Washington conservatives, but victories can be found. One of them had to wait until after the election to be decided in a courtroom, with Clean & Safe Spokane reporting that “the Washington State Court of Appeals Division 3 issued the final ruling in a lengthy court battle, ruling that Proposition 1 is legal and the votes will be counted.”

The ballot measure to keep homeless camps away from schools had been contested by Democrat leaders like former mayoral candidate Ben Stuckert, who “filed suit to attempt to silence the voices of Spokane voters by removing this important initiative from the ballot.” You can learn more about why Prop 1 supporters are celebrating here… Clean & Safe Spokane.

The inner workings of city government rarely get much coverage, especially out-of-sight departments like the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI). That might change thanks to PubliCola following up on a Seattle city auditor “report that raised serious concerns about ethics and culture” at the place which issues building and construction permits “among many other responsibilities.”

Turns out an audit was truly in order, as “about 30 percent of the people the auditor’s office interviewed raised concerns related to ethics or equity in permitting.” Read on to learn about the real family atmosphere at SDCI, as “employees with spouses, children, and other close relatives (are) working in the department” here… PubliCola.

When you have an annual budget exceeding $30 billion, as Washington state does, you are bound to find some spending examples that boggle the mind. The folks at KIRO radio think they found one in a story “about how the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) says the agency needs $500 million (Wow!) to fix the 47 aging rest stops throughout the state.”

If you are like the story’s author, you can do the math and might ask “How on God’s green earth can you spend almost $11 million on a bathroom and a stretch of grass for your dog to relieve itself?” But WSDOT is ready for you, explaining that it’s “been 15 years since this last strategic plan was updated, and 15 years ago, the needs of our travelers were different,” leaving it to you to decide what it is you might be doing differently at the rest stops here… KIRO Radio.

Danny Westneat is afforded a wide range for his columns in the Seattle Times, but his usually reliable liberal voice keeps coming back to the city’s public safety problems ever since the Defund the Police movement swept through town. This week he called attention to the city’s failure to keep streets safe, writing it is “one of those issues that’s gotten a ton of attention, especially as election fodder, but little action.”

He inadvertently nailed one of the main reasons the crime is going up here and not everywhere, which is liberal indifference, as one of the self-identified “crime experts” that Democrat legislators called on “issued a blanket disclaimer that ‘anybody who tells you that they know why crime has gone up is fooling you’.” You can read on to decide if you think that it’s actually not that hard – if you look at the squalor on the streets permitted after decades of uncontested liberal leadership – to know the answer here… Seattle Times.

Please consider making a contribution to ensure Shift continues to provide daily updates on the shenanigans of the liberal establishment.

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].