“You aren’t that special.” That’s the message the Columbian editorial board had for legislators regarding the state’s public records act. Noting that other officials abide by the disclosure act, the paper wondered: Why can’t legislators? “Such adherence is not difficult, yet lawmakers continue to suggest that they are special and should not be beholden to the public that hires and pays them.” (The Columbian)

A tale of two income taxes: Not long ago, the City of Olympia sued to block a local ballot initiative that called for a city income tax. Now, the city is on record supporting the right of cities to institute income taxes. “The issue here is more one (of) ‘Does Seattle as a municipality have the authority under state law within its juridical boundaries to impose this type of tax?’” said Mark Barber, who authored the amicus brief filed jointly with the Association of Washington Cities. (The Olympian)

Voters seem to be excited for this year’s election, with many returning their ballots earlier than usual. As of Thursday, King County Elections reported that 13.4% of voters had already returned ballots, compared to 8% at the same point in 2014. “Voters are clearly engaged this election and it’s exciting to see the strong early returns,” said Snohomish County’s elections manager, Garth Fell. (Seattle Times)

Walla Walla County Commissioners will convene two special meetings today and Wednesday for 2019 preliminary budget presentations. No public comments will be taken during the presentations, and no other business will be conducted by the board. (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)

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