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Newsletter
Here's a typical street scene in the state's capital city, along Maple Park Avenue, after a sudden winter ice storm sent branches and entire trees crashing to the ground. Four days later, much of Olympia is still without power, and a cold, wet and miserable time has been had by all.
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On Friday, the 38th Annual Community Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr., was held at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Seattle. Eli Lilly Vice President Nate Miles gave the keynote speech at this festival of words and music. Holding back the tears as he described the plight of his family growing up...
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On Wednesday the House Health Care Committee held a work session on the next steps required to create a health insurance exchange for Washington State. Jonathan Seib the Governor's health policy lead (center) called for additional state requirements on insurance companies above and beyond the feder...
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As the 2012 Legislature prepared to convene on Monday, the first protesters were already on campus. The Sisters Organize for Survival grassroots campaign was there to oppose any increase in the sales tax. "The sales tax benefits the rich...Washington already has the most regressive tax structure" ...
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Chair Lura Powell was all smiles as the Washington State Redistricting Commission reached agreement and met its January 1 deadline. The Commission voted unanimously to approve a plan for redistricting of the state legislative and congressional districts.
This plan becomes final unless it is ...
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In what has become a tradition in Olympia, a packed house celebrated an Irish New Year at Tugboat Annie's on Saturday. Traditional music and Irish dancers highlighted the festivities which culminated at 4 PM with the original version of Auld Lang Syne.
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Commissioner Tim Ceis added still one more proposed alternative map on Friday in an attempt to break the deadlock on eastern Washington legislative districts. Later the Washington State Redistricting Commission went over public feedback on the other district maps and then adjourned until Saturday.<...
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With a final proposal due on January 1, the Washington State Redistricting Commission hit impasse on Wednesday in a dispute over the eastern Washington legislative districts. The two Commissioners assigned this task were unable to reach agreement and amid some discord the Commission adjourned until...
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The Washington State Redistricting Commission met in Olympia on Tuesday. The Commissioners have prepared draft maps of the new legislative districts in western Washington, but eastern Washington legislative districts and the ten congressional districts were still under negotiation.
With no...
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"In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (...
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Two weeks ago the threat of an impasse hung in the air, but this week all four Commissioners reported real progress on the most difficult part of redrawing the State Legislative districts. Commissioner Dean Foster, House Democrat appointee (right), and Commissioner Tom Huff, House Republican appoin...
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By: Washington State Wire | Dec. 11, 2011
Jay Manning, former director of the state Department of Ecology and former chief of staff for Gov. Christine Gregoire, performs the all-important role at any fund-raiser -- the part that comes right after the candidate speaks.
Manning made “the...
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By: Washington State Wire | Dec. 3, 2011
There were no protests in the Rotunda December 2nd as the annual Christmas-tree lighting ceremony kicked off Christmas season at the statehouse. Actually, it’s known officially as the “Holiday Tree,” the result of a rather long-running and divisive deb...
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Thursday saw more order in Olympia but the room was still jammed at the Senate Ways & Means Committee hearing on the Governor’s proposed budget cuts. Unlike the loud protesters from earlier this week, these people were there to "occupy hearts” not buildings.
The hearing focused on Human Se...
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The Washington State Redistricting Commission met on Tuesday in Olympia. Former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton (left) summed up the statements from the two Republican and two Democrat members, "We're at an impasse...and we'll keep on seeing if we can make progress." All members are mindful of the Januar...
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Opening day of the 2012 Second Special Session and demonstrators chanted on the Capitol steps and "occupied" the building. Public employee unions and citizen action groups were there to fight any further cuts in the State Budget. They also temporarily disrupted the only major public hearing of the...
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On November 18th Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna (left) and his wife, Marilyn (right), started in Spokane and concluded the day with a third fundraiser in Bellevue hosted by Greg Porter (center left), John Hennessy (center right), and others.
At each stop McKenna spoke to his N...
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Joseph Rago, right, senior editorial page writer at the Wall Street Journal, offers a few thoughts about federal health care reform at a forum sponsored by the Association of Washington Business in Seattle last week. Rago won the Pulitzer Prize in 2011 for his writing on health care reform.
I...
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One of the new workers' compensation reform programs is already available to State Fund employers.
The Washington Stay at Work program will cover half of the wages, as well as equipment, clothing, and training costs (subject to specified limits) for employers who return injured workers to lig...
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Here's the view from the press table at the fund-raiser for Republican Rob McKenna's gubernatorial campaign Tuesday morning. Some 1,500 people turned out for the early-morning shindig, and every single one of them got breakfast except for the hungry wretches of the Fourth Estate. A confused waiter s...
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At a political fund-raiser on November 1st, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen passes out a few CDs to guests featuring one of his favorite bands, the early-‘60s surf-rockers, the Ventures. About 125 supporters and well-wishers attended Owen’s event at Lacey’s Columbian Hall.
One highlight of the evening: Ow...
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In a world with scary Tea Party and "Occupy" extremists, is a witch even noticed? Can a vampire compete with a tax and spend liberal, or a werewolf with a slash and gut conservative? Are the pumpkins smaller this year because of climate change, or the masks more frightening because they are made i...
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There was good news and bad news at the Senate Labor Committee meeting in Olympia on October 18th. The good news is that employer unemployment insurance taxes will go down in 2012 (provided an employer did not have significant layoffs), and with $2.7 billion in reserve the state trust fund is doing...
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With tents up next to Capitol Lake, the "Occupy Olympia" movement has come to stay.
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On Thursday the Department of Labor & Industries Provider Network Advisory Group met to discuss the draft rules establishing a new health care provider network for injured workers. The proposed rules provide the agency enhanced authority to discipline providers and prevent marginal providers from c...
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An employer with an employment law question in Washington State can be sued even when they follow the advice of the Department of Labor & Industries. And often no one can answer the simplest pay question even though under federal law the answers are clear.
These and other problems were hig...
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Gov. Christine Gregoire and a host of worthies discuss transportation policy for hours at a meeting of the Connecting Washington task force on October 4. The task force is developing a long-term plan for road construction and other transportation needs for the state of Washington, together with ways...
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On Monday Rep. Deb Eddy held a second meeting in Bellevue of her Legislative Focus Group On Distributed Energy. The Group is looking at ways to incorporate energy generated at the local property owner level into major utility grids or other community uses. The Group was briefed on new strategies f...
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On September 23 the Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences heard public testimony on staff recommendations regarding the merits of several state tax preferences. Speakers from several industries urged the Commission to recommend retention of their industry tax breaks and ...
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The State Energy Advisory Committee met on Wednesday in Tukwila to review and make final changes to the first draft of the 2012 State Energy Strategy. Although there have been updates, the Strategy has not seen a comprehensive revision since 2003. The Advisory Committee, under the direction of Co-...
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Rep. Bob Hasegawa held another meeting of his Infrastructure Financing Task Force on Monday. This was another general background meeting but three workgroups will now do the "heavy lifting," preparing draft recommendations for the Task Force's approval.
The goal is to submit legislation for ...
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"Boeing is doing well, Microsoft is doing well, our farmers are doing well" -- but the state economy is still struggling. This was the sobering conclusion on Thursday as Arun Raha (left), executive director of the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, presented the latest forecast of state t...
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At first there was good news at the Department of Labor & Industries Workers' Compensation Advisory Committee meeting on Monday. After increasing State workers' compensation taxes by over 20% in the last two years, the Department announced that no increase is required for 2012. In fact the agency ...
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The Governor convened another meeting of her Connecting Washington Task Force on Friday. The Task Force is struggling to prioritize transportation projects and put together a funding request package for 2012.
With higher mileage cars and the recession, since 2001 state gas tax revenues have ...
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On Thursday the Department of Labor & Industries Provider Network Advisory Group met at SeaTac Airport to provide input on the minimum requirements for physicians who want to participate in the new state workers' compensation health care system. One more meeting will be held on October 13 before dr...
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On Tuesday the Health Care Authority convened a conference call meeting of their Health Insurance Exchange Technical Advisory Committee. The Committee provides technical input on the research studies being prepared for the Legislature to use in crafting the state exchange required under the federal...
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These and other statements in the Economic Review by Arun Raha, Executive Director of the State Economic & Revenue Forecast Council, and presented to the Council on Friday, were sobering. Washington State is likely to outperform the nation but the risk of another recession has gone up and uncertain...
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Co-Chair and Department of Commerce Director Rogers Weed (left) presided over a State Energy Advisory Committee web meeting that was held on Monday to provide final guidance on the new 2012 State Energy Strategy.
Two years in the making the new Energy Strategy will focus on one major arena,...
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Summer is slowly coming to a conclusion in Olympia and the fourth weekend in August can only mean three days of Sand In The City. This annual event features food, entertainment, and a sand sculpture competition. Regrettably, the sand sculptures do not last any longer than most political campaign p...
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Chairs had to be added in the back of the room to accomodate the turn out at a public hearing called by the Benton County PUD and Franklin County PUD in Kennewick on August 23. Citizens and orgnaizations, from the
Benton Franklin Community Action Committee --- which helps low-income families, t...
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On August 22 the Chair, Rep. Bon Hasegawa (center), convened the first meeting of the Infrastructure Financing Task Force. The purpose of the Task Force is to develop a proposal for a state run bank, similar to the Bank of North Dakota. This organizational meeting contained its share of controvers...
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A warm Wednesday night in Olympia and no one is debating whether this is climate change. It's time for Music In The Park, and Democrat and Republican alike migrate to Sylvestor Park to listen to singers like Terry Holder in concert. This weekly summer concert series concluded on Wednesday.
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Last Monday the Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met in Olympia to review audit results on several controversial state tax breaks. Ironically the tax preferences under consideration included one that is the darling of liberals, the $41 million renewable energy tax e...
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"We Are Wisconsin" members sang folk songs at the Washington State capitol on Tuesday with original new verses denouncing Republican Governor Scott Walker.
They sang to an empty rotunda but back in Wisconsin voters rallied to their cause in a close recall election that saw two of six incumb...
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Jim McDermott, D-Washington, Seattle's congressman-for-life, speaks with a well-wisher at the state Labor Council convention in Seatac on August 6. McDermott made his usual pitch for single-payer health care, but there was a new element to his message, the same warning sounded by everyone who spoke:...
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Health care lobbyists representing everyone from Planned Parenthood to Premera Blue Cross assembled this week at Sun Mountain Lodge for their annual retreat. Known as the "Wednesday Night Study Group" the lobbyists spent two days hearing from key state policy makers including a lunch on Thursday wi...
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At its first meeting on Tuesday, the new Joint Legislative Select Committee on Health Reform Implementation received an update from the State Health Care Authority on planning for a health insurance state exchange. The agency is developing policy option studies for the Legislature in 2012, when add...
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On Saturday night former Secretary of State Ralph Munro (top right) celebrated his recovery from open-heart surgery by throwing a traditional American campfire party to benefit the Charity Care Fund at St Peter's Hospital in Olympia. Six months ago he was in Ethiopia working on humanitarian project...
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No, Saturday was not Memorial Day or Veterans Day but it was the Saturday closest to the signing date of the Korean War Armistice. And on this day every year the local survivors of the Chosin Reservoir battle keep their promise and assemble at the Washington State Korean War Memorial in Olympia to ...
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The Health Exchange Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) held its first meeting on Wednesday. It was a conference call focused on introducing the sixteen members and the role they will play advising the State Health Care Authority. Program Manager Molly Voris explained that over the next seven month...
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Once a year Olympia proves that old adage wrong by bringing in more rides and insuring the State Legislature is out of town. Last Wednesday marked the first of five days for Capitol Lakefair 2011, with rides, games, and live music.
This is Olympia's biggest celebration of the year and culmin...
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Friday was the deadline. To qualify for the November ballot, initiative supporters had to turn in valid signatures of at least 241,153 registered voters. First in were Bruce Beckett (left) and Julia Clark (center) from the Washington Restaurant Association, who were all smiles as staff from the Se...
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Those who are in to public opinion polls take note. George Washington is still the most popular founding father --- at 43% he is up 11 points from last year according to Rasmussen.
But in 1776 they did not have polls and a small group of men signed the Declaration of Independence knowing tha...
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Last Tuesday the State Energy Strategy Advisory Committee held a well attended meeting in Tukwila to discuss a Preliminary Transportation Policy Package. Short and long term elements of the package were discussed including new taxing options to reflect the real costs associated with driving, and to...
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On Monday the Department of Health held a public hearing on proposed rules establishing a prescription monitoring program in Washington State. Any person or entity dispensing prescription drugs will have to report details of the transaction within one week to the Department. The program is expecte...
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The average wage in Washington State went up 2.1% in 2010 and so by law on July 1 the maximum and minimum Unemployment Insurance and Workers Compensation benefits will go up 2.1%. Because of the current recession, wages have actually not gone up that much, but the Employment Security Department bel...
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Last Tuesday saw the last Board meeting of the Health Insurance Partnership program. New federal funding for the program will end on August 31, a casualty of the budget battles in Congress. HIP was set up to provide subsidies to low income workers whose employers agreed to provide health insurance...
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Department of Labor & Industries Assistant Director Beth Dupre (right) took over the state workers' compensation system in December.
Now with the Governor signing the last and most important reform bill on Wednesday, Beth will oversee the most ambitious reforms in almost thirty years. And ...
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On Tuesday the CEO of Premera Blue Cross, Gubby Barlow, introduced the keynote speaker, U.S. Representative Cathy McMorris, at the Washington Policy Center Health Care Conference. Gubby grew up in South Africa and has been CEO of Premera since 2000. He commented on the difficult challenges facing ...
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Quiet returns to Olympia and nature celebrates with an explosion of color and perfume. The buildings stand as silent temples, impassioned demonstrations are gone, and legislators have returned to the four corners of the state. Hallways, offices and meeting rooms that commanded so much attention, n...
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The annual Thunder Run Memorial Day Ceremony brought several hundred American and South Vietnamese veterans, motorcycle club members, and the public to the State Capitol Vietnam Memorial Wall. The Wall contains the names of more than one thousand state residents killed or missing during the Vietnam...
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At the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Committee on Friday, Employment Security Deputy Department Commissioner Joel Sacks (left) briefed the business and labor representatives on the latest UI controversy, the "Conformity Opportunity."
On March 14 the federal government notified the Departm...
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Wednesday night the First Special Session of the 62nd Legislature ended following passage of the state budgets and other requisite legislation. For the press corps it was the end of an exhausting five months, but TV Washington's team, including Niki Reading (bottom), and the Washington State Wire's...
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The hallway outside the Washington State Senate was jammed on Thursday as word spread the Legislature might really complete the First Special Session on time. Lobbyists, staff and citizens congregated near the Senate doors as everyone tried to insure their issues were covered in the final agreement...
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The turnout was small on Friday, around 30, but the zombies were there to protest proposed state budget cuts. The usual chants filled the air including, "We want healthcare, not corporate welfare." Unfortunately for them, the Legislature was gone. The Senate left on Thursday for the weekend, and ...
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The bi-partisan Washington State Redistricting Commission held its first Regular Meeting in Olympia last Tuesday. The Commission has the difficult job of adjusting the state legislative and congressional district boundaries to reflect the population changes that were documented in the 2010 Census. ...
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On Friday, State leaders, citizens, and law enforcement officers from two countries, took a moment to honor Washington officers who fell in the line of duty during the last year. It was particularly sad for representatives from the Department of Corrections who for the first time in 32 years had to...
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It may be a Special Session but few are here except for the legislators who serve on the House (above) and Senate Ways & Means Committees. Both committees held meetings on Thursday. But the real action is behind closed doors.
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Family members of a worker who died on the job in 2010 strike the brass bell in the Workers Memorial Garden at the Department of Labor & Industries.
Earlier on Thursday, Governor Chris Gregoire led a delegation of state government, business, and labor leaders in a memorial service for the 9...
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Tuesday the Washington State Legislature returned for its first Special Session. The focus will be on the State Budget but anything is possible in the next 30 days of the session.
No, the photo is not the Legislators and it’s not even a protest march. On Saturday, Olympia celebrated one of ...
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It wasn't really sine die night, but it might as well have been. The lobbyist corps threw its 8th annual end-of-session party Thursday night for the Olympia crowd -- legislators, staff, and even the daring occasional press person. About 400 people attended. And don't worry -- what happened there, st...
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Monday saw still one more protest, this time a small one at the Sundial. But the core group had marched for five days from Auburn to Olympia to demonstrate their determination to fight for social justice and a just state budget. The marchers included Jeff Johnson, President of the State Labor Coun...
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A new exhibit opened on April 5th in the State Secretary of State's Office and will be open until February 2012. It displays the remarkable life of Washington’s first territorial governor, Isaac Stevens. In 1853 he led the survey of the proposed northern route of the transcontinental
railroad a...
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The motion went down 43-54 as House Republicans made their first try Thursday afternoon to take over the House floor and pull the business community workers' compensation reform bill up for a vote. Republicans are confident they have the Democrat votes to pass the bill if they can pull it out of th...
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Helping keep the governor's office safe Friday during the labor rally were a phalanx of state troopers and Trent Smith, 10, and Rowan Smith, 9, of Rockford, Wash. Nothing could get by them.
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The week-long series of protests scheduled at the state Capitol by labor and activist groups got off to a weak start Tuesday -- a little over 100 people attended the Capitol-steps demonstration of the Olympia Coalition for a Fair Budget. The rain no doubt had something to do with that.
Late ...
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The 2011 Regular Legislative Session ends on April 24 but as the deadline gets closer most observers are getting skeptical that the state budget can be passed in time. Meanwhile, the cherry blossoms are starting to bloom in Olympia and the next few weeks will witness an explosion of color.
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On Tuesday teachers belonging to the Washington Education Association were at the Capitol pointing to National Education Association data that shows Washington State is the third worst in average class size among the 50 states. They are calling for a suspension in administrative assessments of stud...
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The "Rally To Protect Our Future" drew a large crowd of demonstrators on Thursday at the Capitol. Union and citizen action groups showed up to oppose any additional budget cuts and demand the closing of tax "loopholes" for "greedy corporations." The rally was set to coincide with the March state r...
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The State Health Technology Assessment program Clinical Committee held a meeting at the SeaTac Airport Conference Center on Friday. But even at the Airport, demonstrators organized by the American Pain Foundation were there to greet them.
The Clinical Committee meets quarterly and decides wh...
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At a ceremony held in the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday, 45 Washington State Patrol Troopers were sworn in by Washington State Supreme Court Justice Barbara Madsen, and presented their commission cards by Governor Christine Gregoire and Chief John R. Batiste.
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There was an Irish Hooley at Tugboat Annie's on St Patrick's Day. Members of the Columbia St Irish Seisiun joined host band Cricket on the Hearth for a festive night. [Click above to hear their rendition of "Irish O'Bama"]
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Despite a torrential downpour, over 200 constituents showed up on Saturday for a mid-Session town hall meeting in the 27th District. Senator Debbie Regala together with Representatives Jeannie Darneille and Laurie Jinkins (left to right above) spent two hours listening to the Tacoma citizens.
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A former nuclear submarine commander, Jim Colgary, now with the Nuclear Energy Institute, was one of several speakers promoting nuclear power at the House Energy Committee on Friday. Clogary's message was clear, "Nuclear power is safe." He also emphasized that from an emissions and cost perspectiv...
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No bill is really dead until the Legislature adjourns, but Monday represented a major cutoff point. Any bill that did not make it out of the house of origin, be it the Senate or House of Representatives, is considered dead for now unless required to implement the state budget.
The day was ma...
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Crowds of lobbyists and constituents gather outside the Washington State Senate doors desperately trying to get their bill voted on before the Monday deadline. Unions, businesses and citizen groups must compete with government representatives for the ear of key senators.
Most bills that are ...
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"Health care services are under attack. What do we do --- Fight Back!" In spite of a light rain, supporters from the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council, and SEIU Healthcare 775NW marched around the capital on Wednesday.
The “Home is Where My Heart Is: Save Personal Care Se...
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Saturday saw two large rallies. One, sponsored by the conservative Evergreen Freedom Foundation, "Justice for Taxpayers" (foreground above), denounced public employee union abuses and voiced their support for Wisconsin Governor Walker.
Meanwhile, early arrivers for the second demonstration, ...
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Hundreds of union officials and rank-and-file members attended the Washington State Labor Council's annual legislative conference at the Red Lion Inn in Olympia Thursday. Top items of discussion were unemployment insurance, workers' comp and that little disturbance over in the Badger State. The conf...
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Some 450 supporters of the Children's Alliance make a mad dash inside the Capitol building Tuesday as a freak hailstorm breaks up their noontime rally on the Capitol steps. Main agenda items for the group this year are maintaining children's health programs, continuing childcare programs for mothers...
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One of the highlights of the Legislative Session is the annual Tri-Cities invasion. This year the events kicked off on Wednesday with Tri-Cities Energy Day, a showcase of new clean energy advances. Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce Vice-President Colin Hastings (above) was one of the key leaders.
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On Friday, families with autistic children maintained a vigil outside the Washington State Senate doors. They were there in support of a bill that would expand health insurance coverage for their kids. Spirits remained high, but given the cost of the legislation, there is little hope of passage th...
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The TransAlta Coal-Fired Power Plant is preparing to move beyond coal by 2025. However, on Tuesday the House Energy Committee held a public hearing on a bill which would require the plant to transition by 2015, and the Senate is looking at a 2020 deadline. Hundreds of TransAlta supporters showed u...
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Also present on Tuesday were a caolition of environmental groups demanding that TransAlta complete the transition by 2015.
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Friday was the kick-off for UW Impact, a new University of Washington Alumni Association statewide advocacy campaign to support higher education. Other instititions are setting up similar campaigns.
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On Thursday there was a demonstration at the Capitol with Head Start and ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program) supporters who are opposed to budget cuts in these programs.
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Greg Devereux, executive director of the Washington Federation of State Employees, addresses the crowd at a labor forum in Seattle last Thursday night on the future of health reform. Just like their counterparts in the business community, the labor officials maintain that the federal reform has seri...
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You know things are tough when State Attorney General Rob Mckenna and Washington State Wire News Editor Erik Smith are pushing T-shirts on the side.
Actually both were at the Republican Roanoke Conference this weekend at the Ocean Shores convention center. McKenna was the kick-off speaker an...
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A press panel including Washington State Wire's own Erik Smith (center) offers opinions about the 2011 legislative session as the Washington State Medical Association stages its annual lobbying day in Olympia. Also on the panel is Peter Callaghan of the News Tribune in Tacoma and Jessica Gao of TVW....
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A roar of Harleys greeted lawmakers as they arrived for work Thursday. The state chapters of ABATE -- A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments -- was staging its annual demonstration at the statehouse against biker profiling. A few bad apples, they say, give bikers a bad name.
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On Tuesday an even larger demonstration took place on the Capitol steps, inspite of the rain. The annual Washington State March for Life attracted several thousand calling for an end to abortions.
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More than 1 million Americans are expected to participate in 13,000 projects on the King Day of Service, said Patrick Corvington, head of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency charged with administering service projects on the King holiday.
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That was the chant on Monday as the Statewide Poverty Action Network
held a Martin Luther King Day People's Summit & March on the State Capitol.
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Friday morning the House Labor Committee (above) held a public hearing on the two Governor's Request unemployment insurance bills. With the economy still struggling, most of the business community spoke in favor of the bills which would reduce the 36% tax increase already set for 2011 --- unless a ...
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Opening day in the Washington State Senate saw the galleries unusually crowded in anticipation of the debate over seating Senator Nick Harper. After two eloquent speeches the initial motion was defeated 18-23 and the Senator was seated.
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A colorful fireworks display off of the Space Needle in Seattle helps ring in the New Year for onlookers who braved the cold early Saturday.
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| By: Seattle Times | January 1, 2011 |
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Multicolored starbusts and gigantic sparklers lit the midnight sky over Sydney Harbour in a dazzling fireworks show witnessed by 1.5 million enthusiastic spectators who camped out all day to ring in the new year.
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| By: AP | Huffington Post | December 31, 2010 |
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By: Erik Smith and Jim Boldt | Washington State Wire | Dec. 25, 2010
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! And a Felicitous Festivus! It's time to knock back an egg nog and feel thankful that we've finally reached the deadest week of the year for political news. Don't worry, we'll have a few items...
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The lyrics are from the Christmas carol Silent Night which was first performed in 1818. The message is universal and in 1914 even rival armies lay down their arms to sing it together. Although work continues on the budget and other issues, Olympia too will calm down for two weeks, enjoy the light...
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On Wednesday night a modest Christmas nativity scene was set up on the Capitol Campus by the Tivoli Fountain. An atheist Tree of Knowledge is already up a short distance away. Unlike 2008 when the displays were within the capitol building, there was little controversy this year.
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Even as employers across the state are receiving their 2011 unemployment insurance tax notices --- with an average 36% tax increase, the Governor's Office is considering legislation that would reduce the increase. Such a bill would have to pass the Legislature by the first week in February.
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One of the finest ladies of the State Legislature, Rep. Kelli Linville (left), is caught leaving the capitol building on Saturday with Rep. Jeff Morris.
Earlier she had completed her final task as Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee, passing three budget cut bills. The bills will red...
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The Chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, Sen. Margarita Prentice (center), continued the action on Saturday, here signing out the three bi-partisan budget cut bills.
With the hearing, Sen. Prentice stepped down as Chair. She will move to a Senate Democrat leadership position as Sena...
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With the heavy lyrics of the Twisted Sisters song in the background, state prison workers demonstrated in Olympia on Thursday over expected budget cuts. Inspite of the rain, they filled the steps of the capitol while on the other side of the building, the Service Employees International Union held ...
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At the Senate Labor Committee on Tuesday the Employment Security Department announced that 2011 unemployment insurance tax rate notices would be mailed that very day. Employers will see an average 36% increase. The agency and several senators hope to pass legislation to spread that increase out ov...
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State Senator Ken Jacobsen (center) chaired his last meeting of the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Monday. The Senator is retiring from the legislature after 28 years, and used the last meeting, and guests including William D. Ruckelshaus (left), to highlight the progress that has been made ...
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On Tuesday in Seattle, Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler (left) met with his health care reform advisory committee to discuss the Governor's draft state health insurance exchange legislation. The exchange is the centerpiece for state implementation of federal health care reform and the Governor'...
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On Tuesday the Legislative Joint Select Committee on Health Care Reform Implementation held its final meeting at SeaTac City Hall. An overflow audience listened to updates from the Governor's Office, Insurance Commissioner, and Health Care Authority, and reports from the Committee's advisory groups...
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Department of Labor & Industries Assistant Director Michael Silverstein testified last Wednesday regarding the Tesoro Refinery explosion that killed seven workers. The Department has imposed a record $2.39 million fine for 39 "willful" violations of state safety rules. Tesoro has appealed.
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The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce and the Washington Policy Center hosted a regional small business forum on Tuesday in Tacoma.
With workers' comp taxes expected to go up 12% this year and still not cover costs, unemployment insurance rates up 38%, health care reform driving high...
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A large group of well-wishers gathered in the capitol building Columbia Room on Tuesday to celebrate Cindi Holmstrum's 24 years of service in Washington State government. Here Cindi (center) is flanked by two lobbyists, Amber Carter from AWB and Randy Ray with Aequus.
Cindi is leaving the Dep...
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Too often holidays become routine. In a nation often dominated by the confusion of anti-war protests on the one hand and escalating threats against the U.S. on the other hand, it's important to remember the critical role our veterans have played.
As Dwight Eisenhower once said of WWII vetera...
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Even as the Progressives, Unions and Trial Lawyers pursued new strategies in election year politics, a familiar name quietly escalated its campaign activities. The Association of Washington Business who historically has endorsed candidates and initiatives, but for the most part left the actual camp...
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With Dino Rossi conceding to Patty Murray in the U.S. Senate race and Democrats maintaining majorities in both houses of the Washington State Legislature, it was time for a tired State Democratic Party Chair, Dwight Pelz (left), to take a break and smile with Washington State Wire publisher Jim Bold...
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Washington State Wire's Erik Smith (third from right) participated in a panel last Thursday night discussing the election results and the future of the Democratic Party in Washington State.
Senator Ed Murray spoke passionately for keeping the big tent, embracing even those Democrats who do ...
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State GOP Chairman Luke Esser has a mighty big grin as election results come in Tuesday night.
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In the historic South Capitol Neighborhood, houses pull out the stops for Halloween and hundreds of kids partake in the annual celebration which is believed to have its origins in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain marked the end of the lighter half of the year and the beginning of the...
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Last Thursday the Health Care Authority lead on the State Health Exchange, Michael Arnis (left), briefed the Joint Select Legislative Exchange Work Group. The creation of a State Exchange by 2014 is one of the key requirements under federal health care reform. Michael explained that HCA has commiss...
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On Wednesday the Department of Labor & Industries Workers' Compensation Health Care Subcommittee met in Tukwila. The business-labor group reviewed the latest information on the current Centers of Occupational Health & Education. These four pilots have achieved 20% savings on workers' comp claims b...
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An escape from election year politics was to be found in Leavenworth, Washington, as Oktoberfest wrapped up after three weekends of parades, music and of course, beer!
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On Monday the Senate Judiciary Committee responded to a recent increase in police shootings and held a hearing on the emotional issue of use of deadly force. One police chief expressed the frustration that even when police use electroshock tasers they are denounced by activist groups.
The Was...
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Even Olympia is excited with the opening of the Picasso Exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum. More than 150 extraordinary paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and photographs will be on exhibit from October 8 to January 17.
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On Wednesday the Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee met in Olympia to hear a report on employment and day services for the disabled which are funded by the state and administered by the counties. The JLARC staff found several "control problems" including a wide difference in county payment ...
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The end of September marks the annual return of the salmon up the Deschutes River and Tumwater Falls. For a little over a week thousands of salmon will fill the stream in a vain attempt to jump the natural and man-made falls. In the end most will take the goverment option, fish ladders, not knowin...
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For over 2000 years the pageantry and resolution of the colosseum has played an important role in the social and political fabric of the modern city-state. At their home opener on Saturday the University of Washington honored their ancient Legends, the 1960-61 Rose Bowl football team, inducted thei...
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At a "Third House" lobbyist briefing last Tuesday, House Speaker Frank Chopp confidently noted that the Primary Election went "better than expected" for Democrats given that the "bulk of the activity was on the Republican side." Republican speakers countered that in the eight key Legislative Distri...
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Senator Tim Sheldon (left) held a well attended campaign event at Grant and Stacey Nelson's house in Olympia on Monday night. Both initiative and candidate campaigns are expected to heat up as the October 15 deadline for mailing ballots to voters draws closer.
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A second workgroup from the Joint Select Committee on Health Care Reform Implementation met on Wednesday to discuss what a state health insurance exchange might look like. The federal government would do it for free; the state Legislature could design a regional exchange and break down the archaic ...
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Twenty-eight years after the Washington Public Power Supply System threw in the towel on a wildly ambitious nuclear power plant construction plan, the cooling towers of Plants 3 and 5 continue to stand at the Satsop Development Park, 32 miles west of the state capital, their workings half-finished, ...
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On Tuesday the Workforce Advisory Group of the Joint Select Committee on Health Care Reform Implementation met to discuss physician and other primary care provider shortages. All of the various professions from physical therapists to nurses had new ideas to expand their role in health care. Co-Cha...
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Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler convened a second meeting of his Health Care Realization Committee on Wednesday. The Committee, in conjunction with the Joint Legislative Task Force which met on Friday, will be developing proposals to implement federal health care reform.
State Senator ...
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Candidates step up the campaigns as Mail-In Ballots for the Primary Election will be sent out next week. J.T. Wilcox, here speaking last Wednesday night at a barbeque on the Wilcox farm, is trying to unseat a fellow Republican and incumbent, Rep. Tom Campbell, in the 2nd Legislative District (Yelm)...
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Between legislative sessions, individual legislative committees meet to keep on top of key issues. This last week the Senate and House Labor Committees were in town and held a meeting on several topics including the projected 2011 increase in unemployment insurance rates.
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One of the three main buildings of the state Legislature, the John L. O'Brien Building is undergoing renovation and is not scheduled to reopen until December 2011. Often referred to as the House of Representatives Office Building, it houses hearing rooms and office space for most representatives an...
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Alfred Hamilton first put up a political billboard in 1971. It survived a lawsuit brought by then Attorney General Slade Gorton and and has since become "one of the icons of Lewis County." It is located near Chehalis on Interstate Highway 5. Alfred died in 2004 but his family continues the traditi...
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State Sen. Craig A. Pridemore, D-Vancouver, mans the podium at the state Democratic convention's afternoon session last Saturday. Pridemore, formerly a candidate for the Third Congressional District seat, exited the race to make way for Democrat Denny Heck. And during his three hours in the spotligh...
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Doorbelling the green way! Candidates across the state are actively campaigning for votes. In this case its Stew Henderson in Tumwater who is running for the State House of Representatives.
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With ballot initiatives required to have 241,153 valid signatures from registered voters by 5 PM on July 2, the scramble is on. This entrepreneur in Olympia has quite the variety at his table.
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Friday was the deadline for candidates to register for the November election, but there was no rush at the Secretary of State's Office in Olympia. Staff could relax thanks to internet registration. Now if they could only get the internet to handle initiative signatures due on July 2.
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As the center of State Government, Olympia and the 22nd District is a Democratic stronghold. Nonetheless, in the Legislature this year there is an open seat with Rep. Brendan Williams stepping down.
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Majority Leader Says Senate May Vote Soon on Health Reform
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Would Avoid Republican Filibuster on Healthcare
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Obama Was Ready to Give Up as Price for Passage of Health Reform
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New Count Puts Him Ahead by 5,000 Votes
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| By: Seattle Post-Intelligencer |
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Editorial: Inexperienced Mayor Better Hire a Competent Staff
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Column: Seattle's Power Structure Was Defeated, Too
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| By: Seattle Post-Intelligencer |
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Anti-Gay Rights Referendum Was Doomed by a Lousy Campaign, Says One-Time Ally
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Perhaps All Ballots Ought to be in by Election Day
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Column: Real Question -- Why Does it Matter?
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Former Redskins Tight End Clint Didier is Conservative Republican
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Ex-Marine Jay Clough Announces Campaign Against Hastings
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Peggy Pritchard-Olson Was Edmonds City Councilwoman
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Lopsided Vote is 258-176 -- All Dems Vote No
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Final Prison Report Recommends Closure at Walla Walla Pen -- But Only if Additional Construction Money Can be Found
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| By: Walla Walla Union Bulletin |
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DSHS Settles Case Involving Allegations of Sex and Physical Abuse
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McGinn Leads Over Mallahan by 515 Votes
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| By: Seattle Post-Intelligencer |
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Areas That Backed Previous Eyman Tax Revolts Turned Against I-1033
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| By: Seattle Post-Intelligencer |
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Column: Election Results Show GOP Was Hijacked
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| By: Seattle Post-Intelligencer |
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Washington Vote Not Duplicated in East -- Maine Would Have Allowed 'M' Word
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Some Ag Issues on Table, but Pale by Comparison With Budget Crisis
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| By: Yakima Herald Republic |
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The state is going too far, business says, with a proposed rate increase during a recession -- and it may ask voters to approve private competition.
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By: Erik Smith | Washington State Wire | Feb. 4, 2012
A decision by a Democratic chairwoman to kill a pair of high-profile education bills has triggered an all-but-unheard-of standoff in a Senate committee and a backroom blowup among the Senate Democrats. And it demonstrates this year, as last, that the moderate Roadkill Dems hold all the cards.
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By: Erik Smith | Washington State Wire | Feb. 3, 2012
Gov. Christine Gregoire’s proposal for a $1.50 tax on oil-by-the-barrel to pay for road construction and environmental projects is looking like it has a dead battery, as three key senators say the governor’s plan just isn’t clicking. Meanwhile, a pair of influential House lawmakers have introduced a constitutional amendment that would block the green lobby's efforts to tax "Big Oil" once and for all.
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By: Erik Smith | Washington State Wire | Feb. 3, 2012
House Republicans show what they mean when they say "Fund Education First," unveilling a partial budget plan that deals only with K-12 education. Everything else can come later. Democrats say it's no way to write a budget.
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By: Jim Boldt | Washington State Wire | 01.31.12
Newt is not going to quit. He is going to continue to try and hold his cool, not go off on someone or about some issue. He is as smart as any one of them, continues to talk of solid experienced realignment of our government...
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By: Jim Boldt | Washington State Wire | 01.26.12
Do we have to continue to talk about what's going on in the real world, the demands being placed on future generations of students, the drag on success created by 20th century education unions, the desire of most educators to do the right thing, and the current lack of courage by Washington's elected to step up?
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By: Jim Boldt | Washington State Wire | 1.19.12
SB 6369 simple states that where there are “gaps” in the evidence don't worry about it, just go ahead with the plan. In a world of DOE staff looking for every opportunity to prove their worth to certain constituencies this is a free pass.
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By: Jim Boldt | Washington State Wire | 1.18.12
Next, do we need a bill to modernize a statute? Probably, because...you guessed it, modern words for modern technology. Excuse the word functionality. The drafters and advocates must think that the state EPA actually works, you know, functions.
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Editorial: Use Gavels to Doom Promising Legislation on Charter Schools and Teacher Evaluations
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Gregoire Drops By Brown's Office for Frank and Open Exchange of Views
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| By: Jerry Cornfield/ The (Everett) Herald |
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After Chairwoman McAuliffe Blocks Vote, Blames Committee Members For Balking on Everything Else
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Measure Will Close Liquor Stores June 1
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Former Lawmaker Running for Thurston County Superior Court Vacancy
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Editorial: What a Proud Moment!
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Would Allow Public Agencies to Challenge Burdensome Requests -- Pam Roach May Cast Deciding Vote
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National Organization for Marriage Gets Set to Run Repeal Referendum
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Measly $200K Given From Washington State -- PACs Are Reshaping Presidential Politics
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| By: Jim Brunner/ Seattle Times |
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| By: Jim Camden/ Spokesman-Review |
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Steve Forbes and Rob McKenna write, "What does it mean for you? You will pay more – not less, as promised – for your health care coverage."
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A bill working its way through the Legislature has triggered something of a bizarro world in Olympia, with liberals lambasting a government takeover of health care and two of the state's most powerful unions fighting each other.
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Washington State is ranked last in the nation for having the fewest psychiatric beds for patients.
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Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco argue that sugar is toxic and needs to be taxed and controlled.
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About 47,000 Medicaid patients in Clark County are about to be thrust into turmoil -- as will the health care plan that has served them for 18 years -- if the state Health Care Authority has its way.
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A federal judge is expected to rule this month whether Washington state can require pharmacies to sell the Plan B contraceptive, even if the druggists object on religious grounds.
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Whereas inadequate medical care accounts for 10% of premature deaths in the United States, behavioral patterns, social circumstances, and environmental exposures have a far greater effect, accounting for roughly 60% of deaths.
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| By: New England Journal of Medicine |
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A report released today by the actuarial firm Milliman Inc. said the new tax in 2014 will cost the Medicaid program between $36.5 billion and $41.9 billion over 10 years. At least $13 billion will be borne by states.
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"Open enrollment has to be ready to go by Oct. 1, 2013, so in January of 2013 we have to submit our products and rates for [state] approval," said Alissa Fox, senior vice president of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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