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Washington Democrats are on the verge of passing an income tax. Here’s what you should know

OLYMPIA – Lawmakers in the state Capitol have spent nearly two months debating whether Washington should impose an income tax on individual earnings that exceed $1 million per year.

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Another Spokane County Democratic Party chair resigns

Dr. Bob Lutz aims to revive federal case against Health District over 2020 firing
Spokane council OKs $100,000 from police budget for immigration aid
Driver during double-decker crash pointed to mapping error; agency admits others had regularly missed viaduct clearances

Washington bill would change how sheriffs are removed

12:30 a.m.

As national debt nears $39 trillion and Trump promises to balance budget, Americans spend more on interest payments than on defense

2:30 a.m.

How Idaho legislators responded when a man testified in brownface, costume

‘A team that never got the chance’: Why University High School cheer qualified for nationals but didn’t make the trip

Gonzaga celebrates opening of materials research center, a key piece of the Spokane Aerospace Tech Hub

Driver during double-decker crash pointed to mapping error; agency admits others had regularly missed viaduct clearances

A pilot who dropped the atomic bomb kept a journal. It’s now for sale.

Latest Stories

News > Federal Government

As national debt nears $39 trillion and Trump promises to balance budget, Americans spend more on interest payments than on defense

Mon., March 2, 2026

WASHINGTON – In his address to a joint session of Congress in March 2025, President Donald Trump set a bold goal for the U.S. government.

News > WA Government

Washington bill would change how sheriffs are removed

Mon., March 2, 2026

The state’s Criminal Justice Training Commission could remove Washington sheriffs not fit to hold office under a bill heard in the House Community Safety Committee on Monday.

News > Federal Government

Pentagon tells Congress no sign that Iran was going to attack US first, sources say

UPDATED: Sun., March 1, 2026

WASHINGTON – Trump administration officials acknowledged in closed-door briefings with congressional staff on Sunday that there was no intelligence suggesting Iran planned to attack U.S. forces first, two people familiar with the matter said.

News > WA Government

Spin Control: Picking one picture to represent a Spokane district can be difficult

Sun., March 1, 2026

What's the most iconic view of Spokane's 3rd Legislative District?

News > Federal Government

‘Always be skeptical’; Crocker, local experts warn U.S.-Israeli military action could have broad, hard to discern impacts

UPDATED: Sat., Feb. 28, 2026

Regional foreign policy experts warn that the fallout of the joint strikes on Iran by U.S. and Israeli forces early Saturday morning could be far reaching, and tough to discern in the coming days, weeks, months and years.

News > Federal Government

Top Washington Democratic lawmakers call for transparency, peers to assert congressional authority following strikes on Iran

UPDATED: Sat., Feb. 28, 2026

Washington’s top Democratic lawmakers say the joint U.S.-Israel military action against Iran early Saturday morning shirked congressional authority, and are calling on their peers to reconvene “to put an end to this war.”

News > WA Government

Washington Democrats are on the verge of passing an income tax. Here’s what you should know

UPDATED: Sat., Feb. 28, 2026

OLYMPIA – Lawmakers in the state Capitol have spent nearly two months debating whether Washington should impose an income tax on individual earnings that exceed $1 million per year.

News > WA Government

Urban tree funding axed in WA House budget proposal

UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 27, 2026

Funding that helps Washington communities plant and sustain trees is on the chopping block in the state Legislature.

News > ID Government

Kootenai County Republicans split over decision to bring Matt Gaetz in as keynote speaker at Lincoln Day Dinner

UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 27, 2026

For decades, the Lincoln Day Dinner at the Coeur d’Alene Resort has been a hallmark event for the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee and scores of conservatives in the region.

News > Federal Government

Trump wants Republicans to ‘take over’ elections. Maria Cantwell fears their ‘SAVE America Act’ could do that.

Fri., Feb. 27, 2026

WASHINGTON – After finishing a close second in a state considered key to winning the presidency, Donald Trump claimed on social media that his opponent had “illegally cheated” and said the results should be nullified because the winner had committed “fraud.”

News > WA Government

Washington House majority leader admits to being drunk during budget vote

UPDATED: Thu., Feb. 26, 2026

OLYMPIA – House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon has issued an apology after showing up intoxicated during Wednesday evening’s House Appropriations Committee meeting.

News > WA Government

Lower standard for DUI in Washington sputters after committee declines to take action

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 25, 2026

OLYMPIA – Washington will not join Utah and impose a stricter standard for driving while intoxicated, at least not this year.

News > Federal Government

Trump touts ‘winning’ in State of the Union address as Washington Democrats decry ‘costs, chaos and corruption’ of his administration

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 24, 2026

WASHINGTON – In his first official State of the Union address since returning to office a little more than a year ago, President Donald Trump touted his administration’s accomplishments on Tuesday while Washington state Democrats accused him of being responsible for chaos, rising costs and unprecedented corruption.

News > WA Government

Washington bill to curb increasing lawsuit payouts ‘unlikely’ to move forward this year

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 24, 2026

OLYMPIA – Legislation aimed at reining in Washington’s growing tort liability appears to be dead, at least for this year.

News > WA Government

State senator, former congressman among those who allege fraudulent opposition to Washington income tax bill

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 23, 2026

OLYMPIA – Supporters of the state’s proposed income tax on millionaires allege the record number of those who signed in against the legislation is inflated by thousands of fraudulent and duplicate entries.

News > WA Government

Supreme Court justice to teach at Gonzaga, Seattle U after April retirement

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 25, 2026

Longtime Supreme Court Justice Barbara Madsen will teach state constitutional law at Gonzaga School of Law and Seattle University School of Law after retiring in April.

News > Local Government

Spokane City Council considers new meeting day, limits to public testimony and other reforms

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 23, 2026

Major changes may be coming to Spokane City Council meetings, with a large slate of reforms up for consideration Monday.

News > WA Government

Washington Democratic leaders unveil state budget plans amid escalating costs

UPDATED: Sun., Feb. 22, 2026

OLYMPIA – Democratic budget writers in the House and Senate introduced their spending plan Sunday afternoon as lawmakers seek to maintain state services while contending with federal funding cuts and increased costs.

News > WA Government

State lawmakers work to keep bipartisan public defense proposals alive

UPDATED: Sun., Feb. 22, 2026

A framework for assuring the state eventually pays a much greater share of public defense costs in Washington is idling in the Legislature as supporters look for ways to ensure it doesn’t collapse.

News > Federal Government

Baumgartner reflects on being sole House Republican at Munich Security Conference amid crises in Iran, Ukraine and beyond

Sun., Feb. 22, 2026

WASHINGTON – Since its inception in the Cold War-era Germany of 1963, the Munich Security Conference has become the premier gathering of U.S. and European elected leaders and military officials, so Rep. Michael Baumgartner wasn’t going to let a little lapse in federal funding stop him from attending for the first time.

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