Dear Neighbors, This year’s legislative session is over, and I’m glad it ended on schedule. Had we been forced into overtime there’s no telling how many more harmful bills might have been passed. Governor Ferguson called the session “historic,” and on that we agree. His definition is different than mine,...

Dear Neighbors, There are now less than 10 days left for legislators to wrap up their work at the Capitol. The time remaining in this session will be devoted to debating and voting in the Senate chamber, while some of us put in extra hours negotiating final versions of the...

Dear Neighbor, If you’ve been hearing state government is in financial trouble and big tax increases are the only answer, I have good news. Even if you haven’t heard a word about Olympia’s budget situation… the news is still good. This week the two senators who serve as the Senate...

Dear Neighbor, When legislators talk about the obstacles to increasing the supply of affordable housing in our state, the list always includes — at least for Republicans — the government regulations that make property development more complicated and costly than it needs to be. But there are forces outside government...

Dear Neighbor, The results of a recent survey of 600 Washington voters showed up in my inbox earlier this month. Most of the survey questions had to do with state spending, one way or another. That makes sense considering how years of overspending have finally caught up with the majority...

  Chief Rocky Eastman headed the delegation from Walla Walla Fire District #4 that came by this past week. If you expect to be anywhere near the state Capitol between now and the March 7 end of this year’s session, I hope you will contact my office and arrange to...