Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
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By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal Debra Lekanoff always makes sure to appreciate her surroundings, whether she's spending time in nature or on the House floor at the Capitol in Olympia, where she has served for the last three years as the Democratic representative of the 40th District in the northwest corner of the state. "I sit right in the middle of the People's House. I have my Republican colleagues to my left and my Democratic to the right, and watching our two parties work together...
A tax on capital gains, the sale of assets like stocks and bonds, passed the Senate by a single vote March 6. The bill was first amended to remove the emergency clause, meaning the issue is likely to appear on the ballot later this year. The bill in its current form imposes a 7% tax on the sale of assets, like stocks and bonds, when exceeding $250,000 in capital gains for a year. Exempt from the tax is all real estate, assets held in a retirement account, livestock, timber and the sale of a family-owned small business that grosses less than...
Essential frontline workers, such as grocery store employees, will begin receiving COVID-19 vaccines later this month, Gov. Jay Inslee announced March 4. Others set to be vaccinated starting March 22 include workers in agriculture, food processing, public transit, firefighters, law enforcement and corrections. Previously, only essential workers age 50 or older who were defined as high-risk were going to be eligible. Also in the next tier are people 16 and older who have a high-risk disability and pregnant women. They join K-12 educators and...
By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal The return to in-person education in public schools is underway. Gov. Jay Inslee signed two bills March 2, assuring students affected by the pandemic can graduate on time. The first bill waived graduation requirements for students who were previously on track to graduate before the emergency. The other bill allowed a waiver for previously required make-up days for private school students. Shortly after signing the bills, in response to direction from President Joe Biden, Inslee announced the addition of...
Washington’s only private detention center is proposed for closure. House Bill 1090 prohibits any person, business or government from operating private, for-profit detention facilities. It recently passed in the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support and will receive a Senate vote in the coming weeks. “When you have to report to [stakeholders] that profit, there is a conflict with meeting the needs of those that are incarcerated,” said Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, D-Mukilteo, who was prime sponsor of the bill. “And it's easy to...
House Democrats are rallying around a proposal to tax Washington State’s billionaires. House Bill 1406 would impose a 1 percent tax on intangible assets, such as money or stocks, on people whose wealth exceeds $1 billion. The Washington State Department of Revenue estimates the tax would raise close to $5 billion from 2023 through 2025 and affect fewer than 100 state residents. Revenue raised by the plan would fund tax relief for low-income individuals and contribute to the state general fund. The department also notes the lion’s share of the...
By Patric Haerle, Washington State Journal In what is being labeled a civil rights issue by advocates, lawmakers are considering ending the decades old practice of paying workers with a disability less than the state minimum wage. Under the current system, the Department of Labor and Industries can allow employers to pay workers with disabilities wage less than the state minimum. To qualify, employers must describe how the disability negatively impacts earnings and what the proposed wage would be. There is no set floor for how low the wages...
Washington high school students wrestling with remote learning programs cobbled together as COVID-19 gripped the state in 2020 and now struggling to meet graduation requirements may well get some help from lawmakers. The state House of Representatives on Jan. 27 passed a proposal that would allow school districts to waive requirements for students they feel deserve to graduate. The bill, HB 1121, won wide bipartisan support in the House and is on a fast track to the Senate. It includes an emergency provision, meaning it would take effect...
Relief for renters, schools, public health agencies and small businesses is rushing through the state Legislature, with the hope relief can reach people by the end of February. Two COVID-19 relief plans are competing for approval, one by Republicans and one by Democrats, and this time the Republican plan is the one proposing the most spending. The Democrat plan, called the Washington Step One proposal, allocates $2.2 billion in federal funds for rental assistance, public health, education, small businesses and education, among several other...
Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposed budget for the upcoming biennium calls for $570 million in new education spending, but many parents and educators have expressed frustration that the governor’s budget does not adequately fund additional transportation and special education needs fueled by COVID-19. Of the education spending, the governor proposed $400 million for schools to expand learning opportunities and potentially add instructional time for their students. Additionally, the budget also includes $79 million to support broadband connections for...
A different take on Gov. Jay Inslee’s capital gains tax, less broad and friendlier to small family-owned businesses, will likely be introduced later in this year’s legislative session. “We are considering proposals similar to what the House has considered in years past,” said Rep. Noel Frame, D-Seattle. “So, for instance, the filing threshold has been higher in the past House versions, so that's one major difference. Also what we have had the last several years is an exemption for bona fide family owned businesses.” Frame emphasized the goal of...
Desperately needed covid-19 relief is a top priority for this year's Legislature, and Republicans and Democrats generally agree it will be necessary to get that aid out as soon as possible. The parties are split, however, when it comes to increasing some taxes to erase a pandemic-caused revenue shortfall. House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, outlined on Jan. 7 some of the early action economic relief Democrats have lined up. This included, among other things: at least $300 million for rental and utility assistance, $120 million for business...
