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Nothing says 'we care about your privacy' like a government-mandated GPS tracker and a brand-new tax to go with it.
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Drive More, Pay More—Because Democrats Need Your Cash
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Washington Democrats are back with their favorite pastime—coming up with new ways to tax you. This time, it’s a “vehicle miles traveled” (VMT) tax, charging drivers 2.6 cents per mile. Why? Because too many people are driving fuel-efficient cars, and that’s apparently a problem for lawmakers who never saw a tax they didn’t like.
As a recent op-ed in Center Square explains, Democrats claim this new tax will replace the gas tax, but—surprise!—it doesn’t come with the same constitutional protections that keep gas tax revenue dedicated to roads. Instead, it includes a sneaky 10% surcharge to funnel money toward rail, bike lanes, and other non-road projects. So much for “paying your fair share” for road maintenance.
Tracking and privacy concerns? Oh, don’t worry—Democrats promise they’ll respect your civil liberties. Because they have such a great track record of doing that, right? The bill allows GPS tracking or odometer readings to report miles driven, and law enforcement can access that data under a court order. Nothing to see here, folks.
The timeline is set to phase in over the next several years, with electric and hybrid cars getting hit first in 2027, and gas vehicles following by 2031. And of course, this program creates a new layer of government bureaucracy—because the state clearly doesn’t have enough of that already.
The public overwhelmingly hates this idea. Out of 20,000 people who testified, 98% opposed it. But when have Democrats ever let public opinion stop them? They’re determined to squeeze every last cent out of taxpayers while pretending they’re just being “fair.” If they were serious about a real gas tax replacement, they’d guarantee the funds go to roads—not pet projects. But that would require honesty, and that’s in short supply in Olympia. Read more at Center Square.
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More Time for Bad Ideas? Democrats Think So
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Democrats, led by Sen. Bob Hasegawa, want to turn Washington’s part-time Legislature into a full-time job—because clearly, they haven’t done enough damage in just a few months each year. Hasegawa’s bill, SB 5744, would have the Legislature study whether lawmakers should stick around year-round, racking up more taxpayer-funded salaries while achieving… what, exactly? Given Washington’s budget disaster, collapsing schools, and hostile business climate, extending their work schedule sounds like a terrible idea.
Legislators already get a nice paycheck for their part-time status, and it’s about to go up to over $66,000. But instead of addressing the $6.7 billion (or, depending on which Democrat you ask, up to $16 billion) budget shortfall, they’re dreaming up ways to spend even more. Meanwhile, Washington churns out more bills than neighboring states combined—1,771 this session alone—but somehow, they claim they don’t have enough time to think things through.
The reality? More time in Olympia just means more expensive, bloated policies with less accountability. Todd Myers of the Washington Policy Center summed it up best: Washington is failing on the environment, education, and business, so why would anyone think giving these legislators more time would fix things? Democrats love growing government, and a full-time Legislature is just another way to make sure they’re in your wallet 24/7. Read more at the Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune.
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Democrats: Making Citizen Initiatives Impossible, One Bill at a Time
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Senate Bill 5382, also known as the “initiative killer,” is the latest attempt to make it harder for citizens to challenge the ruling party’s agenda. It would force signature gatherers to sign declarations swearing everything is accurate and that no one was paid—despite there being no evidence of fraud. Even Democrat Secretary of State Steve Hobbs admits the bill is unnecessary and will lead to lawsuits over minor mistakes like listing a P.O. box instead of a street address.
Former GOP Secretary of State Sam Reed called the bill an attack on Washington’s political tradition, arguing it suppresses citizen participation. Tim Eyman, no stranger to initiatives, pointed out that invalid signatures are already disqualified, making the bill nothing more than a bureaucratic roadblock. Democrat Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen dismisses concerns, claiming it’s just about “matching signatures,” as if the goal isn’t to make direct democracy as inconvenient as possible.
With initiatives evenly split between conservative and liberal victories over the last 25 years, it’s obvious why Democrats want to make the process harder—citizens keep pushing back against their policies. Republicans see this bill for what it is: an attempt to silence voters and protect the ruling majority from pesky things like accountability. Read more at Center Square.
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When Democrats Don’t Get Their Way, They Just Ignore the Law
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The Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) is throwing a tantrum over Initiative 2066, the voter-approved measure ensuring natural gas remains an option in the state. Rather than respecting the will of the people, they’re dragging their feet on updating energy codes, forcing the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) to take them to court—again.
After their first lawsuit was dismissed on a technicality, BIAW refiled under the Administrative Procedures Act, demanding the SBCC stop stalling. Meanwhile, the SBCC issued a noncommittal statement, claiming “confusion” over I-2066 and keeping the 2021 anti-natural gas rules in place. Convenient.
BIAW isn’t buying it, calling the delay “irresponsible and a dereliction of duty.” It’s not complicated—the law says natural gas stays, but the bureaucrats want to pretend it doesn’t.
Jan Himebaugh from BIAW pointed out the obvious: The SBCC doesn’t want to follow the law because they only care about their carbon reduction agenda, not energy efficiency or affordability. The 2021 codes, which add up to $40,000 in extra costs for homebuyers, are exactly the kind of nonsense voters rejected.
In a rare moment of common sense, the Department of Ecology backed off from a push to further regulate wood-burning stoves. GOP State Sen. Shelly Short noted this is just another example of bureaucrats trying to chip away at personal freedoms under the guise of climate policy. The bottom line? Washington’s unelected climate bureaucrats are doing everything they can to ignore voters and push their costly green agenda. They lost at the ballot box, but they’re hoping delays, lawsuits, and red tape will help them win anyway. Read more at The Reflector.
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Reykdal Flunks Biology—And Common Sense
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Washington’s top education official, Chris Reykdal, has decided science no longer matters, declaring it “inaccurate” to say there are only two genders. Despite centuries of biological research proving otherwise, he’s pushing a radical narrative to justify allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports. His big argument? A tiny fraction of students identify as transgender, so we should rewrite the rules of fairness and reality for everyone.
As KTTH’s Jason Rantz explains, Reykdal tries to use the existence of intersex people (who make up less than 0.07% of the population) as some kind of proof that sex is a “continuum,” but that has nothing to do with the debate on transgender athletes. Instead of protecting fairness in competition, he’d rather score political points with the woke crowd, ignoring how this harms female athletes who lose opportunities, scholarships, and even face safety risks.
The most absurd part? This is coming from the guy in charge of education. Instead of defending reality, Reykdal is subverting science for politics, proving once again that Democrats only believe in “science” when it fits their agenda. If he actually cared about students, he’d focus on real education, not ideological pandering. Read more at KTTH.
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