Friends,
Despite their constitutional duty to take up all certified initiatives, Democrats have only agreed to
hear three out of the six citizen-approved initiatives. Those hearings will take place this week as the 2024 legislative session staggers on. As we
continue delivering the latest news coming out of Olympia, we hope to keep you up-to-date with an item or two of interest last week from your own
backyard. Read on…
This week’s Newsmaker
Interview…
House Republican Deputy Leader Mike Steele of the 12th Legislative District joined us
for last week’s Newsmaker Interview. Rep. Steele delved into the notable achievements and disappointments of the ongoing 2024 legislative
session. He highlighted the bipartisan success in crafting the supplemental capital budget, emphasizing its crucial role in driving economic
development across our state. He discussed the successful opposition to concerning bills, including those related to voting rights for incarcerated
felons. Rep. Steele also provided insights into his legislation (House Bill 2307) to offer additional tax credits to Main Street businesses. Read more.
This week’s top story…
Democrats in Olympia had
ample time to prepare for citizen initiatives seeking legislative action. Yet they appear unprepared for a public debate on Let’s Go Washington
initiatives that aim to reverse their failed tax and policy priorities. Despite the initiatives being certified with millions of signatures, Todd
Myers of the Washington Policy Center reveals that liberals behind the policies are intentionally misleading voters in their initial communications.
Democrat State Senator Marko Liias, a leading figure in spreading misinformation, falsely claims that repealing the carbon tax will cut highway
funding, despite the transportation budget expressly prohibiting such use. Read this story and more.
In case you missed it…
Governor Jay Inslee
and his administration have neglected the state’s ferry fleet for years. Even editorialists at the Seattle Times are noticing and highlighting
that political interference has worsened the ferry system, citing issues such as union contracts hindering crew adjustments and a halted 144-car build
program in 2020. The result has been a decrease in operating vessels and available crew, despite the already diminished fleet. Experts have proposed
emulating BC Ferries' governance model, advocating for the removal of politicians like Inslee from the decision-making process to address the ongoing
challenges faced by Washington State Ferries. Read this
story and more.
Your bit of inspiration for the
week…
Enjoy the wildlife from right here in our state, as captured by former U.S. Congressman
Rod Chandler.
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