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Washington has long been a high-cost state for employers, but new data show the state is increasingly losing its competitive edge in key areas.
Job growth is stalling, the business climate …
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By Kris Johnson / Association of Washington Business
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2/6/26
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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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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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Whether officials in our state like it or not, federal officers have a responsibility to enforce federal laws. That doesn’t change just because the enforcement efforts have unforeseen consequences, …
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By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia
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1/30/26
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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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When Olympia says, "Don’t look here," it’s time to start looking really, really hard. Minnesota’s deepening Somali daycare fraud scandal naturally is prompting questions about whether the same …
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By Sen. Leonard Christian
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1/29/26
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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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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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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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In his 2026 Supplemental Transportation Budget proposal, Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson wants to borrow $2.1 billion for maintenance and preservation of roads and bridges, and to speed up ferry …
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By Bob Pishue / Mountain States Policy Center
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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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A free society runs on two things most of us claim to value, no matter what yard sign we put out every two years: the consistent enforcement of the law and leaders who don’t pour gasoline on public …
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By Chad Taylor / For The Chronicle
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1/12/26
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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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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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