If you have not been paying attention – which is what Democrat legislators are certainly hoping – you might not be aware that (as the Daily Chronicle allowed Senate Republican Leader John Braun to highlight) “hearings for I-2111, I-2081, and I-2113 will be Tuesday and Wednesday (Feb. 27 and 28) and last only one hour each. That’s not much time for people to be heard, but still, I encourage you to visit our senaterepublicans.wa.gov webpage” so you can sign in with your opinion on the citizen initiatives.

Of course, you won’t be able to register your opinion on the three other initiatives the legislature is supposed to be acting on, as “those initiatives would repeal take billions of dollars in taxes from Washingtonians and give them to state government. Apparently, that’s all our colleagues across the aisle care to know.” Sen. Braun adds a bit more context to the liberals in control in Olympia finally relenting to public pressure on the first three issues, writing, “I don’t know which is worse: How the Legislature’s Democratic leaders are disrespecting the 800,000-plus Washingtonians who signed petitions in support of the six voter initiatives before the Senate and House, or how they have already resorted to spreading disinformation about the initiatives.”

You can read on to see that “our Democratic colleagues refuse to listen to the voters on three of the measures, choosing instead to take the low road with their false claims.”… Daily Centralia Chronicle.

The House Republicans have also prepared a wealth of information about the citizen initiatives for your consideration – including links for submitting your own written testimony or just watching the hearings this week.

• I-2111 | Prohibiting state and local personal income taxes
  • Public hearing on Tuesday, February 27, at 12:30 p.m. | House Hearing Room A
  • House Finance Committee joint with Senate Ways and Means Committee
  • Sign up to testify | Submit written testimony
  • Watch on TVW

• I-2081 | Establishing a Parents’ Bill of Rights
  • Public hearing on Wednesday, February 28, at 8:00 a.m. | House Hearing Room A
  • House Education Committee joint with Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee
  • Sign up to testify | Submit written testimony
  • Watch on TVW

• I-2113 | Restoring vehicular pursuits
  • Public hearing on Wednesday, February 28, at 9:00 a.m. | Senate Hearing Room 4
  • House Community Safety, Justice, and Reentry Committee joint with Senate Law and Justice Committee
  • Sign up to testify | Submit written testimony
  • Watch on TVW

The latest twist in the mess that is the implementation of the Democrats’ carbon tax is that a proposed $30 million fix by legislative Democrats is insulting and inadequate to the people in the agriculture community it was intended to mollify.  And, Governor Inslee makes it worse by essentially calling the farmers’ liars in a Columbia Basin Herald story, sniffing “(W)e have not seen any data that would support the estimates the farm bureau is providing. It would require an unrealistically high assumption about fuel use.”

The farming community has “estimated that the amount paid in (carbon) taxes, yet eligible to be paid back, is over $150 million and of course, every day that keeps increasing.” And it seems a tad ironic that a man who said his carbon tax would only cost “pennies” is now asking others to rely on his good economic sense over the farm bureau on how much fuel farmers use.

Anyone want to bet that Inslee’s inadequate $30 million “fix” will ultimately go way up?… Columbia Basin Herald.

Democrats both here and in the other Washington had a “happy” Friday with the latest celebration of their agreement to give away billions in taxpayer dollars as they prepare to rip out the four Lower Snake River dams. The Washington State Standard let readers know that the Biden White House believes “the (all-Democrat) partnership that we have worked to develop will ensure that we are able to be successful.”

Ironically, the elected official in attendance at the party with longest connection to the area – starting as a state representative in Central Washington 40 years ago – pretty much admits he has been irrelevant while representing the area. That would be Governor Jay Inslee, who said the Columbia River system “needs to be brought to health” after his partisan political involvement in river issues at the district, federal, and state level since the 1980’s.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek demonstrated the typical Democrat disdain for farmers and other families actually impacted by the extreme environmentalists’ backroom deal by leaving them out as she “called on the federal government, tribes and states that were parties to the deal to ‘stay true to the framework’ of the compact.” Read on for her reminder that their “framework” will only get even more expensive under the Democrats: “This is a happy moment. But just the beginning.”… Washington State Standard.

In case there was any need for confirmation, the Washington Coalition for Open Government (WCOG) provides it in its annual report.  The latest version points out the “report focuses on the status of Washington state’s Public Records Act (PRA), which should be the bedrock of the people’s right to know. Sadly, it has instead become a symbol of a broken system at all levels of government.”

And WCOG names the culprits breaking the PRA – “Washington’s Legislature and many agencies are undermining the PRA.” Read on to learn the group’s “call to action by the public. You have a right to know and it’s time for you to be heard.”… Washington Coalition for Open Government.

Former losing mayoral candidate Ben Stuckart continues to side with the special interests who have helped him since he left the city council, keeping up a legal fight with the city of Spokane over the approval last year of an initiative limiting how close homeless camps can be to schools. The Center Square reports on the liberals’ never-ending attempt to put homeless rights ahead of those of the rest of the community, writing the “homeless services advocates have asked the Washington State Supreme Court to review lower court rulings which uphold a voter-approved initiative that restricts homeless encampments within Spokane city limits.”

It seems that Stuckart and Jewels Helping Hands just can’t abide the people having a say on where the homeless can pitch their tents, even though “three judges wrote that Washington voters have a statutory right ‘to directly participate in local initiatives (and) courts should be hesitant to frame an issue in a way that strips away this right’.” Read on to see how the Seattle attorney representing Stuckart accuses Spokane voters of “efforts to criminalize homelessness”… Center Square.

Shift will leave with little comment this latest tree controversy story in Seattle, other than to point out that there might be other problems in Seattle – like homelessness, crime, or drug overdoses – that are worthy of attention of the Seattle Times and others than a tree that “someone took a chainsaw (to) around the bottom of the tree’s trunk this month, irrevocably damaging it.” But, read on to see how the Tree Liberation Front, or actually “Tree Action Seattle, an urban forestry advocacy group” is really concerned for the rest of us here… Seattle Times.

House Republican Deputy Leader Mike Steele of the 12th Legislative District joined us for last week’s Newsmaker Interview. Rep. Steele delved into the notable achievements and disappointments of the ongoing 2024 legislative session. He highlighted the bipartisan success in crafting the supplemental capital budget, emphasizing its crucial role in driving economic development across our state. He discussed the successful opposition to concerning bills, including those related to voting rights for incarcerated felons. Rep. Steele also provided insights into his legislation (House Bill 2307) to offer additional tax credits to Main Street businesses. Read more.

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