Washington in Focus

Latest Episodes:

Washington Commercial Real Estate Tax Revenue Down to Pre 2020-Levels Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

(The Center Square) - A Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council report found that the state’s commercial real estate excise tax revenue has fallen to pre-2020 levels before the Legislature altered the REET rate. Through 2019, the state’s REET imposed a flat rate of 1.28 % of the value of the transactions, though local governments could impose their own REET on top of that. During the 2019 legislative session, the Legislature enacted a bill that changed it to a graduated rate based on the value of the transaction with a 1.1% rate for properties below $500,000 and the highest rate at 3% for transactions of $3 million or more.

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Washington Businesses Preparing for New Retail Sales Taxes To Hit Consumers October 1st Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

(The Center Square) - One month from Labor Day, a slew of Washington businesses will be subject to new retail sales taxes, which will be passed onto consumers. The 2025 Washington State Legislature passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 5814, which added new business activities to the definition of retail sales. Those new taxes will be collected starting Oct. 1.

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Seattle Hits 34% of Promised Sidewalk Fixes in First Year of $1.55b Levy Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

(The Center Square) – In less than a year, Seattle has conducted 34% of spot repairs to city sidewalks that were promised over the next eight years. In the first Seattle committee meeting in two weeks, the Seattle Department of Transportation briefed the city’s transportation committee on the work being done to improve sidewalks: a major goal of the eight-year, $1.55 billion Transportation levy.

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Weekend Edition | Washington Spent More Than $23M To Hold Illegal Aliens With ICE Detainers in 2024 Aug 30, 2025

Show notes

(The Center Square) – A group of Washington state Republican senators, including 31st Legislative District Sen. Phil Fortunato of Auburn, are calling for the repeal of a state law that limits law enforcement's cooperation with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. The Keep Washington Working Act, adopted in 2019, restricts local law enforcement from using local resources to help federal officials enforce immigration law and prevents local law enforcement from sharing nonpublic information with federal officials in most cases. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WA State Bar Association Complaint Filed Against Solicitor General Noah Purcell Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

(The Center Square) – Washington Solicitor General Noah Purcell is the focus of a Washington State Bar Association complaint alleging misconduct for responding on Attorney General Nick Brown’s behalf in a separate bar complaint, and directly communicating with private law firm Perkins Coie without its attorney’s consent. The complaint comes right after news broke that Brown faces an inquiry by the bar association over an amicus brief filed in support of Perkins Coie, The Center Square reported this month.

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WA Spent More Than $23M To Hold Illegal Aliens With Ice Detainers in 2024 Aug 27, 2025

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City of Spokane Dismisses All Failure To Disperse Charges Against Ice Protesters Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

(The Center Square) – Just over two months after the largest protest in Spokane since the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement, the City Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed all misdemeanor charges for failure to disperse against the June 11 and June 14 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement protesters. The Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that it has also dropped all of those charges it filed.

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Weekend Edition | WA Governor Responds After Bondi Threatens Criminal Charges Aug 23, 2025

Show notes

(The Center Square) – Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson is defending the state’s noncitizen workers' protections law despite U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s threats of criminal charges against him if the state does not comply with federal immigration law. On Aug. 13, Ferguson and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell received letters from Bondi identifying the state and city as jurisdictions that engage in sanctuary policies that thwart federal immigration enforcement. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WA AG Nick Brown Threatened With Suspension of License To Practice Law Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

(The Center Square) – Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown was threatened with an interim suspension of his license to practice law for failing to respond to allegations made in response to an exclusive story by The Center Square about the AGO’s amicus brief filed in support of Perkins Coie.

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WA Governor Vows ‘We Will Defeat Them’ After Bondi Threatens Criminal Charges Aug 20, 2025

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