The only thing going up faster than gas prices in Washington is Democrats’ love affair with bad ideas.

Washington's Summer Pump Pain: Brought to You by Democrats and Their Brilliant Policies

Congratulations, Washington: while the rest of the country sees gas prices stabilize or fall, we’re the only state where prices are higher than a year ago. Why? A perfect storm of refinery problems in California, Middle East turmoil, and—drumroll—Democrats’ pet policies like cap-and-trade and a fresh gas tax hike.

Thanks to the Climate Commitment Act, Olympia bureaucrats are choking fuel supply through a shrinking cap-and-trade allowance scheme. But don’t worry—they’ve raked in $3 billion to fund green vanity projects while your gas hits $4.41 a gallon. And just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, another 6-cent-per-gallon gas tax kicks in July 1, with inflation indexing to keep the pain fresh for years to come.

So, as refinery closures and international instability push global prices up, Washington’s Democratic leadership has made sure to layer on their own special blend of misery—because in this state, climate politics come before working families. Read more at Center Square.

Washington's Tax-and-Flee Strategy: Push Success Out, Cross Fingers for Revenue

Washington’s latest money grab—Senate Bill 5813—spikes the capital gains tax from 7% to 9.9% and assumes high earners and investors will just take it on the chin. Spoiler: they won’t. Jeff Bezos bailed to Florida when it was just 7%, costing the state $610 million in revenue. Now lawmakers are acting surprised that raising it even higher might reduce tax collections.

In 2023, Washington pulled in $416.6 million from the tax. That’s cute—Bezos alone could’ve paid more than that. But when you treat successful people like ATMs, they start closing their accounts. If just 25% of high earners in the information sector leave, Washington could lose $16 billion in wages and at least $1.6 billion in taxes. And Microsoft just broke ground on a new data center in North Carolina. Coincidence?

Meanwhile, small business owners are watching Olympia like hawks, knowing full well their exemption could vanish with one legislative whim. Many are already eyeing the exit before retirement, taking their jobs, investment, and future tax payments with them.

So what’s the Democrats’ grand plan when all the wealth creators leave? As the Washington Policy Center points out, more taxes on whoever’s stuck behind. It’s a cycle of stupidity: tax, flee, repeat. If Governor Ferguson and the Legislature keep chasing ideological fantasies instead of fostering a competitive economy, there won’t be anyone left to fund their bloated government dreams. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.

Washington’s Health Care Plan: Hide the Bill, Shift the Cost, Repeat

Welcome to health care in Washington, where lawmakers play a never-ending shell game with your medical bills. You’re not paying $400 for Boardwalk — your insurance is. And thanks to Olympia’s latest “fixes,” you’re about to feel it in your premiums.

This year’s big idea? Senate Bill 5083 caps what hospitals can charge for treating government employees. Sounds great, unless you’re on private insurance — because guess who picks up the slack? You do. Price controls don’t lower costs; they just shove them onto someone else’s back.

And House Bill 1392? Another gem. It raises Medicaid reimbursement rates — by taxing private insurers with a per-enrollee surcharge. Translation: private plans pay more so government can pretend it’s being generous. It’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul, but Peter’s your boss and you’re stuck with the higher premiums.

Surprise: insurers are now asking for a 21.2% average rate hike for 2026. And the state’s answer? Keep pushing “universal health care” that sounds compassionate but functions like Canadian waitlists on steroids.

As the Washington Policy Center writes, instead of honest reform — like funding public coverage responsibly or letting market forces bring prices down — Democrats are doubling down on cost-shifting scams that punish private payers. If you’re wondering why your access is shrinking and your premiums are ballooning, just follow the quiet taxes no one voted on.

Want better care at better prices? Try competition, transparency, and actually letting patients matter in the process — not more legislative sleight of hand. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.

KCRHA Budget Drama: Less Money, Same Dysfunction

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) rolled out its preliminary 2026 budget, and surprise—it’s facing a $7.8 million haircut thanks to Seattle’s own budget mess. With the city demanding across-the-board 2% cuts, KCRHA’s funding drops to $199 million. Yes, million. And yet somehow, the agency still might lose 58 shelter beds and 20 housing slots. Efficiency clearly isn’t in the toolkit.

Of course, administrative costs still clock in at a comfy $13.77 million. That’s apparently a reduction, but they’re already crying poor because they really wanted $18.6 million to keep the bureaucracy humming. Actual services? Optional. Staff overhead? Non-negotiable.

To make things even more absurd, Seattle’s own deputy mayor admitted the mayor hadn’t even seen the agency’s proposed budget before it was unveiled in a public meeting. Even Councilmember Claudia Balducci—no stranger to big government—called the whole process broken and devoid of public input.

Translation: the left hand doesn’t know what the far-left hand is doing. And once again, while bureaucrats argue over spreadsheets and power dynamics, the only thing growing faster than the homeless population is the stack of excuses. Read more at Center Square.

SCOTUS to Washington: Stop Letting Kids Make Life-Altering Decisions Before They Can Legally Buy Cold Medicine

In a dose of long-overdue sanity, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 to uphold Tennessee’s ban on puberty blockers and hormone treatments for minors. Translation: states can protect children from irreversible procedures pushed by gender ideologues. It’s a major win for common sense—and a sharp rebuke to activist politicians who think 14-year-olds should have more medical autonomy than their parents.

But don’t expect Washington’s Democrat-dominated Legislature to follow suit. As KTTH’s Jason Rantz points out, here, kids can’t legally vape or tan without permission, but they can get puberty blockers or body-altering surgeries without so much as a phone call home. Under state law, minors can literally run away, enter a taxpayer-funded shelter, and start “gender-affirming care” behind their parents’ backs. You’d think this was fiction—until you read the fine print.

Meanwhile, Democrats keep pushing for “universal care,” but what they really mean is universal chaos: emotion-driven policies, zero guardrails, and a blind eye to long-term harm. The UK is backing away from puberty blockers. European nations are hitting the brakes. Washington? Still slamming the accelerator.

Chief Justice Roberts summed it up perfectly: regulating medical procedures based on why they’re being used isn’t discrimination—it’s responsible governance. But in Washington, responsibility takes a back seat to ideological purity.

So while Tennessee, Florida, and a growing list of states act to protect kids, Washington is still treating gender ideology like gospel—and children like test subjects. The Court just gave states the green light to push back. Will Olympia use it? Don’t bet on it. Read more at KTTH.

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