Olympia This Week

Senate Democrats pass massive spending bill that depends on illegal income tax (HeraldNet)

Senate Democrats passed their two-year tax-and-spend proposal on Thursday. Not a single Republican voted to approve the plan. Democrats insist the that the record setting $59 billion proposal – which includes draining the state’s rainy-day fund – is needed to address COVID-19 challenges, claiming that state revenues had disappeared because of COVID.  But an updated state revenue forecast proved this is not true. 

State revenue has returned to pre-pandemic levels. The spending bill depends on House Democrats pushing through a state income tax on capital gains – a tax Senate Democrats already passed. The tax will face a constitutional legal challenge if passed. Republican Sen. Lynda Wilson stated, “I’m bothered by the fact that the people will have to foot the bill for the lawsuit that will happen afterwards.”

~~~~~~~~
        
Republican lawmakers urge end to Inslee’s state of emergency  (Seattle Times)

House and Senate Republicans have – once again – called on fellow lawmakers to end Gov. Jay Inslee’s coronavirus state of emergency. A letter signed by 23 Republicans lawmakers urges “legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle for help in terminating the state of emergency before the 2021 session ends on April 25.” 

The letter comes after Democrats failed to take seriously several bills that would have curbed the governor’s emergency powers. With less than one month left in the 2021 legislative session, these bills will almost certainly not pass the Democrat-controlled House or Senate. 

~~~~~~~~
        
Farm groups oppose cap-and-trade, contrary to Democrats’ claims  (Capital Press)

Democrat State Sen. Reuven Carlyle (Seattle) called agriculture an “enthusiastic supporter” of cap-and-trade during a recent committee hearing. That claim is false. 

The Washington Farm Bureau opposes cap-and-trade, a position they consistently held. 

The Washington Association of Wheat Growers and Food Northwest – among several other agricultural groups – testified against the cap-and-trade bill during this session. 

In fact, not a single agricultural group supports the cap-and-trade bill. The reason is simple – cap-and-trade would push up the cost of electricity and transportation fuels, ultimately putting farmers out of business.

~~~~~~~~
        
State Senate unanimously approves transportation budget (The Lens)

The state Senate unanimously approved a 2021-23 transportation budget that “seeks to continue critical project work while taking into consideration a significant loss of gas tax revenue during the state-imposed economic lockdown.” 

The budget would spend $11.8 billion, including $1 billion in transportation funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Of the federal money, “$600 million would be used to cover revenue losses, while $400 million of that would be used to remove fish barriers on Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) highways subject to a U.S. court injunction.” Additionally, $726.4 million would be spent on replacing culverts.