A conversation with Seattle
But Boeing’s support — and that of heavyweights the Association of Washington Business and Washington Roundtable — for a $9.5-billion transportation package was not enough for Washington’s Senate Republicans, who were against a 10-cent gas tax increase (phased in over five years, upped two cents annually). Continue reading The Divorce: Washington State Republicans vs. Big Business & Boeing
Washington State liquor taxes (20.5 percent, plus a fee of $3.7708 per liter) were some of the highest in the country before I-1183, and the initiative did not lower them. Instead, it put in place a 17-percent tax on liquor retailers and a 10-percent tax on distributors. Continue reading Why Washington State’s Privatized Liquor Costs More Than Before
This looks fishy, doesn’t it? Washington residents average just 6.5 grams of fish per day, while Oregonians inhale almost 30 times that? It makes you wonder how on earth Ivar’s manages to stay in business. More worryingly, these fish consumption rates are what the state uses to determine acceptable levels of water pollution. Continue reading Washington State’s Water-Pollution Regs Assume People Hate Fish
This morning, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) arrived at Seattle’s Country Doctor clinic on Capitol Hill to announce that she’d arm-twisted the Obama administration into launching the Federal Basic Health Plan Option (FBHPO) in 2015. In 1987, the late Governor Booth Gardner signed Washington State’s Basic Health Plan into law at the same Country Doctor clinic. Continue reading Sen. Cantwell: Washington State is Model for Federal Basic Health Plan
Here in Washington State, we are first in renewable energy, out of all the states. But we are faced with the unpleasant and yet unsurprising news that, with 83,505 public road miles, 67 percent of those roads are in poor or mediocre condition. Almost five percent of our bridges are rated structurally deficient. Continue reading 2/3 of State Roads in Washington are Rated “Poor” or “Mediocre”
In looking for budgets to cut, the legislature apparently decided that something so loved was obviously worth something, and why not extort that from the people they’re supposed to represent? Further, why not ask Parks & Recreation to defund themselves completely within in an incredibly short time-frame? Continue reading Discover Pass Won’t Pay Parks’ Bills–Now What, Legislature?
Political fights over new terminals dedicated to coal were the first to crop up. But as people have had the chance to see the mile-plus-long trains click-clacking by, cars uncovered so that coal dust can blow off along the whole route, opposition to the whole prospect has stiffened. Continue reading Coal’s Long Black Trains Are A-Comin’ on Downtown, Seattle