EVERY DAILY NEWSPAPER in Washington state with an editorial board has endorsed a special session, with the exceptions of the Wenatchee World, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Olympian. (Wenatchee has run several pro-session editorials that appeared in other papers, while the Olympian has carried editorials from its fellow McClatchy paper, the News Tribune.)
Editorial boards endorsing the call for a special session are The (Centralia) Chronicle, The (Vancouver) Columbian, The (Longview) Daily News, The (Everett) Herald, The (Tacoma) News Tribune, the Seattle Times, The (Spokane) Spokesman-Review, the Tri-City Herald, The (Yakima) Herald Republic and the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin.
No newspapers have supported Gov. Jay Inslee’s refusal to call a special session.
Some newspapers have been more emphatic than others. Some made the call very early, others did not address the subject until fall. Some have editorialized more than once. Many newspapers have kept up the pressure by reprinting editorials that have appeared in other papers, along with their own staff-written editorials.
Here is a partial listing of editorials favoring a special session.
The Chronicle (June 12)
It’s time for the Legislature to come together for a special session
The Columbian (May 28)
Special session must be handled with care
The Columbian (July 8)
Special session required to address budget
The Columbian (Aug. 14)
Forge a consensus, call legislative session
The Daily News (Nov. 20)
Legislators need to add relief to governor’s restrictions
The Herald (Sept. 3)
State lawmakers shouldn’t wait to start budget work
The News Tribune (Aug. 22)
It’s time for Gov. Inslee to call the state Legislature back for a special session
The News Tribune (Nov. 18)
Inslee should expand his bubble, call special session of Washington Legislature
Seattle Times (Aug. 14)
Legislature must convene to address budget crisis
Spokesman-Review (April 26)
Gov. Inslee, let the Legislature help
Tri-City Herald (Sept. 6)
Don’t wait. WA legislators should buck Gov. Inslee and fix budget now
Walla Walla Union Bulletin (May 26)
Calling Legislature into session makes sense
Walla Walla Union Bulletin (Aug. 27)
By refusing to address Washington’s budget shortfall now, Inslee is only making things worse
Walla Walla Union Bulletin (Nov. 18)
Governor’s new restrictions could have benefited from Republican input
Yakima Herald Republic (May 20)
Put special session on the calendar now
Yakima Herald Republic (Sept. 8)
Yes to special session: Legislature needs its say in pandemic budgeting