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More regulations and taxes = affordable home ownership?
Legislators kicked off this year’s session in promising fashion, declaring they would take our state’s housing affordability crisis head on, as they should. A study by the University of Washington’s Center for Real Estate Research reports that first-time buyers in King, Kittitas, Pierce and Snohomish counties are facing a housing market where home prices are […]
Energy & Environment
EPA reverses water quality rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reversed its 2017 decision to override a water quality rule adopted by the Washington Department of Ecology with...
EPA to reconsider state fish consumption rule?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) two years ago overrode a new water quality rule adopted by the Washington Department of Ecology with its own...
Education
Picking Peter’s pocket to pay Paul: Lazy McCleary ‘fix’ leaves critical infrastructure projects out...
Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To give the poor dog a bone;
But when she got there
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had...
Attacking the gap: the bridge from class to career
After years spent mired in the Supreme Court’s McCleary decision and battling over education funding, the legislature is now uniquely aligned around one major...
Growth
Senate approves House timber bill
The Washington Senate on April 16 voted 47-1 in favor of a bill intended to boost the timber industry in rural counties with higher...
Senate approves urban housing bill
The Washington Senate on April 13 voted 33-12 in favor of a House bill intended to boost the housing supply within urban areas in...
Healthcare
Health care bill clears House
The Washington House voted 53-38 on April 10 in favor of a Senate bill purported to lower health care costs, while detractors argued prior...
One step closer to socialized medicine?
In a 57-41 vote on Mar. 8, the Washington House approved ESSHB 1523 after an extended and heated discussion that at one point caused...
Seeking solutions to healthcare employment issues
Employers in Washington’s healthcare sector are struggling with the employment pipeline and retainment, especially in rural areas. Representatives from the sector are now recommending...
Business
Urban density bill signed by Inslee
Governor Jay Inslee has signed E2SHB 1923 sponsored by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-34) into law – a bill that supporters hope will increase housing...
EPA to reconsider state fish consumption rule?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) two years ago overrode a new water quality rule adopted by the Washington Department of Ecology with its own...
The future of Washington’s small forestland
A new study authorized by the state legislature will determine how much small forestland remains in Washington state, along with ways to encourage the...