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Legislature

WA lawmakers & new gov gird for grueling session

WA lawmakers & new gov gird for grueling session

Washington lawmakers and incoming Gov. Jay Inslee are arriving in Olympia for a grueling budget-year legislative session that begins at high noon on Monday. The 63rd Legislature and the newly elected governor face a big budget shortfall — perhaps $2 billion, counting pay raises, rising cost of services for a growing and graying population and a state Supreme Court order to invest more in the state’s public schools.  Democrat Inslee and a number of legislators say they will try to…

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Gregoire unveils $34b budget & tax plan

Gregoire unveils $34b budget & tax plan

Gov. Chris Gregoire, in one of her last major acts as governor, has unveiled a $34 billion, two-year budget for state government, along with a tax package devoted largely to upgrading the K-12 budget. The Democratic governor, leaving office in January after serving eight years, laid out spending priorities for every sector of state government, including schools and colleges, parks, social and health services, prisons, the courts and Legislature, Puget Sound cleanup, and the departments of government.  She also released…

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GOP-led coalition grabs power in WA Senate

GOP-led coalition grabs power in WA Senate

It had been whispered for weeks, but on Monday a coalition of the 23 minority Republicans and two Democrats seized control of the Washington State Senate. Rodney Tom of Medina and Tim Sheldon of Potlatch, both fiscally conservative Democrats who have voted with Republicans on some issues in the past, announced that they had agreed to partner with the Republicans to operate the Senate.  Tom, who began his political  career as a moderate Republican, will be majority leader and Sheldon…

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WA voters: Yes to gay marriage, Obama & Democrats …

WA voters: Yes to gay marriage, Obama & Democrats …

But the governor’s race, the marquee state contest in the General Election, remains very close.  Democrat Jay Inslee, who gave up a safe congressional seat to run for the office being vacated by two-term Gov. Chris Gregoire, led Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna 51.32 percent to 48.68 percent, or about 50,000 votes out of nearly 1.9 million counted.  Inslee told cheering supporters it looked like victory, but didn’t declare himself the winner in so many words.  McKenna, still seeing a…

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Secretary Reed: YOUR vote is your voice

Secretary Reed: YOUR vote is your voice

Secretary of State Sam Reed is urging voters to take part in “one of the most significant and interesting elections in modern times.”  He said enthusiasm is “sky-high” in Washington, which regularly enjoys one of the best voter participation rates in the country. Reed noted that more than 8 out of 10 voters are expected to cast ballots, with some counties forecasting turnout even higher than the 81 percent he has predicted statewide.  He said he would be delighted, of…

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Secretary Reed’s `robust’ turnout prediction? 81 percent

Secretary Reed’s `robust’ turnout prediction? 81 percent

Secretary of State Sam Reed, Washington’s chief elections official, is predicting a robust voter turnout of 81 percent in the General Election that is currently underway. Reed figures that Washington voters will be attracted by highly competitive races for president and governor, hot races for Legislature and Congress, and some of the most compelling ballot measures in the country. Washington has nearly 3.9 million registered voters – an all-time high – and more are expected to be added, since new…

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WA 2012 election is underway!

WA 2012 election is underway!

Washington’s long-awaited General Election is underway. Over 3.85 million registered voters are being mailed their ballots by their county elections office, starting Wednesday, and the official Voters’ Pamphlet already has arrived in most Washington homes. Voters are free to mark and return the ballots just as soon as they wish, Secretary of State Sam Reed noted today.  Postmark deadline is Nov. 6, although Reed strongly recommended that voters get their ballots in the mail several days ahead of that so…

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Reed pays tribute to Sid Snyder & Lorraine Wojahn

Reed pays tribute to Sid Snyder & Lorraine Wojahn

Secretary of State Sam Reed paid tribute Monday to two former veteran state senators, Sid Snyder of Long Beach and Lorraine Wojahn of Tacoma. Both died over the weekend. Reed said both retired lawmakers loom large in the state’s political history and will leave a strong and lasting legacy. Snyder, who died at age 86 on Sunday, was a Capitol fixture for a half-century.  Starting as an elevator operator, he  rose to top administrative posts in both the House and…

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A cleaner Capitol dome

A cleaner Capitol dome

Looking out our windows at the beautiful blue summer skies, we have often been surprised to see droplets of water falling before us.   One of us would remark, “So, the sky is blue, but it appears to be raining.  How weird!”  But we then realized that it isn’t raining!  It’s Capitol dome cleaning time! (Photo courtesy of Patrick McDonald) This summer, cleaning crews have devoted their time and efforts to a thorough power washing of the Legislative Building.  Co-worker Patrick McDonald took…

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Archives treasure #1: Columbia Basin Commission files

Archives treasure #1: Columbia Basin Commission files

(Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives) As we’ve done since January, we’re featuring three rare, interesting or just plain cool items or collections found in our State Archives.  The first of the three “Archives treasures” for August is the collection of records and photos for the Columbia Basin Commission, which was tasked with overseeing the Columbia Basin Reclamation Project. Learn more about the project here. According to Archives staff, the commission’s records include minutes, correspondence, subject files, maps, drawings, rate…

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