Olympia News this week.

Small businesses face 550% increase in employment security taxes -- to force jobs cut? (My Northwest)

This is truly bizarre Washington State government action.  Washington state businesses face a possible five-fold increase in the standard unemployment taxes on employees’ wages. This will threaten jobs.

The Association of Washington Business (AWB) warned that the “burden will likely fall hardest on the small shops and restaurants that are already trying to dig themselves out of the COVID-19 hole.”

In fact, the amount small businesses pay in employment security taxes would multiply by 550%. With businesses across our state are struggling to stay alive, the AWB is asking Governor Jay Inslee to put CARES Act dollars into the Unemployment Trust Fund instead of raising unemployment taxes.

Unfortunately, Inslee has already said he has other plans for the CARES Act money ("screw the people").
       
Inslee lied about special session, gets needed fact-check (Seattle Times)

The Seattle Times documented Gov. Inslee lying about Washington state Republicans allegedly wanting to come into special session to cut health care.

Inslee used the lie to say he was justified not to call a special session.  Actually, Republicans fully documented their special session plan and there was not a word about health care in it.  And, as far as being “fully justified” for not calling a special session, WA state faces a $4B deficit.  We need a special session to address this deficit.

After Inslee lied first to get elected Governor when he said he would not raise taxes, Inslee turned into a taxaholic not hardly able to turn down any proposed taxes.  It would be best to get the legislature in before Inslee’s almost certain taxapalooza.
       
Inslee admits he lied, knew about CHAZ/CHOP  (FOXNews)

During the first and only gubernatorial debate with Republican candidate Loren Culp, Jay Inslee contradicted his earlier claims on CHAZ – specifically, concerning when knew about the lawless takeover of several city blocks in Seattle.

Inslee made national news when he claimed during a June press conference, “That’s news to me, so I’ll have to reserve any comment about it. I have not heard anything about that.”

When questioned about his ignorance by debate moderator Brandi Kruse, Inslee claimed he “could not have been oblivious” to CHAZ because he “deployed the Washington State national guard.”

Pressed by Kruse, Inslee eventually admitted he lied saying, “Listen, I knew about CHOP. That’s why we had state troopers ready to respond at the city’s request.”
       
Inslee comes in last on governor performance ranking (KIRO Radio)

The Cato Institute released its annual report card on U.S. governors. Unsurprisingly, Inslee ranked number 50 in the nation.

Inslee’s dead-last ranking comes as a result of his obsession with increasing taxes, including imposing a “higher energy taxes, capital gains tax to raise a billion a year, tobacco tax that mainly lands on lower-income folks, [and a] Business and Occupation tax.”

According to the CATO Institute’s Chris Edwards, “On taxes and spending, Jay Inslee has been the worst governor in the United States for many years. It’s really unfortunate for Washington’s economy and for citizens.”
       
State Supreme Court throws out petition to recall Mayor Durkan (Seattle Times)

The Washington State Supreme Court ended an effort to recall Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan before the petition could move into the signature-gathering phase. The unanimous decision stated that charges presented against Durkan were “factually and legally insufficient.”

So, what were the charges? According to the Seattle Times, petitioners “blamed Durkan for the Seattle Police Department’s broad use of tear gas in early June, following widespread protests against police brutality and systemic racism.”

Meanwhile, Durkan has yet to face any accountability for the deadly, disastrous “Summer of Love” in Seattle’s CHAZ/CHOP.

Referendum 90 - sex ed for 5 year olds?

Referendum  90 would promote sexualized teaching to children as young as Kindergartners.  The somewhat confusing ballot measure in Washington State will directly impact the safety and well-being of school children (FPI).

Back in March, the Washington State Senate voted to mandate comprehensive sex education for all public schoolers, starting in kindergarten, with explicit conversations about sexuality and sexual behavior to start in fourth grade.

Supporters said that, since kids are getting sex ed from the internet anyway, they might as well learn it in the classroom (The News Tribune). The confusion is that passing Referendum 90 would approve the sex-ed mandate.

So, Washington parents and anyone else who thinks 10-year-olds should not be taught a so-called “LGBTQ-inclusive” sex ed curriculum, should vote no on Referendum 90.

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Special session needed to deal with financial mess

Legislative Republicans are calling for a special session to address the impacts of Boeing's departure and to talk about the priority of getting kids back to school.

With Boeing’s recent announcement that they will, in fact, be moving their 787 Dreamliner production to South Carolina, please join us to discuss the implications that this will have on our state, as well as continue the discussion on the growing back to school concerns during COVID-19.

• How Boeing’s move will be detrimental to the Everett community and Washington’s economy as a whole.

• How to go about helping the 1000+ people who will lose their jobs in these already trying times.

• Why Governor Inslee bears part of the responsibility due to lack of willingness to make Washington a more business-friendly environment.

• Why our aerospace industry is at risk and Inslee mugged the taxpayers to further his own agenda.

• What we need to do to reassure the companies that we still have, not to follow suit.

• How we will go about filling the gaps with other business opportunities in WA.

• Further discuss parents’ concerns with getting their children back to school, childcare, homeschooling, access to internet, etc.

Olympia news this week

Boeing to move 787 Dreamliner production to South Carolina [KING5]

Boeing will relocate all production of the 787 Dreamliner from Everett to South Carolina starting in 2021. Boeing’s decision to move comes after more than a decade of assembling the Dreamliner in Snohomish County.

Stan Deal, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, stated, “As our customers manage through the unprecedented global pandemic, to ensure the long-term success of the 787 program, we are consolidating 787 production in South Carolina.” South Carolina’s business-friendly environment offers further incentive for the move. Washington Democrats’ consistent threats to raise taxes – and introduce new taxes – and uncontrolled unrest creates a volatile environment for businesses like Boeing.

The loss of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner delivers another blow to the state’s budget shortfall, making a special session more critical than ever before. According to the Seattle Times, Jay Inslee reacted bitterly to the news and Snohomish County Democrat leaders called his comments “divisive.”
       
Domestic violence homicides nearly doubles in King County from previous year [KUOW]

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, the number and severity of domestic violence cases nearly doubled in comparison to 2019.

Tragically, 13 people have died due to domestic violence homicide. The Bellevue Police Department reports a 28% increase in felony domestic violence cases from the previous year. The Seattle Police Department has experienced a 21% increase domestic violence reports since the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Democrats are pushing to “defund the police.” Instead, Democrats want to send social workers into dangerous domestic violence situations – notably nearly 40% of police officer deaths occur during domestic violence calls.

Seattle successfully defunded the SPD, leading to a significant loss of police officers. After already eliminating millions from their budget, Democrats on the King County Council are pushing to defund the King County Sheriff’s Office via two charter amendments – voters will decide this November.
       
Employment Security Department moves to resolve unemployment appeals after public backlash [MyNorthwest]

Jay Inslee’s Office claims that the number of people waiting on unemployment appeals at the state Employment Security Department (ESD) went from 20,000 to 4,000 last month.

A nonprofit is suing the ESD for people denied unemployment for months without receiving updates on their appeals. According to attorneys, ESD’s recent shift action appears to be the result of increased public scrutiny. One attorney stated that the ESD Commissioner Susan LeVine “did not perform her duty and the hardship was born by hardworking eligible claimants… financial catastrophe was born by ESD and the impacts have been grave for so many, it is unconscionable.”

The ESD has yet to face any accountability for massive failures, including a preventable security breach that lost hundreds of millions and jeopardized the identities of thousands. Democrats are afraid to discipline Levine as she has been a massive fundraiser for Inslee, Senate Democrats and other left-wing candidates. Money talks. Accountability walks.
       
Snohomish County Democrat calls for physical attacks on law enforcement [770KTTH]

On her Facebook account, Democrat Snohomish County Council member Megan Dunn posted a “good reminder” to use Molotov cocktails as attacks on law enforcement surge. Dunn deleted the post after facing public backlash.

The Everett Police Officers Association (EPOA) called on Dunn to apologize and resign. EPOA stated, “Promoting violence/murder against our LE professionals and destruction of our communities is NOT acceptable from anyone. It is a crime.” Dunn’s shocking attack is the latest example of Washington Democrats’ hostility toward law enforcement. 

Also...

The King County Executive Dow Constantine will defund the King County Sheriff’s Office by $6.2 million. Approximately 30 deputies will lose their jobs. About 100 police officers will lose their jobs as a result of defunding the Seattle Police Department.

Icky Inslee's Maggot

Jay Inslee brought maggot-infested homegrown apples to families impacted by wildfires in Douglas County.  By transporting apples from maggot-infested Western Washington to a maggot-free agricultural zone, Inslee broke the law. (Seattle PI)

The Chelan-Douglas Horticultural Pest and Disease Board is now taking quick action, looking to locate Inslee's maggot-infested apples to prevent an infestation. County officials stated, "Apple Maggots are an incredibly serious pest and could have dire consequences for the orchardists of Douglas County if we are unable to find the infected apples and mitigate the effects immediately."

Inslee called the dire mistake a "good reminder of the importance of awareness around apple quarantine." To be clear, Washington produces 70% of the nation's apples. Our state's governor should be well aware of top agricultural concerns – especially when Douglas and Chelan counties have worked tirelessly through the years to ensure the health of orchards.

Rather than pay attention to our state's challenges, Inslee prefers to squeeze himself into the national limelight. Between his embarrassing bid for President to his unproductive bickering with the President, Inslee doesn't have much time for the concerns of hardworking families in Washington state.

It's time to elect leaders who care – leaders who will hold Inslee accountable and protect our communities.

Olympia Week

 ESD paid fraudulent claims filed under own workers’ stolen identities (KREM Television)

A KING 5 investigation discovered that Washington’s Employment Security Department paid unemployment claims made under the stolen identities of its own employees. It’s important to note, the agency’s fraud detection software is so weak it even failed to capture fraudulent claims made by its own employees. The ESD admits to dialing back “automated security measures in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.” The lax security and large amount of unemployment payments made Washington state a prime target for fraud. Taxpayer losses were estimated to be $650 million. Only about half was recovered.

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Boeing may move 787 Dreamliner production to South Carolina (My Northwest)

In a matter of weeks, Boeing may move the 787 production line from Everett. Production of the 787 Dreamliner would move to South Carolina. Boeing’s move – according to sources – is close to a “done deal.” Snohomish County launched the “Better With Boeing” campaign in hopes of persuading the state’s largest employer to keep production in Washington. Boeing’s move would mean thousands of lost jobs and revenue for Washington state. Of course, decades of Democrat control have created an unfriendly business environment. Along with their hostility, Democrats’ consistent push for higher and higher taxes places our state at a competitive disadvantage.

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Seattle moves forward with plans to defund the SPD  (The Federalist)

The Seattle City Council voted to overrule vetoes made by Mayor Jenny Durkan and will defund the Seattle Police Department (SPD) as planned. The plan will “reduce the police force by 100 officers, cut wages of police commanders, and redirect millions of dollars to other public programs.” The cuts will also eliminate SPD’s Navigation Teams, resources dedicated to managing and assisting the homeless population. For years, SPD has experienced severe strains. Limited resources have resulted in long response times (or no response times, depending on the crime). Meanwhile, crime continues to rise in Seattle.

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Wildfires present yet another reason for Inslee to call a special session (770 KTTH)

GOP Sen. Judy Warnick recently spoke to KTTH’s Jason Rantz about the wildfires in Eastern Washington. Many Washingtonians are still struggling with the consequences of the devastating wildfires. Lincoln, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties are all facing significant loss of pastures lands and homes. The counties are seeking support for a FEMA designation – Jay Inslee already designated support for Whitman county. Given our state’s extreme budget shortfall, Warnick and fellow Republican senators are also asking Inslee to call a special legislative session to help with recovery efforts.

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2020 has been a tough year, and Governor Jay Inslee (D) has not made it any easier.

The latest failure of Inslee’s leadership to harm the lives of Washingtonians? Preventable wildfires.

Inslee blames the massive wildfires on climate change. But according to experts, wildfires are the result of poor forest management practices. Solutions include thinning forests through “logging, prescribed burns and (later) allowing naturally occurring fires to be managed instead of extinguished.”

The 2020 wildfires have cost lives, homes, and livelihoods. Yet, Inslee refuses to acknowledge reality. UW Atmospheric Science Professor Cliff Mass called Inslee’s climate change assertions “180 degrees of wrong.”  He points out the easterly winds that create massive fires weaken under climate change, lessening risks of rapid spread (KIRO).

Smart forest management prevents air pollution, saves taxpayer dollars, brings more revenue to the government, and – most importantly – saves lives.

Of course, that would leave Inslee without his yearly climate change talking points.

It’s time to put a stop to careless governance.

Reducing effective law enforcement in Seattle

"The Seattle city council voted on Tuesday to override the mayor's veto of a bill to defund the Seattle Police Department, voting, again, to defund SPD. Mayor Jenny Durkan's veto was intended to stop drastic cuts to a city budget which would defund parts of the Seattle Police Department budget." (Post Millennial) 

These cuts to the police public safety budget will make Seattle less safe.  Mayor Durken cannot be let off the hook.  When the defund-the-police trouble started brewing back in June, she insisted the massive violence on Capitol Hill was a "Summer block party."

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What happens if there is no police force? 

Its clear the rich folk will hire private security personnel -- they're safe. 

 

The politically connected and socialist elites will probably take tax money for their personal protection -- they're safe.  So who will protect the ordinary folk?  Who will protect the ordinary people?

No one, if Seattle City Council stays to its present path.  They are indulging themselves in disgusting political posturing -- or more likely, pure elitism.  The Seattle City Council is going to get protection from their personal body guards; their property will be protected 24/7.

Eliminating police protection is a way of making it clear the ordinary people who need protection don't matter to the city council .  Cripple the police and the last vestige of equality under the law is eliminated.  

 

Or, more plainly, the Seattle City Council is saying "Screw the People."   Vote them out.

Olympia week

Smarter forest management key to preventing megafires (Spokesman Review)

A new op-ed in the Spokesman-Review argues more effective forest management strategies would help prevent megafires, like those currently raging in Washington, Oregon, and California.

Solutions like “thinning forests through logging, prescribed burns and allowing naturally occurring fires to be managed instead of extinguished” must be employed.

Bringing back smarter forest management practices – like thinning, salvaging and logging – prevents air pollution caused by megafires, saves taxpayer dollars, and brings more revenue to the government.

Our state government decided to neglect tending state lands -- they must have made this decision in a smoke-filled room.

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Snohomish County property taxes doubled in the last three years (Washington Policy Center)

State property taxes for schools in Snohomish County doubled over the last three years. Unfortunately, academic achievement hardly improved.

Washington Policy Center’s Liv Finne points out, it’s no wonder voters reached “the limit of school taxes they are willing to pay for an education system that offers families few choices and often produces poor learning outcomes for children.” Under any circumstances, doubling property tax rates places a large financial burden on families.

Given the pandemic and economic shutdowns, the heavy burden makes lives even harder. It’s more important than ever that families receive financial relief – and more school choices.

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Seattle enforces strict measures to stop religious protest; The police-haters get a free pass (770 KTTH)

In an attempt to stop a socially distanced prayer rally and peaceful protest, the City of Seattle fenced off Gas Works Park, and stationed park rangers around and “social distancing ambassadors around the area.

Not surprisingly, Cal Anderson Park – where far-Left rioters store various weapons – has thus far escaped the city’s “preventative” tactics. The city stated that “unpermitted public events” are not allowed to take place in parks.

Apparently, peaceful and socially distanced protests constitute “unpermitted” events, but unlawful rioters hurling homemade weapons at police officers in parks are permitted events.

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Editorial board calls on legislators to “buck Inslee” and call special session (Tri-City Herald)

The Tri-City Herald Editorial board called on state legislators to bypass Jay Inslee and vote to convene a special session to address pressing budget shortfalls brought about by COVID-19 shutdowns.

The state revenue stands to lose nearly $9 billion over the next three years given the economic shutdown. Yet, Inslee still refuses to call a special session.

 State legislators must agree by a 2/3 super-majority threshold to call themselves into a special session – unfortunately, given Democrats’ reluctance, that’s not likely.

Nevertheless, Republican lawmakers will continue to place pressure on Inslee and his fellow Democrats to call a special session.

Olympia week in revolt.

Inslee’s threatens small farms  (KING5 TV)

Jay Inslee’s new set of overbearing restrictions on agritourism threatened to put small family-run farms out of business for good. (KING5 TV)

Visitors at Leavenworth Reindeer Farm were not “allowed to view animals, let alone pet them”, making it impossible for the business to remain open. In fact, the small farm – and others like it – faced a $10,000 fine for each day that they are open.  That’s forced closures to visitors, which means no income.

Meanwhile, Inslee’s new edicts did not impact city zoos – just rural small businesses.  Why do rural businesses always seem to get more restrictions than they deserve and the short end of the stick compared to urban businesses?  Could it be the corrupt Mr Inslee thinks a independent business is more likely to support Republicans, so he punishes them? 

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Employment Security Department (ESD) debacle continues with unemployed Washingtonians ordered to send back money (My Northwest)

The ESD exhibited astonishing incompetence that led to the preventable loss of hundreds of millions to fraud.

Months later – with zero accountability following the debacle – ESD has left 20,000 people waiting for their unemployment benefits.  Worse, those who have received unemployment benefits are now being asked to send the money back.

One small business owner filed for unemployment after being forced to temporarily close his business. After months delay in issuing the unemployment benefits, the ESD is now asking the small business owner to pay back all the money he received due to a “backdated” issue.

Given the small business owner (and many like him) followed ESD’s original rules, this latest blunder represents just another example of bureaucratic incompetence plaguing our state.


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Calls continue to grow for special session of state legislature  (Policy Center)

More and more voices are speaking up, demanding that Jay Inslee call a special session and allow state lawmakers to address serious budget issues brought about by COVID-19 shutdowns.

For months, Republican lawmakers have called on Inslee and Democrats to support a special session. This week, GOP State Senator Hans Zeiger urged support writing, “There are also roles in the balance of state powers that belong to the legislature as the elected representatives of the people, and that it is right for us to assert.”

Editorial boards who have called on Inslee to convene a special session include the Seattle Times, Tacoma News Tribune, Vancouver Columbian, Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, and Yakima Herald-Republic.

Respond to the Census

YAKIMA COUNTY -- With only about a month left until the U.S. Census Bureau ends its 2020 count, state legislators here in Eastern Washington are sounding the alarm about low response rates, saying we could lose representation in Olympia and in Washington D.C.

Data show a significantly higher response rate in King County, compared to Yakima and surrounding counties. So far about 75 percent of households have filled out the census in King County, while only about 64 percent in Yakima and 54 percent in Kittitas County.

"Seeing how it's only once every ten years, it could mean great harm to our communities if people don't do their civic duty," says Paul Tabayoyon, with the Yakama-Yakima el Censo 2020 Coalition.
(KIMA TV)