TVW The Impact: ‘Is increasing state employee salaries the right priority?’

Published on February 26, 2015
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Washington founders of Civil Air Patrol honored by Senate

Published on February 24, 2015
The four Washingtonians who helped found the Civil Air Patrol more than 70 years ago were honored today during a ceremony in the state Senate chamber. Lt. Col. Warren Davis of Seattle and Lt. Col. Richard Hagmann of Spokane attended, as did the family members representingtheir deceased comrades: Lt. James Campbell of Redmond and Master... Read More

Washington teacher’s union supports convicted child molesters receiving state funded pensions

Published on February 24, 2015
In Washington, public employees who commit a crime don’t lose their taxpayer guaranteed retirements, and teachers can earn the right to a lifetime retirement after working for as little as five years. In Washington, public employees who commit a crime don’t lose their taxpayer guaranteed retirements, and teachers can earn the right to a lifetime... Read More

Senate supports Brown’s call for action on federal nuclear-waste repository

Published on February 24, 2015
The Senate today unanimously adopted Senate Joint Memorial 8000, a measure introduced by Sen. Sharon Brown, R-Kennewick, which asks Congress, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Energy to establish and develop a permanent federal nuclear-waste repository. “In order for Washington to make the most of its nuclear power potential, the state... Read More

Senate backs Benton bill to help streamline state government

Published on February 24, 2015
A bill introduced by Sen. Don Benton and approved today by the Senate would conform statutes related to the reorganizing and streamlining of central-service functions and duties of state government. His legislation, Senate Bill 5024, would essentially clean up state statutes affected by the bill that created the state Department of Enterprise Services in 2011.... Read More

The SMART Act: Measuring outputs, not just inputs

Published on February 24, 2015
Much of the public discussion and advocacy surrounding the budget writing process often tends to focus on inputs, or the amount of taxpayer dollars spent on a particular program. The Legislature has an equally important duty to study the outputs, or the actual results of the way they spend taxpayer dollars. Accountability and transparency are... Read More