Paul Queary

Conservative megadonor Brian Heywood’s ballot measure machine is cranking up again.

Two closely-watched D-on-D matchups for seats in the Legislature were going the progressive candidate’s way.

Most importantly, Gov. Ferguson didn’t veto any significant part of the budget package and force lawmakers back to Olympia for a deeper round of cuts to both spending and taxes. In fact, he didn’t veto anything of real consequence.

Republicans who were looking for bipartisan cooperation on major issues of budgeting and taxation have been largely disappointed thus far.

We offer this selection of victors from this year’s session with the caveat that we know very little about Gov. Bob Ferguson’s enthusiasm for the veto pen.

In a move likely to prove popular with Elon Musk haters, House Democrats passed a tax on the sale of zero-emission vehicle credits, which will fall almost entirely on Tesla in the short term. 

The amount of money waiting in the wings looks like the front end of a ballot measure campaign to force a statewide vote on new taxes.

Uncertainty about the biofuel-production requirement is likely among the reasons that nobody’s pouring concrete for a new refinery yet. 

A few reruns from last session, such as that leg-up for striking workers will get their spotlight, but for now, here are some of the new(er) ideas lawmakers cooked up for 2025.

In the upcoming session, Washington lawmakers will weigh whether to end the sale of flavored tobacco and nicotine products beginning in 2026.