Washington in Focus

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Fiscal fallout: Washington state government spending surges 116% since 2015 Jul 14, 2025

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(The Center Square) – Washington state faces deficit spending by 2028 as lawmakers just hit taxpayers with the state's largest combined tax increase – all driven by massive state spending increases over the past decade, an investigation of state budgets by The Center Square found. Washington state spent about $80 billion in the 2013-15 budget but is set to spend more than $173 billion in 2025-27, a more than 116% increase over that time. U.S. inflation since 2015 has risen just 35.63%.

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Weekend Edition | Committee Distances From Drug Use Work Group’s ‘Buyers Club’ Suggestion Jul 12, 2025

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(The Center Square) – Washington’s Substance Use Recovery Services Advisory Committee, or SURSAC, is distancing itself from recent recommendations made by a subset work group that included having the state set up a “buyers club” to ensure a ”safer supply” of illegal drugs for addicts. SURSAC was created via legislation in 2021 to provide suggestions to lawmakers regarding substance use policy and treatment options. In 2023, SURSAC released the Substance Use and Recovery Services Plan, which included forming a statewide work group to explore a framework for safe supply, rather than the more dangerous illicit street market for hard drugs. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

‘Most Expensive Market’: Doordash to Raise Fees in Seattle Due to City Regulations Jul 10, 2025

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(The Center Square) – DoorDash is raising its service fees in Seattle – again – due to the city’s laws for app-based workers. The on-demand delivery and pickup services company says the hikes are necessary to continue services in Seattle, where the company operated at a loss in 2024. However, the company also reported $3 billion in revenue for the first quarter of 2025, with a 13.1% net revenue margin.

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WA Committee Distances From Drug Use Work Group’s ‘Buyers Club’ Suggestion Jul 09, 2025

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Bellingham Ratepayers Could See Double-Digit Utility Hikes Through 2028 Jul 08, 2025

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(The Center Square) – The Bellingham Public Works Department is considering utility rate increases with combined monthly costs for homeowners increasing $54 over the next three years in order to repair 100-year-old pipe infrastructure. The proposed combined-utility-wide bill increase is set at 12.7% in 2026, or approximately $152 per month for a single-family home.

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Weekend Edition | Spokane Camping Ban & Facility That Treats Drug-Addicted Newborns at Risk of Closure Jul 04, 2025

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(The Center Square) – After 35 years, the Pediatric Interim Care Center in Kent – the only specialized medical facility in western Washington caring for drug-exposed babies – stopped accepting new intakes on Monday. That’s because the Department of Children, Youth & Families canceled its contract with the Pediatric Interim Care Center, or PICC, citing state budget cuts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WA Hotline Allows Illegal Immigrants to Report u.s. Citizens for First Amendment Activity Jul 03, 2025

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(The Center Square) – The Washington State Office of the Attorney General has launched a taxpayer-funded hotline in three counties that would allow residents, including foreign nationals and illegal immigrants, to report U.S. citizens for engaging in legally protected speech and activity, in addition to hate crimes.

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WA Facility That Treats Drug-Addicted Newborns at Risk of Closure Due to Budget Cuts Jul 02, 2025

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‘Where Are You Going to Push Us?’: Spokane Passes New Citywide Camping Ban Jul 01, 2025

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(The Center Square) – On the heels of an ethics complaint, the Spokane City Council passed a citywide camping ban on Monday, replacing another approved by nearly 75% of voters in 2023. The vote, split along ideological lines, follows over a year of proposals, community roundtables and allegations of quid pro quo between the progressive majority and Mayor Lisa Brown. They initially rejected the ban on June 16 but then reconsidered after much of the audience had left.

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Weekend Edition | Washington May Have to Dip Into Emergency Reserves, Despite Historic Tax Increases Jun 28, 2025

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(The Center Square) – Despite passing the largest tax increase in state history amid record revenue levels, Washington state’s wallet may be empty by the end of the 2025-27 biennium, according to a new report by the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. While ERFC members noted during its Tuesday meeting that the news comes just as the state is entering the biennium, State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti, a former legislator, pointed out that the state can also turn to its rainy day fund. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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