In The News

“Affordable housing is a driver of homelessness.” Before a standing-room-only audience, state Sen. Christine Rolfes and Rep. Tarra Simmons answered questions on issues ranging from homelessness and affordable housing to climate change and sex offenders.

The Senate and House passed the Senate’s proposed supplemental budget which intends to spend billions on various sectors. The state’s spending bill is now awaiting a decision from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. Democratic legislators in both the Washington House and ...

Washington small business owners would get a tax break under a state Senate proposal. Senate Bill 5980 would eliminate the business and occupancy tax for businesses that make less than $125,000 in gross receipts. Think “mom and ...

Washington lawmakers have earmarked dollars for a bill that would create a statewide outdoor education program as the House and the Senate work to finalize the state’s 2022 supplemental budget. But in House and Senate budget proposals released earlier last week, ...

In announcing the Senate Democrats’ proposed two-year supplemental spending plan, lead budget writer Christine Rolfes also offered hope. “Given the unanticipated size of the positive revenue forecast last week, I expect we’ll continue to discuss size and scope of ...

With three weeks left to go in the 2022 legislative session, House and Senate Democratic budget leaders released their proposed supplemental operating budgets on Monday. Both proposals include large investments in transportation, housing and homelessness, and K-12 public schools. Senators ...

House and Senate Democrats on Monday released their separate supplemental state budget proposals and will soon start negotiations to reach a final plan they can pass before the legislative session ends in a little more than two weeks. Budget leaders released ...

Washington’s Democratic legislators Monday released new proposed supplemental budgets with strong increases in state spending, putting to use state tax collections that have repeatedly come in above expectations. The supplemental budget proposals make changes to Washington’s two-year, $59 billion state ...

Washington Senate Democrats are proposing a $63.4 Billion supplemental budget, which adds about $5.8 billion in new spending to the two-year budget passed by lawmakers last April. The biggest chunk is a $2 Billion transfer to the Move Ahead Washington transportation ...

The Poulsbo Farmers Market is one of a handful of markets around Washington state that may have to move because of a state tax break that recently expired. The Bellevue Farmers Market has found itself in a similar situation; so ...