Following California off the cliff
Posted Wed, Nov 18, 6 a.m.
States that love the citizen initiative are most in danger of fiscal insolvency, a study says, and Oregon may be next to tank.
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Crosscut articles of the past 10 days with the most clicks.
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- Battle in Seattle, 10 years after
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Most Commented
Crosscut articles of the past 10 days with the most reader comments.
- A bad election for moderates
(28 comments) - Updated: Crosscut's new approach
(17 comments) - Memories of a horrible November
(14 comments) - Battle in Seattle, 10 years after
(14 comments) - Sex, death and 'Bodies'
(12 comments) - Following California off the cliff
(12 comments) - Mayor McGinn: Welcome to City Hall inertia!
(9 comments) - A guide to the City Hall transition
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(6 comments)
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Washington Governor
Crosscut most recent
Generation Y, the future is calling
Posted Wed, Nov 11, 6 a.m.
Washington's unique 400-year time capsule is waiting for you to do your duty.
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Like a natural disaster, without the upside
Posted Wed, Nov 4, 6 a.m.
When an economic engine like Boeing snubs your state on your watch, there's not much for a governor like Chris Gregoire to do. Just take the hit and try to move on.
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Divorce for gay rights
Posted Thu, Oct 29, 6 a.m.
Island Girl: A new resident of Washington finds the prospect of Referendum 71's defeat so abhorrent that she's considering a logical pro-marriage response: splitting up.
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Gregoire signals new willingness to talk taxes
Posted Tue, Oct 27, 6 a.m.
As the state's projected deficit grows, the governor's new chief of staff says he "would be surprised" if the shortfall can be closed without new revenue.
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In Olympia, recession is looking like an opportunity missed
Posted Thu, Oct 22, 6 a.m.
Desperate times call for bold measures, but structural and political obstacles make any meaningful change unlikely, our columnist says.
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This camp is your camp
Posted Thu, Oct 15, 6 a.m.
Using a state pilot project, the Cascade Land Conservancy has made it possible to preserve historic Hidden Valley Camp for future generations. It's more than a win for holding back sprawl, it also saves an incubator of the Northwest's conservation ethic.
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Governor Snakebit
Posted Mon, Oct 12, 6 a.m.
In her first term, Gov. Gregoire struggled to overcome a narrow victory. The second term has the recession, leaving no money for big new programs. That may leave government reform as the only way to regain momentum.
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Gov. Gregoire's surprising signal on taxes
Posted Mon, Oct 5, 6 a.m.
Come make the case for a tax increase, she tells legislators, adding that she's still against such an idea during a recession. That may be an artful waffle, but it's a distinct shift from her firm line against new taxes at the last session.
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Turbulence watch on the state's economy
Posted Tue, Sep 29, 6 a.m.
Forbes gives the state high marks for its business climate, but you wouldn't know that at a summit of business leaders, suffering from the Boeing jitters.
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Oregon Democrats bite the bullet on tax increases
Posted Mon, Jun 15, 6 a.m.
While Washington legislators punted on tax increases, Oregon's Democratic majority passed some big increases. One reason for the contrast: Gov. Ted Kulongoski can't seek a third term, while Gov. Gregoire might still hope for one.
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What Gov. Gregoire should say on taxes
Posted Mon, May 4, 6 a.m.
She lived up to her pledge not to raise taxes. But doesn't she have a higher obligation to the state's welfare?
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What hath Olympia wrought?
Posted Wed, Apr 29, 6 a.m.
In a very tough session, Republicans played no role, Democrats fought but probably avoided divorce court, and the majority party got cold feet about boosting taxes. And we get a mini-encore soon.
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Sieg Heil, Obama?
Posted Tue, Apr 21, 6 a.m.
Right-wingers have created a phony, paranoid faux populism that's nutty and dangerous. But we should also pay attention, particularly in a state that once elected a Populist governor.
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Latest polling doesn't bode well for a tax vote
Posted Sun, Apr 19, 10:26 p.m.
The poll, taken last week amid tax protests and tax-paying day, shows soft support for boosting the sales tax to pay for health care and softer support for an income tax. No wonder Olympia politicians are skittish.
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Cutting assistance to the unemployable would be costly
Posted Thu, Apr 16, 11:52 a.m.
Cutting General Assistance for very-low-income people temporarily unemployable, which Gov. Gregoire proposes to do, would prove cost-inefficient, an advocate for GAU argues
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Gov. Gregoire's disappearing act
Posted Mon, Mar 30, 6 a.m.
The Governor, who once talked about using crises to implement big changes, has gone low-key. Lately, however, she's hinted at a possible change on her stand on taxes.
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The tunnel solution for the Viaduct is too risky
Posted Mon, Feb 16, 6 a.m.
It might work, but we shouldn't be banking on it. Better to implement a rerouting traffic plan and then take the Viaduct down first, giving time for more complete studies and finding the money for the tunnel.
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Olympia's tunnel of love?
Posted Fri, Jan 30, 12:27 a.m.
There are signs Frank Chopp might be ready to live with the deep bore tunnel, particularly as Seattle-area legislators rally around the new plan. Here's an early head-count.
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The Viaduct decision's next step: tolling
Posted Tue, Jan 20, 6 a.m.
Tolling is not in the package so far, but most recognize that it's an essential step to funding the tunnel solution, and to solving regional congestion.
READ MORE 4 COMMENTSOther media
Blog posts
Gregoire on the spot over performance audits
Posted Mon, May 11, 6:58 a.m.
The Legislature voted to slash by 73% Auditor Brian Sonntag's budget for performance audits, with Lisa Brown and Ross Hunter among those wielding the knives. Over to you, Governor.
MOREMoving toward end game in the Legislature
Posted Thu, Apr 9, 8:45 p.m.
Speaker Chopp, the grand master, is making a few powerful moves, but the Democrats are far from being united
MOREPlunging revenues mean a coming tax vote
Posted Thu, Feb 19, 10:04 p.m.
The new revenue forecast shows how the state has "hit the wall" economically, wiping out the relief from the stimulus bill. The tax man cometh.
MOREWho will succeed Gov. Gregoire?
Posted Mon, Jan 26, 11 a.m.
Ready for a Brown-McKenna contest in 2012?
MORERemembering the Rosellini years
Posted Sat, Jan 24, 2:51 p.m.
At 99, the former Governor still drives his Cadillac and works at "The Governor Rosellini Suite." Here's a short reminiscence.
MORESneak peek at Gregoire's budget bad news
Posted Wed, Dec 17, 9 a.m. 2008
One mild surprise: closing a bunch of state parks. One non-surprise: nixing the film office.
MOREIs this any way to protect Puget Sound?
Posted Mon, Dec 8, 3 p.m. 2008
Gathered on the shore of Maury Island, residents wonder how we could be allowing Glacier Northwest to start loading nearly 3 million tons of gravel a year.
MOREComing this spring: a tax increase
Posted Fri, Nov 21, 10:22 a.m. 2008
How to pass a tax increase with everybody saying they're against it.
MOREA bridge argument to nowhere
Posted Mon, Nov 17, 10 a.m. 2008
Christine Gregoire and others will have to shift their rhetoric after Minnesota disaster report
MOREThe 'do not buy' list for the upcoming state budget
Posted Fri, Nov 14, 2:40 p.m. 2008
With a looming $4 billion budget shortfall, the state seeks to keep the next biennium's budget as thin as possible. Here's a list of items likely to be cut.
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