State ramps up LEAN efforts

With only a few months left in her term as Governor, Gregoire is continuing full speed ahead with her efforts to cement LEAN management principles in state practice. Adding to her prior LEAN efforts the Governor will keynote the Washington State Government Lean Transformation Conference on October 23/24 in Tacoma. Today the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) initiated a RFQ for LEAN Consultant Services . . . READ MORE

WA Supreme Court rules against tribes in gas tax case

The Washington State Supreme Court just issued their decision in the tribal gas tax tax, siding with the plaintiff and sending the case back to the trial court to proceed without the tribes as a party. In 2006, Governor Christine Gregoire negotiated an agreement with Washington State Indian tribes that exempts tribally owned fuel stations from paying 75% of state gas taxes. The compacts allow the tribes to spend the money on non-highway purposes, a clear violation of the 18th Amendment. A group called the Automotive United Trades Organization (AUTO) challenged the compacts and a lower court dismissed the case because the tribes had sovereign immunity. AUTO appealed to the Supreme Court . . .  READ MORE

State officials start process to lobby Pentagon on Washington State military spending

With the threat of national defense sequestrations looming, Washington State officials are starting efforts to lobby the Pentagon on the next potential shoe to drop: Base realignments and closure. Yesterday the Office of Financial Management released a Request For Proposals (RFP) to . . . READ MORE

Association of Washington Business files legal brief in support of supermajority vote for taxes law

Undeterred by four straight losses at the ballot box (2010, 2007, 1998 and 1993), opponents of Washington's nearly 20 year old supermajority vote requirement for tax increases are once again trying to have the voter-approved requirement declared unconstitutional. In response to this latest legal challenge the Association of Washington Business (AWB) has filed a legal brief defending the law. Among the points AWB makes . . . READ MORE

Initiative 1185 impact on road tolls

There has been some concern expressed that under Initiative 1185 (supermajority for tax increases), a highway or bridge toll increase would be subject to the same two-thirds vote requirement as tax increases. Nothing in the text of the measure supports this interpretation, however. Initiative 1185 does not change the relationship between fee and tax increases in current law. Lt. Governor Brad Owen, as President of the Senate, has already issued parliamentary rulings that road tolls are fees and not subject to the two-thirds vote requirement.The Office of Financial Management (OFM) also defines tolls as fees, not taxes . . . READ MORE