Author: Carleen Johnson | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – The day after Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed into law a two-year, $78 billion operating budget that amounts to the largest tax increase in state history, critics expressed disappointment and concern about how higher taxes will impact families and large and small businesses. Sen. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco, one of the GOP…

(The Center Square) – Republicans in the Washington State Legislature say Democrats are exaggerating the size of the projected four-year operating budget shortfall to justify proposed tax increases. The amount of the shortfall itself is a matter of some debate. In November, the Office of Financial Management indicated the state would be $10 to $12…

(The Center Square) – The Building Industry Association of Washington has refiled its lawsuit against the Washington State Building Code Council over delays in updating the state’s energy code to align with Initiative 2066, passed by voters in November, which ensures the state’s utilities continue to provide natural gas service. The lawsuit, filed Friday in Thurston County Superior Court,…

(The Center Square) – One month after his inauguration, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson held his second press conference on Thursday to discuss the state’s response to President Donald Trump’s flurry of executive orders and provide an update on related federal funding impacts. Ferguson was joined by other state leaders – including Attorney General Nick Brown…

(The Center Square) – Washington state Democrats are moving ahead with plans to pass legislation that would raise annual caps on property taxes to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars for public schools and public safety for cities and county governments. The House Finance Committee held a public hearing Tuesday on House Bill 1334, sponsored by Rep. Gerry…

(The Center Square) – Washington State Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, is standing by comments he made last week to a Fox News reporter about 13-year-old children making their own health care decisions without parents’ knowledge or consent. Pedersen’s comments went viral, drawing millions of views and reposts on social media. Elon Musk, head…

(The Center Square) – Washington state’s $45 million Electric Vehicle Instant Rebate Program for buying or leasing electric vehicles fell far short of promises to deliver environmental results and help middle-income people buy EVs, concluded a Washington Policy Center policy brief released on Wednesday. According to the Washington State Department of Commerce, the program provided up to $9,000…

(The Center Square) – Nine days into the 2025 session, majority Democrats in the Washington State Legislature have yet to tip their hand on several rumored tax increase proposals floated as part of a plan to fill a projected operating budget deficit of $12 billion to $16 billion over the next four years. Leaders of…

(The Center Square) – Under legislation floated for a second time in Olympia, students graduating high school would be required to receive financial education instruction. House Bill 1285 is meant to ensure that graduating students have a basic grasp of financial literacy, including things like balancing a household budget and understanding the interest on a loan.…

(The Center Square) – A day after outgoing three-term Gov. Jay Inslee delivered his final State of the State address, Bob Ferguson was sworn in as the state’s 24th governor on Wednesday. Ferguson has served as the state attorney general since 2013 and was a member of the King County Council before that. Following the…