-
Budget Stalemate in Albany Puts Strain on New York State – NYTimes.com
It’s worth reading this article in today’s NY Times about how dysfunctional the NY legislature is in dealing with their budget problem. We will have a significant problem this year and I hope we won’t display the same inability to work together to resolve the problem. Budget Stalemate in Albany Puts Strain on New York…
-
Incremental Progress on the SR-520 Bridge
Last year the legislature passed a bill (HB2211) that authorized tolling on 520 starting in 2010. I voted against this for a variety of reasons, but mostly because the bill limited the potential uses of the tolling revenue to only the floating part of the bridge, leaving the eastside approaches waiting. We’re ready to go…
-
Sound Transit East Link public workshop in downtown Bellevue
Sound Transit included the following blurb in the weekly easatside tranpsortation news WSDOT sends out. These are typically useful events with lots of charts, maps, and staff around to answer questions. It’s probably worth going by for 15 minutes to look at what the options are if you’re interested in Link Light Rail on the Eastside.…
-
Another Bizarre Supreme Court Decision
Today the WA State Supreme Court issued a decision in the Federal Way school district case. Federal Way sued the state complaining that our distribution of funds did not meet the constitution’s requirement for a “general and uniform” way of funding schools. In specific, the district complained that since allocations to school districts for teacher…
-
Light Rail over 520?
A couple of people have suggested quite publicly that we reconsider the decision to put light rail on the I-90 bridge. I sent this as an email reply to Dave Thomas, who publishes a reliably interesting newsletter (http://pugetsoundliberals.org/) in response to an article in the most recent edition (#198.) 520 doesn’t work as the initial…
-
New Tax Foundation Study – Where do states spend their money?
I find the research this organization does fascinating, which probably says more about me than them, but there it is. The Tax Foundation is the organization that brings you “Tax Freedom Day.” I agree with them on some of their principles about well-designed tax systems, but they have a “less is more” strategy to government…
-
McCleary Case – Education Funding in the courts
Closing arguments were heard last week in the “McCleary case.” The summary below from one of our non-partisan staff attorneys is very brief, but clear. (As is usual with her work – we are lucky to have someone this smart working for us.) This suit will provide further impetus for the legislature to finish the work…
-
520 Financing Options Discussion
The SR 520 Legislative Workgroup will meet on October 20th for a rousing discussion of the financing plan for the bridge. Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sound Transit- Union Station, Ruth Fisher Board Room 401 South Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98104 The proposed agenda is Overview from WSDOT staff on the…
