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For more than a decade, Democrats in Olympia have complained our state’s tax code is overly regressive. That claim is made again, predictably, in Senate Bill 6346, the legislation they filed Feb. 3 …
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By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia
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2/6/26
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Last month, I found myself in a committee hearing room in Olympia, listening to a panel of labor-union officials testify in favor of sharp restrictions on initiative signature drives. They said …
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By Sen. Jeff Wilson
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2/5/26
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In the 1990’s, the Clinton administration gutted welfare programs, taking benefits away from millions of people, especially working mothers in our country who needed them to survive. They created …
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By Rob Richards
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2/3/26
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I said it in my last column, and I’ll say it again: leadership isn’t about being the brightest light in the room. It’s about making sure the room is lit well enough for everyone else to see — …
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By Wayne Fournier
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2/2/26
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Peter Abbarno commentary: Local challenges, local solutions — building a stronger community together
As your representative, I have always believed that the best solutions to our challenges don’t come from a top-down approach in Olympia. They come from listening to neighbors, understanding local …
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By Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Chehalis
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1/30/26
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Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson recently delivered his annual State of the State address in front of the legislature in Olympia. His message: prepare for taxes to go up and say goodbye to …
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By U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse
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1/29/26
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Years ago, stopping in Olympia for dinner, my son drove past the Capitol where a protest against proposed gun legislation had taken place. As I sat in the passenger seat, I glanced toward the …
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By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle
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1/26/26
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When the director of a state agency asks the governor to investigate the citizen commission that oversees him, the public should pause. When that request follows years of documented leadership …
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By Ronald D. Reed
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1/26/26
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Here in Washington, and no doubt other states, victims of the fentanyl epidemic include babies and toddlers injured by exposure to this poison by adults, usually fentanyl-addicted parents.
On …
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By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia
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1/23/26
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A recent Seattle Times Op-Ed argued that "purity politics" in the state Legislature gets in the way of progress. But what some call "rigidity" is, for many people, a necessary moral line to protect …
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By Rob Richards
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1/22/26
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Do the Democrats who run Olympia think Washingtonians are fools? It sure seems that way as we learn more about their plan to create a state income tax. As I write this, we still don’t know the …
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By Sen. John Braun / R-Centralia
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1/20/26
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In politics, stability rarely gets credit.
Change is exciting. Disruption draws attention. New faces and bold promises dominate headlines. Stability, by contrast, is quiet. It doesn’t announce …
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By Wayne Fournier
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1/19/26
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A recent Seattle Times editorial argued that "purity politics" in the state Legislature gets in the way of progress. But what some call “rigidity” is, for many people, a necessary moral line to …
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By Rob Richards
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1/16/26
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Mountain States Policy Center on January 13 released results from the first annual Washington Poll , a new statewide research effort designed to help lawmakers, community leaders, and citizens better …
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By Chris Cargill | Mountain States Policy Center
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1/14/26
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In Yelm Community Schools, there are more than 600 staff members. 336 are certified staff (excluding certified administrators). 273 certified staff members were asked to vote in favor of a vote of no …
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1/13/26
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As the 2026 legislative session begins, lawmakers are once again facing a multibillion-dollar budget gap. They were in the same spot last year — and they responded by passing the largest tax …
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By Kris Johnson / Association of Washington Business
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1/12/26
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Allegations of fraud involving childcare funding and other government-subsidized programs elsewhere have people here concerned that something similar could be happening in Washington.
I know …
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By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia
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1/9/26
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I’ve always found academic conversations surrounding dam removal to be rather cut-and-dry. Wrapping up my environmental studies degree at the University of Washington, I can comfortably make the …
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1/9/26
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January is a strange month in government.
The campaign signs come down. The inbox fills back up. The adrenaline of election season fades, replaced by calendars, budgets, staff briefings and …
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By Wayne Fournier
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1/7/26
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You stumble out of bed, eyes barely open. Make your way to your favorite chair, going slowly so as to not fall over in your half asleep condition. Open the little box on the table next to you, your …
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By Cameron M. Bailey
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1/6/26
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