Washington State Senate Democrats Unveil Budget Proposal: Big Boost In Spending, Capital Gains Tax

By Austin Jenkins
Washington State Senate Gallery
A new state capital gains tax. An expanded and fully funded tax credit for lower-income families. Fresh investments in disaster preparation and foundational public health. And significant new spending in early learning and child care. Those are among the elements of a proposed $59.2 billion, two-year budget Washington Senate Democrats unveiled on Thursday. Read More

It’s Pedal To The Metal As Washington State Lawmakers Push Ahead With Pandemic-Era Agenda

By Austin Jenkins
Washington state Capitol building in Olympia, March 10, 2021. CREDIT: Austin Jenkins/N3
Washington’s 105-day legislative session has crossed the halfway point and a key deadline for policy (non-budget) bills to clear their chamber of origin has passed. Majority Democrats are moving swiftly to enact a pandemic-era agenda focused on issues like tax reform, police accountability, racial equity and global climate change. Minority Republicans, meanwhile, are Read More

Washington State Dems Push For Capital Gains In A Year When ‘Tax’ Doesn’t Seem Like A Bad Word

By Austin Jenkins
The Washington Senate chamber sits empty before the start of the legislative session on January 11, 2021. CREDIT: Austin Jenkins/N3
Even as the state of Washington’s revenue picture improves, majority Democrats in the Legislature appear committed to a course that will, one way or another, involve raising taxes this year. Not necessarily to balance a recession-era budget, but instead to reform a tax code they view as regressive and to address gaps and inequities exposed by the global pandemic. Read More

Washington State Lawmakers May Pass New Wealth Taxes This Year. Here’s A Breakdown

By NWPB News
Washington House representatives listen to testimony,, Jan. 24, 2019, before they unanimously voted to approve a code of conduct for the Legislature. CREDIT: TED S. WARREN/AP
Each of the proposals is different. But for many Democrats, as well as others on the political left, the goal is the same: Make the richest Washingtonians pay for COVID-19 relief programs and other services that would help people who are struggling. Democrats also say the state's current tax system is highly regressive, meaning lower-income people pay a larger share of Read More

Assault Survivor Groups Denounce Former State Senator On Washington Redistricting Commission

By NWPB News
Senate Republican floor leader Joe Fain, R-Auburn. CREDIT: TED WARREN
Groups representing women and sexual assault survivors are denouncing the appointment of former state Sen. Joe Fain to the state redistricting commission, a body that will shape Washington state politics for the next decade. Fain, 40, narrowly lost his reelection bid in November 2018, after being accused of raping a woman years earlier. The former Republican state senator Read More

Tax A Billionaire, Raise Some Cash? It’s An Idea Washington State Democrats Are Floating

By Austin Jenkins
Forbes tracks the world's billionaires in almost real time. Now, a group of Washington House Democrats want to impose a wealth tax on Washington's billionaires.
Washington billionaires would pay a “wealth tax” under a proposal in the state House that will get a public hearing on Tuesday. The bill is sponsored by Democratic state Rep. Noel Frame, who chairs the House Finance Committee, and would impose a one percent tax on intangible financial property, such as stocks and bonds, futures contracts and publicly traded options. A Read More

Washington’s 2021 Legislative Session Kicks Off Under The Cloud Of Heightened Security Concerns

By Scott Leadingham
Washington National Guard troops set up outside the state Capitol Jan. 10, 2021, ahead of the session beginning on Monday, Jan. 11. Security is heightened after threats recently, following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. CREDIT: Austin Jenkins/N3
The Washington Legislature kicks off its 2021 session today. It comes with heavy security outside the building amid threats of protesters trying to force their way in. Inside, lawmakers are meeting to approve the rules that will allow them to meet mostly remotely this year due to the pandemic. That could mean the session has fewer partisan policy disagreements – or more. Read More
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