Democrat elitists sue voters who voted for Initiative Measure No. 976 ($30 car tabs)

The city of Seattle, King County, and the Port of Seattle filed a lawsuit in the King County Superior Court arguing against voter Initiative 976, the voter-approved $30 car tab measure. They claim the initiative violated the state Constitution by – among other allegations – misleading voters.

The irony of Dow Constantine – who sits on the unelected Sound Transit board of directors – attacking a voter-approved measure for misleading the public should not be lost. Democrats to the public: If you vote for tax relief, we will sue you.

Study shows mass transit will not reduce traffic congestion in the Puget Sound

A new study backed by the Washington Policy Center found that Seattle’s transit heavy approach to solving transportation congestion will not “improve people’s access to employment nor their quality of life in the long-term.”

Specially, the study found that mass transit – at any cost – does not have the potential to “reduce driving or to reduce traffic congestion in the Puget Sound.” Among other considerations, the study took into account the Puget Sound’s distribution of both job and residential locations.

Charter schools outperform public schools in latest test scores

Washington students on NAEP test drop again

The results for the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) – a national Test administered to students every two years – are now available. Washington state scores dropped for fourth and eighth grade math and reading scores when compared to 2017.

Superintendent Chris Reykdal pointed to poverty as the cause of low test scores. However, Washington’s nine charter schools – where 60 percent of students are low-income, minority children – far outperformed public schools. Charter schools did not experience a downward trend in test scores.

State Supreme Court upholds Seattle’s “first come, first served” law for renters

After a King County judge struck down Seattle’s law which requires landlords to accept the first qualified tenant to apply for a rental, the state Supreme Court has overturned that order.

Separately, the court placed a prohibition on landlords which prevents them from doing criminal background checks on applicants.  This decision is arrogant, monumental stupidity.

These decisions are all but certain to have a detrimental impact on the long-term rental market because they take away important rights of landlords over their private property.

Government unionization and the Attorney General

The unionization of Washington’s assistant attorneys general is everything that’s wrong with government unions

Earlier this year, the Washington State Legislature passed SB 5297, which allowed for the unionization of the state’s assistant attorneys general (AAG) who litigate cases for the Attorney General’s Office.

However, the bill’s passage and the subsequent unionization of the state’s nearly 600 AAGs is a case study in what’s wrong with government unions. It’s hard to conclude that SB 5297 was anything other than a purely political move to increase union dues collection.

Elections -- Watching the Results

Seattle decided they like the city the way it is and elected government labor-backed progressives to six of the seven seats up for election. Kshama Sawant’s come-from-behind 'victory' will make her the most senior member of the council having won in a similar fashion in 2013.

Sen. Maureen Walsh announces retirement after 28 years of service

State Senator Maureen Walsh (R-College Place) announced last week that she will be retiring from public service after a career that started as a Legislative Assistant, then being elected to the State House in 2005, and finally moving to the Senate in 2016. Sen. Walsh was instrumental in creating the state’s Department of Early Learning. State Representative Bill Jenkin and former Walla Walla County Commissioner Perry Dozier have both announced that they will seek Walsh’s seat in 2020.

Seattle, King County move to block voter-approved $30 car tabs

Washington state voters approved I-976, the initiative to reduce car tabs to $30. The passage of the measure represents a rebuke of Sound Transit and government mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. Unfortunately, Democrats have no need for democracy, and plan to ignore the will of the people. Seattle and King County officials hope to block the voter-approved measure by filing a lawsuit in King County Superior Court.

Spokane voters agree with open, transparent union negotiations

With an overwhelming majority of nearly 80%, Spokane voters approved a city charter amendment requiring the city to conduct open collective bargaining negotiations. Previously, the city’s executive team and the city’s powerful unions have conducted the negotiations in secret. Spokane citizens now have the right to keep track of how city officials negotiate with their tax dollars. Additionally, government employees now have the right to see the tactics used by union executives on their behalf.

Spokane voters make a local income tax impossible

As a precaution against any future plans Democrats may have, Spokane voters pre-emptively banned a local income tax by approving Proposition 2 overwhelmingly. Spokane voters’ ban comes as Seattle fights to implement a local income tax. In July, an appeals court found the state’s blanket ban of an income tax was unconstitutional. The case will head to the state Supreme Court.

Washington voters likely reject affirmative action referendum

Though votes are still being counted, Washington voters seem to have rejected a measure seeking to reinstate the use of racist affirmative action, particularly in state employment and admission to public colleges and universities. Referendum 88 sought to amend a law passed more than two decades that banned state government from discriminating against individuals or groups on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. The proposed amendment sought to allow state-run institutions to consider minority group membership as a factor in assessing qualified applicants. It would also have destroyed long-standing automatic preferences in the law for our veterans.

State Elections Update

Newly elected to the legislature (to fill out terms):

• Legislative District 13 State Representative Pos. 2 - Alex Ybarra  (R)
• Legislative District 40 State Senator - Elizabeth (Liz) Lovelett  (D)

Statewide measures:

• Referendum Measure No. 88, to restore racist preferences, is failing, although the margin appears close.  This, despite support from former governor Gary Locke and leftists in King, Whatcom and Jefferson  counties.  If there is a need for a re-count, look for King County to discover many uncounted ballots.
• Initiative Measure No. 976, to restore car tabs to $30 per year, is passed.

The advisory votes on 11 of the new taxes enacted by the legislature show a general rejection on increasing taxes. Exceptions are

• Advisory Vote No. 23, the tax on vaping products is approved.
• Advisory Vote No. 28, "narrowing" the nonresident sales and use tax exemption is approved.
• Advisory Vote No. 31, new tax on international investment is approved.

~~~~Other matters ~~~~

State Supreme Court to hear Seattle income tax suit

The Washington State Supreme Court will decide the constitutionality of Seattle’s income tax on high earners. Questions include whether Seattle’s income tax on high earners can be implemented, whether a lower court’s decision allowing a uniform tax across all earners should stand, and whether income qualifies as property. If the Supreme Court sides with the City of Seattle, it will overturn a 90-year-old legal precedent that classifies income as property. Currently, the precedent serves as a roadblock to imposing an income tax anywhere in the state.

State Senator Ron Muzzall
Muzzall – a Whidbey Island farm owner and a former fire commissioner – was appointed to replace retiring State Senator Barbara Bailey in Washington’s 10^th Legislative District.  Republican Ron Muzzall (muh-ZAHL), discusses his background, taxation, and the mental health crisis in an interview with Washington Wire’s Michael Goldberg.  Muzzall will join the Senate Republican Caucus for the 2020 legislative session.

State Supreme Court ruling applies law retroactively

In a controversial decision, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that Initiative 1501 – a voter-approved measure that prevents the release of the personal contact information of in-home caregivers – applies retroactively to a public records request made by the Freedom Foundation. The ruling overturns a decision made by a lower court to allow the release of the public records as the Freedom Foundation filed the request before the law came into effect.