Shift has provided several glimpses into the sinking mess that is the state’s ferry system under Governor Jay Inslee, who should have done better over the last decade since he used to have to ride the ferry when he lived on Bainbridge Island. But as the Seattle Times reports, because Inslee sees no problem with ferry delays (whether they be daily lines or missing new boat deadlines by years), “Washington State Ferries expects it won’t find a builder for its new class of hybrid-electric boats until summer of 2024, kicking off a sprint to deliver two new vessels by its target date of late 2027.”

Deadlines have come and gone, and the state even acknowledges the situation is dire, as “just nine of the (system’s) 21 boats are in good shape”. Even worse, because of its dithering over the years, the state has massively underestimated the cost of the special new boats it demands, and “it’s not yet known where the state will get the money for the pricier-than-expected ferries.”

However, maintaining seaworthy boats has not proven to be the ferry system’s priority under Inslee. Rather, it’s far more important to the Democrats that boats are produced only by (campaign-contributing) union labor in the state and that they only be boats that benefit their (campaign-contributing) environmental extremist buddies. You can learn more about how ferry riders will be waiting a long, long time for any help here… Shift, Seattle Times.

Shift has had plenty to say about the duplicity of Governor Inslee and his legislative Democrats over their contempt for the truth when it comes to their beloved cap and trade/carbon tax. Others, like the Capital Press, have also weighed in directly with the truth that “Inslee is trying to run away from the intended consequences of the program he championed.”

Now, for those who have not paid attention, this anti-truth strategy dates back to the lesson that Congressman Inslee learned long ago, which is that telling people the truth about the costs of his expensive green dreams means they do not come true (as happened to his push for a federal cap and tax program in 2009). The latest highlight of his tendency to stray far from the factual path comes from the Washington Policy Center, which points out “how people who call themselves policymakers and public servants aren’t focusing on policy or serving the public.”

Unfortunately for Washington drivers and those who value truth, “the Inslee Administration still sees denial as the best political strategy.” You can read on to see how Democrat “dishonesty is driving the discussion about Washington’s climate law” here… Shift, Capital Press, Washington Policy Center.

COVID fraud has been out of the headlines for months now, which has been just fine with the beleaguered Inslee administration’s Employment Security Department. Unfortunately, the Columbian reminds us that though “many Washington employers have moved past the pandemic, the unemployment system is still dealing with problems related to COVID-19 relief that raised costs and left hundreds of millions of dollars in the wrong hands.”

The Inslee administration has long been touchy about its deliberate enabling role in allowing tons of money to go out the door in fraudulent payments early in COVID-19. The latest bad news is that “problems, which range from organized unemployment fraud to $1 billion in mistakenly paid benefits, are adding pressure on the state Employment Security Department (ESD) as it braces for a post-COVID-19 normal marked by heightened risks and fewer resources.” You can read on to see how the new normal includes “stepped up efforts to steal benefits” here… The Columbian.

The Department of Ecology has had over two years since the passage of the state’s cap and trade/carbon tax to draft operating rules for its expensive money-grabbing law. Unfortunately, the Capital Press is reporting there is a disconnect with reality, as state bureaucrats claim we’ve “produced what we think are really positive results,” while the recipients of that positivity report differently.

You might remember that farmers were explicitly exempted from Inslee’s carbon tax, in part to help the bill pass in 2021, and have been pointing out all year that they are paying much higher gas bills with none of the promised relief. You can read how one agricultural participant said, “I didn’t see any results, unfortunately,” as Ecology continues to botch the carbon tax rollout here… Capital Press.

It’s a disgraceful story that the state’s premier public academic institution “has confirmed that over the summer, they switched to a new accounting system, and ever since, a number of suppliers haven’t been getting paid.” Even worse, as KIRO7 reports, is the University of Washington’s cavalier response to being “behind on about 12% of its bills. That comes out to $69 million in unpaid invoices.”

That response – “It’s a very complex situation, and it’s a project that has been in the works for a few years. We have notified vendors that there could be delays in some payments.” You can decide if the UW administrators responsible for this mess would feel the same if students were a few months late on tuition payments this year here… KIRO 7.

Axios-Seattle is doing the hard work, so you don’t have to, of talking to individual Seattle City Council candidates this election season.  And their snapshot of Seattle’s First District race shows the loony Left is alive and well and has a favorite in Maren Costa.

You can read on to see how Ms. Costa manages to want to underfund public safety, over-tax the citizens, and keep drugs legal for street use here… Axios-Seattle.

Paul Guppy, Vice President for Research at the Washington Policy Center and former Chief of Staff for a U.S. Representative, joined us for last week’s Newsmaker Interview. As many of you know, the Washington Policy Center is a prominent free-market think-tank which addresses various policy issues through research and reports for state and local government officials. In his interview, Guppy expressed concern about the increasing tax burden imposed by Democrats in Olympia on Washington State residents and businesses. He explained why he anticipates further tax hikes, despite existing budget surpluses, during the 2024 legislative session. Finally, Guppy highlighted the WPC’s upcoming Annual Dinner on October 13th in Bellevue, featuring Dr. Sebastian Gorka and leaders from the satirical website Babylon Bee. Read more.

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