Browsed by
Category: Executive

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 10

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 10

1887 and 1888 proved to be dark years for the women’s suffrage movement in Washington.  In the 1887 case of Harland v. Territory, the Territorial Supreme Court overturned the Women’s Suffrage Act of 1886 because it allowed women to serve on juries.  Justice George Turner (photo on left courtesy of Washington State Archives), who firmly believed that women were incapable of voting intelligently on public matters (tsk-tsk!), ruled that the title of the 1886 election law was defective and the…

Read More Read More

Medal of Valor nominations extended to Oct. 29

Medal of Valor nominations extended to Oct. 29

If you know somebody who recently saved a life or did something else heroic, you still have time to nominate him or her for the Washington State Medal of Valor. The nomination deadline has been extended until October 29 for this medal, one of the most prestigious honors presented by the people of Washington. Secretary of State Sam Reed accepts the nominations. Medals will be awarded at a Joint Session of the State Legislature during the 2011 session. The Medal…

Read More Read More

Happiness is being a Cougar …

Happiness is being a Cougar …

Photograph courtesy of Christina Turner Secretary of State Sam Reed promotes his alma mater, Washington State University, wherever he goes, much to the chagrin of alumni of other fine universities. He was recently back “home” on the Pullman campus where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and was active in student government and his fraternity. Here he’s doing a grip-n-grin gang photo with the terrific group of elected student leaders he met with. (Thanks to Senator Christina Turner for the…

Read More Read More

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 7

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 7

My post is full of all kinds of drama and excitement today!  I have some good news, and then I have some bad news, but I’m going to end my post with some really great news.    The good news: on November 11, 1881, the Washington Territorial House of Representatives passed House Bill 103, a women’s suffrage bill by a vote of 13 to 11.  The bad news is that the measure was voted down by the Territorial Council, five to…

Read More Read More

Gregoire: Prepare for budget cuts and more cuts

Gregoire: Prepare for budget cuts and more cuts

Governor Gregoire is directing state agencies to make plans for possible spending cuts in the 4-to-7 percent range, beginning Oct. 1. Gregoire, sounding very sober despite a recent infusion of over a half-billion dollars in federal aid, told a Capitol news conference Thursday the cupboard is nearly bare, with this fiscal year’s projected ending fund balance now down to just $72 million (out of a $31 billion two-year budget).  As noted a day earlier, state tax receipts are lagging below…

Read More Read More

Gregoire makes Top 50 `politicos to watch’ list

Gregoire makes Top 50 `politicos to watch’ list

Washington Gov.  Chris Gregoire, a White House favorite, makes the Top 50 `politicos to watch‘ list’ just released by the beltway insiders’ chatty Politico.  As you’ll recall, Gregoire has been mentioned for a variety of cabinet posts, and the Obama Administration made no secret that she’s on their short list to succeed Elena Kagan as Solicitor General. Will she be offered the post, sometimes described as the 10th Supreme Court justice? Would she take it, given her previous reticence?  We’ll…

Read More Read More

Becoming citizens on America’s birthday

Becoming citizens on America’s birthday

While most of us were content to observe Independence Day with food and fireworks, more than 500 foreign-born residents from more than 80 countries celebrated America’s birthday in a very special and emotional way by becoming American citizens last Sunday in Seattle. Early Sunday afternoon, they stood and raised their right hands and took an oath of citizenship from U.S. Circuit Court Judge Richard Tallman, who officially pronounced them as U.S. citizens. The Fourth of July ceremony was held at…

Read More Read More

It’s raining initiatives …

It’s raining initiatives …

As we’ve noted, the initiative process is alive and well in Washington, with little apparent “chilling” due to the state’s policy of releasing signatures of signers. (The U.S. Supreme Court has just held the disclosure policy in an 8-1 ruling written by the chief justice.) We’ve seen a record number of initiatives filed this year (75 initiatives to the people and 4 initiatives to the Legislature), and we’re seeing turn-ins with very large numbers of signatures, nearly 400,000 in one…

Read More Read More

‘Mr. Moderate’? That’s our boss!

‘Mr. Moderate’? That’s our boss!

We are very proud of our boss Sam Reed, who was recently recognized as a Public Official of the Year.  Now comes a tribute to his public service career by Shelby Scates in the winter edition of  Washington Law & Politics. In the piece “Mr. Moderate,” former PI columnist Scates looks at how Sam has made key contributions  and solved major issues in Washington State over the years, all while remaining cool and even-handed.               “He may be the best…

Read More Read More