Gee, who could have guessed that a Dow Constantine “led” government agency would need an auditor to point out financial problems stemming from bad “green” decisions.

It appears the county’s grand – and very pricey – plan to fully switch to electric buses by 2035 is running into some serious obstacles. A recent county auditor’s report of King County Metro Transit flagged issues like a limited number of manufacturers, soaring demand for electric buses, and an iffy energy supply. Right now, Metro’s fleet of 1,400 includes just 50 battery-electric buses.

The level of incompetence on display in the report is truly embarrassing. For example, the report points out that the technology needed for Metro’s RapidRide routes, which require long-range and quick-charging buses, simply isn’t there yet. But that isn’t stopping the plan – one official at Metro insisted to the Seattle Times that the agency is a national leader in transit electrification.

According to the Seattle Times, to keep pushing forward, Metro plans to expand its trolley bus network and has started a pilot project for hydrogen fuel cell buses. However, even that plan is running into a few very serious obstacles – including securing enough electricity. Only six out of eight planned charging stations are under contract and two crucial Eastside stations are still without agreements.

The situation is further complicated by a shrinking pool of bus manufacturers. Only American Flyer and Gillig are still in the game, down from five manufacturers three years ago. This is exacerbated by the high national demand, with about 60,000 electric buses needed by 2035.

Metro’s green journey started in 2004 with diesel-hybrid buses, eliminating diesel-only buses by 2020. Yet, reliability remains an issue, as evidenced by half of its New Flyer buses being out of service in March 2023. Despite all these setbacks, Metro is committed to a zero-emission fleet and – evidently – draining even more taxpayer dollars. Read more at The Seattle Times.

The Democrat infighting between gubernatorial hopefuls Attorney General Bob Ferguson and former state Senator Mark Mullet has entered a second round. Much like we here at Shift WA have pointed out for months, Mullet has noticed a few irregularities in how Ferguson is raising funds – and he’s asking questions.

Specifically, Mullet is questioning the legitimacy of a $750,000 transfer Ferguson made to the state Democrat Party from his surplus account and the undisclosed sources of the $1 million Ferguson is raising for statewide Democrat efforts. So, Mullet has filed a complaint with the state Public Disclosure Commission, arguing that Ferguson should have used his gubernatorial campaign funds for the transfer. Mullet’s complaint implies that the transfer was part of a deal with party officials for a $1 million buy-in to the coordinated campaign (a deal that the party also offered to Mullet).

Of course, Ferguson’s campaign is denying anything nefarious Mullet’s accusations as desperate attempts from a struggling campaign, while Mullet insists Ferguson is circumventing contribution limits and using aggressive campaign tactics. Previously, Ferguson faced scrutiny for transferring $1.2 million from his surplus fund to his gubernatorial campaign, leading to a clarification of rules that forced Ferguson to disclose donors’ names and the return of some $80,000 to his surplus funds. Read more at the Washington State Standard.

Washington is spending an astonishing $32 million in taxpayer dollars to aid migrants who have made their way to our state. The state’s Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance has $25 million to spend, with $20 million designated for community organizations to build a support network. The funds will go toward allowing new arrivals access to services such as legal aid, housing, and case management. An additional $1 million will support schools for migrant children, with specific funds allocated over two school years. The state is also handing over $5 million and $2.5 million to King County and Tukwila, respectively, for local migrant support.

Meanwhile, the homelessness crisis continues to impact communities across our state – as does the opioid crisis. Read more at the Washington State Standard.

A recent poll from the Northwest Progressive Institute found that a majority of likely 2024 Washington voters support changing the state Constitution to allow the Legislature to be in session year-round. Specifically, 59% of 615 surveyed voters agreed with this idea, while only 18% were opposed and 22% were unsure. To be clear, the change would enable the Legislature to consider legislation throughout the year instead of the typical odd-year sessions of 105 days and even-year sessions of 60 days. That, effectively, means Democrat lawmakers would have even more time to pass terrible policies. And, due to the very nature of a year-round state Legislature, Democrats would also face less opposition from an unengaged public. It’s a change that would be terrible for hardworking Washington taxpayers footing the bill, and great for Democrats with a far-left ideology to push. See the poll here.

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