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Category: Governor’s Office

Gregoire bows out of 2012 gov’s race

Gregoire bows out of 2012 gov’s race

Washington will have a new governor in 2013. Two-term Democratic incumbent Chris Gregoire made it official Monday, telling reporters on the front porch of the Executive Mansion that she won’t seek a third term in 2012.  She talked about “amazing triumphs and difficult challenges,” and said stepping down is “the right decision for me and my family.” Her news, no surprise to politicos, means a wide-open governor’s race for the first time since Gary Locke stepped aside after two terms…

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WA lawmakers button down hard-times session

WA lawmakers button down hard-times session

Washington lawmakers are heading back to their home districts after completing a brutal recession-era 135-day session.  Budget cutbacks, including salaries of state employees and teachers and budgets of virtually every area of government, were the rule of the day as lawmakers grappled with a budget gap of billions. Cuts and freezes totaling $4.6 billion will affect K-12, higher education, “safety  net” programs, and a variety of state services, from parks to prisons.  The $32 billion two-year budget takes effect July…

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State budget deal: cuts and more cuts

State budget deal: cuts and more cuts

As Washington struggles to emerge from the deepest recession in 80 years, lawmakers have reached an 11th-hour budget deal for the next two years, cutting expenses in virtually every sector of state government. The $32.2 billion plan, hammered out behind closed doors by negotiators from all four caucuses, relies on nearly $4.6 billion in spending cuts, including $1.2 billion saved by not funding two voter-approved education initiatives.  Other monster cuts are higher education, $535 million, offset by an expected $376…

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WA moves primary earlier, eases military voting

WA moves primary earlier, eases military voting

Gov. Chris Gregoire has signed legislation moving the state’s primary election two weeks earlier, starting in August of 2012, and making it easier for our military and overseas voters to cast ballots electronically. Secretary of State Sam Reed, who championed the legislation, hailed the governor’s action and the Legislature’s strong support of efforts to bring the state fully into compliance with federal law requiring that ballots be sent to military and overseas voters 45 days before the election. The state’s…

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WA prez primary cancelled; Top 2 primary still on

WA prez primary cancelled; Top 2 primary still on

Washington state has suspended its 2012 presidential primary in order to save taxpayers over $10 million.  Secretary of State Sam Reed emphasizes that the state’s regular Top 2 Primary in August is “absolutely unaffected.” Legislation requested by Secretary Reed and Gov. Chris Gregoire was signed into law by the governor on Thursday. Both continue to be big fans of the presidential primary as the preferred method of engaging the electorate in picking presidential favorites.  At the bill-signing ceremony, both the…

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Sign here, please

Sign here, please

Photo courtesy Washington House of Representatives Washington’s Charitable Solicitations Act is getting some helpful updates. Secretary Reed stood by Governor Gregoire as she recently signed into law SHB 1485, a bill requested by our office that makes changes to the state’s Charitable Solicitations Act. The House and Senate unanimously passed it. Standing on the left side of the photo are Charities Program Manager Rebecca Sherrell (far left) and Corporations and Charities Division Director Pam Floyd. The governor also signed into…

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Tax-amnesty windfall could speed budget deal

Tax-amnesty windfall could speed budget deal

Glum Washington lawmakers, last seen slogging through House-Senate budget talks, have just gotten a jolt of good news — a  $182 million windfall.  Governor Gregoire and the budget negotiators say that could go a long ways toward finding a budget solution and wrapping up the special session on time. The surprise was in the form of a gusher of unexpected tax receipts generated through a three-month “tax amnesty” that Gregoire and the Legislature authorized. Companies have been allowed to pay…

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WA lawmakers heading into special session Tuesday

WA lawmakers heading into special session Tuesday

Gov. Chris Gregoire has called Washington lawmakers back into special session, starting next Tuesday morning, urging them to show bipartisan cooperation as they write a state budget that bridges a $5 billion spending gap. The regular 15-week session wound to a close Friday and lawmakers still have at least two more weeks of work to do on the operating and construction budgets and related bills, House and Senate leaders said at a joint news conference with the governor.  The Senate will…

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WA suspends 2012 prez primary, saving $10 million

WA suspends 2012 prez primary, saving $10 million

Washington lawmakers have approved a plan sponsored by Secretary of State Sam Reed and Gov. Chris Gregoire to suspend the 2012 presidential primary, to save over $10 million. The state will use the Iowa-style precinct caucus-convention process as the fallback system, and will return to conducting the more broadly based presidential primary in 2016. The House voted 69-28 on Tuesday in support of the Senate-passed plan, which was forwarded to the Governor for her signature.  The Senate vote earlier in April…

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Senate OKs budget; tough negotiations await

Senate OKs budget; tough negotiations await

The Washington Senate, acting with rare bipartisan accord, has approved a proposed $32 billion, two-year state budget. Then comes the hard part: negotiations with the House and Governor. Time is running out for the regular 15-week session. Sunday is the 105th and final day allowed for budget-year sessions, and it’s generally agreed that lawmakers will require overtime, probably starting next week. As with the Democratic-controlled House, the Senate version of the budget (a replacement amendment to House Bill 1087) relies…

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