By Spencer Pauley The Center Square
Finances figured prominently in King County Executive Down Constantine's final State of the County address Wednesday afternoon. He said the county is in good financial standing, but warned tough decisions are coming.
Constantine delivered his 16th and final report in his 16-year tenure on Wednesday. He touted his work as county lead, including efforts to expand the county’s public transportation network, especially Sound Transit’s light rail system, which now connects Seattle with Snohomish County; environmental work, including successfully seeing more than 8,000 kokanee salmon return to their historic spawning grounds last year; securing over 1,400 stable housing units across 11 buildings through the county’s Health Through Housing program; and expanding access to behavioral health and drug addiction services through the Crisis Care Centers Levy.
King County is facing a $150 million budget deficit. Constantine, along with other county leaders, blame the state’s 1% cap on property tax growth that has been in place since 2001.
According to Constantine, if revenue had kept up with inflation and population growth since 2001, property taxes this year would have contributed about $914 million to the general fund. The actual revenue is projected to be about $440 million.
“Those dollars could have been used to fund critical programs like behavioral health services – public health clinics – public safety,” Constantine said in his address.
Constantine did point to a recently proposed $78.5 billion operating budget from state Senate Democrats for the 2025-2027 biennium. The proposal would allow the cap to increase based on inflation and population, but never to exceed 3%.
“I want to be clear: King County is financially healthy, but all we’ve done to mitigate the impact of the
By Brett Davis The Center Square
Just prior to competing transportation budgets being introduced in Olympia this week, the Washington Policy Center put out a policy brief making the case that Washington state, despite increased spending, is failing to meet expectations when it comes to the state’s transportation system.
WPC’s “The State of Washington’s Transportation System” is part of the free-market think tank’s ongoing “Report Card for Washington’s Future” series examining key state priorities.
According to the report released last week, Washington’s transportation policy has focused on increasing the use of public transportation and alternatives to automobiles since 2012 rather than maintaining roads
and bridges and increasing system capacity. In 2020, the Washington State Department of Transportation, or WSDOT, managed 164 bridges in “poor condition.” By 2024, that number had increased to 229.
Meanwhile, the report says that over that same time period, public transit ridership has declined even as the number of miles traveled by Washingtonians has increased.
In 2012, the total number of public transit boardings was 220,697,247. By 2023, boardings had fallen to 164,925,647, a 24% drop. Transit agency revenue was $2.1 billion in 2012. By 2023, it was $5.1 billion, an increase of 83% after inflation. In 2012, 85.5 million daily vehicle miles were traveled on state highways. By 2023, that had gone up to 96.3 million miles.
The report goes on to say that
Washington State Ferries has seen a reduction in the number of vessels and ridership while expenses have increased faster than inflation. In 2012, WSF had 19 vessels in service. By 2023, that number dropped to 17.
Total annual service hours for WSF declined from 126,980 in 2012 to 105,456 in 2023, a 17% cut. The number of WSF passenger trips declined from 22 million in 2012 to 17 million in 2023, a decline of some 23%. WSF’s cost-per-service-hour rose from $1,810 in 2012 to $2,679 in 2023, an increase of 11% after inflation.
The report says the number of traffic fatalities nearly doubled since 2012, including an increase in accidents due to impaired driving. According to state records, there were 438 traffic fatalities in 2012. There were 810 fatalities in 2023, an 85% increase, far outpacing the state’s 15% increase in population over the same time period.
The percentage of fatal accidents involving an impaired driver went up from 46% in 2014 to 51% in 2023.
The Center Square reached out to WSDOT for comment about WPC’s policy brief.
In an email, WSDOT Acting Communications Director Stefanie Randolph said that “we can’t speak to the specifics of research not produced by our agency.”
In its policy brief, WPC makes recommendations for revamping Washington’s transportation system:
■ Focus on improving mobility rather than reducing daily travel.
■ Reform transit agency governance and improve accountability.
■ Cut the cost of public road projects.
■ Make funding for highway preservation and
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What can we do when life upsets us?
Take time to notice how often you are upset during the day. You’ll likely see that usually it’s because life upended your expectations. Therapist and author Christine Hassler calls this an “expectation hangover” – the frustration and internal pushback we experience in disappointment. It might be something small, like the café is out of your favorite coffee, or something more challenging.
Some of the ways we respond include getting annoyed or angry, complaining, or spending time trying to fix the situation, i.e., force today’s round peg into your square vision.
That doesn’t usually go well. Let’s say you misplace your keys, spending precious
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maintenance a higher priority than non-essential programs.
■ Allow carbon-emissions revenue to be used for fixing state highways and repairing culverts.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are at the beginning stages of negotiating a state transportation budget. On Monday, both chambers of the state Legislature introduced competing budgets meant to address a $1 billion shortfall for transportation funding in the upcoming 2025-2027 biennium, which begins July 1. Both proposed budgets have a few things in common: higher gas taxes.
Under a $16.2 billion Senate proposal favored by Democratic and Republican leaders on the Senate Transportation Committee, gas taxes would increase by 6 cents per gallon and grow 2% every year through 2031 to help meet inflation. The leaner $15 billion House budget proposes a higher gas tax – 9 cents per gallon – indexed to inflation, which typically grows at about 3% a year.
The Senate also put out a more austere transportation budget proposal to contrast with its other proposed budget. The austere budget would postpone projects and cut workforce development programs to bolster staff at WSF and the Washington State Patrol as part of dealing with the shortfall.
The 105-day legislative session concludes on April 27.
minutes locating them, all the while saying to yourself, “I can’t believe this is happening, I’m going to be late, I can just hear my boss’ reaction, etc.” before running out the door in a huff. That’s when you forget your laptop or slam your finger in the car door. “That’s just my luck,” you mutter as you drive off. At work you tell co-workers, “You won’t believe the day I’ve had,” rehashing all the ways that life has done you wrong today. The brain is constantly seeking efficiencies to help us streamline the millions of functions and thoughts in day. Both the reticular activating system, which
notices patterns, and the amygdala (the fear processing center) latch on to what you notice. If you are telling yourself — whether verbally, silently or somatically through body signals like tension — that life is a struggle, your brain will help you notice more correlating information. The amygdala, with a negative bias meant to keep you safe, lights up when you think fearful thoughts or predict chaos and catastrophe.
In the car keys scenario above you are doing both, creating a feedback loop that keeps you in a very bad mood while paying more attention to things that reinforce that mood – a coworker you don’t get along with, the weather, and so on.
My youngest sister in New York City is a high school teacher – an award-winning one, at an alternative school
for teenagers and young adults who weren’t served by the conventional system. Her students’ lives come with lots of challenges. Her coffee mug reads, “Keep Calm and Pretend it’s On the Lesson Plan.” I think this may be the answer to handling life’s curve balls. Predicting them is unlikely, obliterating them is impossible, so let’s roll with them with as much grace as we can muster.
The number of potential annoyances, disappointments or mental derailments we can experience is infinite. The Buddha’s famous saying, “Life is suffering,” sounded depressing and fatalist the first time I heard it. Who wants suffering to be the meaning of life? I’m no expert about Buddhism, but I think he meant that suffering is as much a part of life
as breathing. The world is a dynamic system, always changing, and humans are always looking for preferences to help game the system and make it “just right.” We love routines, comfort, predictability – they feel safe, calming, and they enable us to more efficiently explore creativity and learning. Ironically, the learning creates new preferences, we become habituated to that learned system, and so it goes.
Sometimes with the perspective of time, we see our challenges have helped us, led us to places we’d never imagined. You’ve probably heard someone say on a meme or podcast that they learned to say, “life isn’t happening to me, it’s happening for me.”
That’s not always easy to do as frustration builds in your chest. It may feel
performative at first, like an affirmation. Big challenges usually come with learnings. Little challenges, less so. It’s possible that somehow that challenge would have helped you somehowmaybe leaving five minutes late you avoided an accident on your route, or your favorite sandwich would have had bad lettuce on it. We can’t always know if the challenge will prove to be helpful later. But try saying things to yourself like, “It’s going to be fine,” “I’ve got this,” or “This won’t matter to me in five years.”
That can short-circuit the negative feedback loop in the moment – which is a miracle not to be underestimate. At the very least it feels better than continuing the negativity. That alone can improve your day – and maybe that of all the people you meet too.
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ever-declining general fund could not erase this artificially-created structural deficit,” he said. “Unless we get help from the Legislature, as the next biennial budget is
prepared over the coming months, there will be tough and harmful choices.”
Constantine is not running for reelection this year, and is set to be appointed as the next Sound Transit CEO, if approved by the agency’s board of directors on Thursday.
Constantine said he cannot think of a better next chapter than becoming Sound Transit CEO, where he will continue to work on improving the region’s public transportation network.
If the board approves his appointment, Constantine will leave office sooner than he said he expected. Constantine’s term as county executive ends Jan. 1, 2026. His successor, he said, will have critical work to do.
“Serving you as your executive has been the honor of a lifetime," Constantine said. "Farewell."
The Sound Transit Board of Directors voted unanimously Thursday to hire King County Executive Dow Constantine as the agency’s new CEO. Constantine will start his new job on April 1.
Sound Transit is the Seattle metropolitan area’s public transit agency and has been without a permanent CEO for more than a year since Julie Timm resigned from the position in January 2024.
Constantine will take over for Interim CEO Goran Sparrman, who will continue to serve as the acting CEO until Constantine’s first day on the job. Sparrman will then serve as an advisor through May 2, as requested by Constantine.
“Much of my service as an elected official has been devoted to building the world-class transit system our region has long needed and creating vibrant, transit-connected communities throughout Central Puget Sound,” Constantine said in a statement. “I can think
of nothing I would rather do than lead this agency into the future, and I thank the board for their vote of confidence.”
Constantine is expected to step down from his role as King County
lead earlier than he anticipated. His term as county executive ends on Jan. 1, 2026.
As a result, the King County Council will need to appoint an acting executive to fill the seat. A
motion to appoint an acting King County executive is set for April 1.
Constantine’s Sound Transit contract runs through Dec. 31, 2026.
The board may renew the agreement for a one-year term in both
2027 and 2028.
His base salary as Sound Transit CEO is set at $450,000. The board has authorized a salary as high as $650,000 a year for the new CEO.
Salary increases for Constantine in 2026 and 2027 could range between 3% to 6% based on his annual performance rating, according to contract details.
On top of an annual base salary, Constantine could see an annual award of $30,000 if he meets mutually agreed upon goals.
The Center Square previously noted that Constantine’s salary is more comparable to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke, who made $485,000 in 2023, and less than what former Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner made: $735,129. Earlier this month, Gardner abruptly resigned his top post at the U.S. passenger railroad.
Constantine’s $450,000 salary is more than Timm’s annual base salary of $375,000, but is $50,000 less than the $500,000 Sparrman received in his 2024 contract.
After more than a decade of holding steady, Senate Democrats voted Wednesday to advance a 38% “inflationary adjustment” that would raise the price of hunting and fishing licenses in Washington state if passed by the House.
The 25-24 party-line vote advanced Senate Bill 5583, pending further consideration by the House of Representatives before final adoption. If approved, the bill would raise the price of hunting and fishing licenses for the first time since 2011 amid a significant budget shortfall.
costs,” Liias said on the Senate floor, “and as the amendment alluded, it also charts a sustainable path forward.”
The proposal also establishes reduced rates for hunting and fishing for seniors at least 70 years old. Liias said his dad isn’t quite that old yet but was excited about the prospect of an estimated 66% discount from the regular license fee, which varies depending on the option purchased.
If approved, the proposal would raise it to $62.79, with seniors paying $21.39.
Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, proposed removing one provision of SB 5583, allowing the Fish and Wildlife Commission to put surcharges on the fees. She argued that appointed bodies shouldn’t have the power to raise taxes or fees and that the authority should remain with elected officials.
earlier in the process that limits the surcharge authority. According to SB 5583, the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife and its commission can only add surcharges at the Legislature’s direction.
He asked the majority to reject Short’s amendment, which failed without Democratic support.
The majority party put the figure at about $12 billion over the next four years, but Republicans say the shortfall is closer to $6.7 billion. Some call it a ploy by Democrats to raise taxes higher than necessary to fund future initiatives, but the minority lacks enough votes to stand in the way.
Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, argued that hunting and fishing fees are falling behind the cost of maintaining the Pacific Northwest.
He said even his “very thrifty” dad, an avid hunter, “reluctantly admitted” that the hike is necessary but noted his excitement to receive new discounts.
“This bill proposes to make an inflationary adjustment. It’s a big adjustment, but inflation has been significant over the last 15 years to keep up with those
The standard big game combination, with tags for deer, elk, bear and cougar, currently costs $85 for residents, but SB 5583 would raise that to $117.30. Meanwhile, seniors would pay $39.88.
The combination fishing package, which includes fresh and saltwater, currently costs $45.50 for residents.
“Look, I get where things are at, but I think really those decisions ought to rest with the Legislature,” Short said during a floor debate. “We’re a body of checks and balances … which is to say, maybe at times these are necessary, and other times they aren’t.”
Liias agreed that the commission needs oversight but highlighted language added
According to a fiscal note, SB 5583 could generate $19.6 million next year, even after assuming an 11% decline in license sales due to the prices. If approved, hunters and fishers will pay the increased rates starting in July, posing a barrier to some who stock up to feed their families.
“A lot of people in my district [are] subsistence hunters. This is the meat that they put in their freezers,” Short said. “You know, hunting and fishing all across the state, it’s really part of our custom and culture.”
With 30 years of
Many Washingtonians, especially in rural areas, rely on hunting and fishing to cut down on food costs. Some Republicans mentioned their own impoverished upbringing and how fishing was a cheap activity that kept them busy and put food on the table.
“Thinking about the number of hunters and fishers who are out there buying licenses and the visitors to these same properties … I sometimes wonder about that,” said Sen. Ron Muzzall, R-Oak Harbor.
“Whether it’s bird watchers on Fir Island [or] mountain bikers in the Okanagan … they don’t pay for these properties. We do.”
Discovery Park is Seattle’s largest green space and a Pacific Northwest jewel, drawing in over a million visitors each year. From families on weekend outings to international tourists marveling at its sweeping views, the urban oasis is a vital refuge within the city’s landscape. Its natural beauty and iconic tranquility have been praised in more than 40 tourism articles over the past two years, solidifying its status as one of Seattle’s most celebrated destinations. But beneath this acclaim, Discovery Park faces a quiet crisis: the closure of its Environmental Learning Center (ELC) and Visitor Center, leaving it without the essential resources to engage and educate the very people who cherish it most.
For many, Discovery Park is not just a scenic escape— it is Seattle’s natural sanctuary, a living embodiment of the values that define our city. Tourists from around the world come to explore its beaches, meadows, and iconic lighthouse, drawn by glowing features in publications like Forbes and Condé Nast Traveler. As Seattle prepares to welcome the world during the 2026 World Cup, Discovery Park will serve as a powerful symbol of the city’s commitment to nature and well-being. Yet, at a time when our city should be investing in its green spaces, budget cuts have jeopardized environmental programming, stripping Discovery Park of the ability to educate and engage visitors. How can a city that prides itself on sustainability allow its premier park to go without proper resources?
The Environmental Learning Center, a hub for education and conservation awareness, has been closed indefinitely due to severe flooding and a lack of funding. This closure has created a void, leaving schoolchildren without
outdoor learning experiences, eco-tourists without guidance, and conservation efforts without a central gathering place. Without the ELC, visitors are left to navigate the park without understanding its fragile ecosystems, and a critical link between the public and nature is severed.
Discovery Park is not alone in this crisis. The Environmental Learning Center at Carkeek Park, another essential space for environmental education in Seattle, has also been closed due to funding issues. Carkeek Park, like Discovery Park, has long been a hub for school field trips, hands-on
conservation efforts, and public education about local ecosystems. Their absence leaves a glaring hole in Seattle’s environmental fabric and diminishes the city’s ability to cultivate the next generation of environmental advocates.
Let’s be clear: this is not just an unfortunate oversight; it is a short-sighted decision with long-term consequences. While other cities are doubling down on green investments, Seattle is stripping away critical infrastructure from the very places that make it special. As Friends of Discovery Park, we see this as a violation of the Discovery Park
Master Plan — a forwardthinking document that has, for half a century, guided the park’s preservation as a space where nature takes precedence over humanmade works. This is a moment for action. Friends of Discovery Park urges Seattle residents, policymakers, and visitors to demand the restoration of funding for environmental education at Discovery Park, Carkeek Park, and all of Seattle’s treasured green spaces. We must come together to ensure these essential resources are reopened and fully supported. Advocacy efforts can make a difference—residents can contact their City Council representatives, join Friends of Discovery Park
in speaking out, and spread the word about the urgent need to protect Discovery Park’s future. For five decades, Friends of Discovery Park has fought to keep this urban oasis wild and unspoiled by development. The loss of the Environmental Learning Center threatens to erode that legacy. Discovery Park has always been a place where nature takes precedence, where people from all walks of life can find solace and inspiration. The future of Seattle’s most iconic park depends on our collective voice. Now is the time to stand together and ensure that Discovery Park remains welcoming, educational, and well-funded for generations to come.
Dear Savvy Senior, My local Social Security office was recently shut down because of staff layoffs and large-scale downsizing by the Department of Government Efficiency. All this disruption makes me very nervous, as I’ll be applying for my Social Security retirement benefits later this year. My question is, how are we supposed to get help with our Social Security questions or problems now that our office is permanently closed? What can you tell me?
Aaron
Anxious
Dear Aaron, I’ve been getting a lot of questions on this very topic. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is facing massive budget cuts and layoffs under President Donald Trump’s administration, which is leading to dozens of office closures and a lot of angst across the country.
Led by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), many Social Security experts believe these deep staff cuts could cause interruptions in monthly benefit payments, an
increase in improper payments, delays in the processing of new benefit applications and disability claims, and longer wait times for Social Security help.
There are 73 million Americans who currently receive Social Security benefits, including seniors, children and people with disabilities. Many rely on these benefits for the bulk of their income, so any disruption or errors in payments or other service delays could cause a lot of problems for beneficiaries.
Advocacy groups are urging concerned Americans to contact their members of Congress and demand protections for the program. To find your elected members contact information, go to Congress.gov/members/ find-your-member.
With that said, here’s how you can best navigate the SSA as they downsize.
USE SSA.GOV
Most Social Security business today can be conducted online. To get started, just go to SSA.gov/onlineservices where you can create a personal online “my Social Security” account so you can view your latest statement and earnings
history, apply for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits, check the status of an application or appeal, request a replacement Social Security card (in most areas), print a benefit verification letter, and much more.
Their website also has a wealth of information and answers to frequently asked questions that you can access at SSA.gov/faqs.
PHONE ASSISTANCE
If you can’t conduct your Social Security business online or you need some extra help, you can also get phone assistance by calling your nearby field office (see SSA.gov/locator for contact information) or by calling the SSA national number at 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778) between 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday.
This number has many automated service options you can use without waiting, but if you do need to speak to a representative, wait times are typically shorter early in the morning (between 8 and 10am) or later in the afternoon (between 4 and 7pm). You may also experience shorter wait times later in the week (Wednesday to
Friday) and later in the month.
If you need to visit your nearby SSA office, it’s best to call and make an appointment first as walk-ins have much longer wait times. To make an appointment call 800-772-1213 or contact your local SSA office.
Also remember to practice patience and plan ahead. With all the SSA staff cuts, delays and longer wait time will be inevitable. And if you’re planning to start drawing your Social Security benefits in the near future, it’s best to apply as early as possible as the SSA recently announced that new applicants who cannot properly verify their identity over the agency’s “my Social Security” online service, will be required to visit an SSA field office in person to complete the verification process. And that could take some additional time.
This change will also apply to unverified existing recipients who want to change their direct deposit information.
You can apply for benefits up to four months before you expect to receive them. Applying as early as
possible can help ensure they’re available when needed.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
By MetroCreative
Have a craving for some creative seafood? Consider the following recipe "Sea Bass Stuffed With Prunes and Tamarind" from Sophie Braimbridge's "Stylish Mediterranean" (Kyle Books).
Sea Bass Stuffed With Prunes and Tamarind
■ Serves 4
■ 2 1-pound sea bass, sea breams or other round fish
■ 1 ounce almonds
■ 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
■ 1 ounce pinenuts
■ 1 small red onion, finely chopped
■ 1 garlic clove, chopped
■ 1 heaped teaspoon freshly grated ginger
■ Small pinch of saffron
■ 2 1/2 ounces pitted prunes
■ Zest and juice of 1 large lime (about 4 tablespoons of juice)
■ 2 heaped teaspoons tamarind paste
■ 3 tablespoons brown sugar
■ 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
■ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ask the fishmonger to scale, gut and clean the fish. Rinse the fish inside and out just before cooking to remove any remaining blood. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
Put a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 400 F.
Gently heat a lidded saute pan or skillet. Coarsely chop the almonds and add 2 tablespoons of the oil to the pan, along with the almonds and pinenuts. Finely chop the onion and garlic and grate the ginger, adding each ingredient to the pan
as you go. Cover the pan and cook over a medium-high heat until the nuts are light golden brown and the onions are soft.
Meanwhile, soak the saffron in 1 tablespoon water and chop the prunes into quarters. When the onions are soft, add the saffron liquid, prunes, lime juice, tamarind, and sugar. Mix briefly over the heat then remove and set aside.
Cut 2 pieces of aluminum foil large enough to enclose
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each fish. Place them on the counter and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil in the center of each sheet to prevent the fish from sticking too much. Place the fish on top. Divide the onion mixture between the two fish, placing some inside the cavity and the rest on top. Drizzle the remaining tablespoons of oil over the fish. Season with salt and pepper and scatter 1/2 tablespoon over cilantro over each fish and 1 tablespoon water over each.
Wrap up the fish and seal the foil tightly so no air can escape.
Place the fish on the preheated baking sheet and cook for about 15 minutes.
Carefully open one foil parcel to check if the fish is just cooked — the eye should look opaque, or the color of poached eggs. Return to the oven for a few minutes longer if it is not ready. Serve with the remaining cilantro sprinkled over each fish.
By TJ Martinell The Center Square
Washington state lawmakers are contemplating an increase in a variety of taxes and fees, including the gas tax and electric vehicle registration fee, to finance its proposed 2025-2027 transportation budget.
While local government advocates spoke in support of it at a Tuesday public hearing in the House Transportation Committee, one person testifying pushed back against a provision that would cause taxes and fees to automatically increase without a legislative vote.
“If you choose to adopt this proposal … the gas tax would be 64 cents [per gallon] in 2031,” lobbyist Greg Hannon told the committee. “Since 2003, the Legislature has raised the gas tax seven times from 23 cents to the current 49.4 cents.”
House Bill 2043 sponsored by Chair Jake Fey, D-Seattle, would raise the gas tax by 9 cents per gallon starting in July. However, the bill also indexes the tax rate to that of inflation. Although the rate of inflation is at 2.8% currently, in 2021 it was at 7%, according to the U.S. Inflation Calculator.
“Indexing breaks the link between budgeting and revenues,” Hannon said. “It also breaks the link of accountability of the Legislature to the public. With indexing, revenues flow regardless of the level of budget needs.”
However, he added that he wasn’t opposed to the bill itself.
“It is not opposition to a periodic increase in the gas tax by the legislature.," Hannon explained. "The issue is putting the decisionmaking for a gas tax increase on automatic pilot with no affirmative action by our elected officials.”
In addition to a state gas tax increase, HB 2043 also does the following:
■ Increases the additional state retail sales and use tax rate applied to motor vehicles from 0.3% to 1%.
■ Placed an additional retail
sales and use taxes on the value of non-commercial motor vehicles exceeding $50,000.
■ Restricts the $75 transportation electrification registration fee only to electric vehicles but ties the fee rate to inflation.
■ Increases the current gross weight fees and passenger weight fees, which is also tied to inflation.
■ Creates a highway use fee that would start in July 2026, to be paid upon registration of a vehicle with a fuel economy of 25 miles per gallon or greater and weighs 10,000 or less. The fee amount
would vary based on estimated fuels that would be paid.
Exempt from the state highway use fee would vehicles subject to the $150 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle fees, motorcycles, and vehicles with a maximum speed of 35 mph. The highway user fee is similar to a proposal in House Bill 1921 also sponsored by Fey which sought to create a road usage charge program that would have been voluntary at first but then gradually required for more and more vehicles. However, the bill did not clear the Transportation
Committee. The ranking minority member on it previously told The Center Square to expect a “watered down” version to advance as part of the new transportation budget.
Speaking in favor of the proposal was Carl Schroeder with the Washington Association of Cities, who told the committee they “recognize the need for additional revenues for our transportation systems.” Schroeder supported tying fees and taxes to inflation “to ensure that our purchasing power can be maintained over time. We believe and hope that you all will also agree that it's important to bring support for your local governments along as part of these periodic major transportation investments. Since we have an integrated system and the public needs all parties to be able to maintain our portions of the collective.”
Also supporting the bill was Kirk Hovenkotter, executive director of Transportation Choices Coalition. He told the committee that sales and use tax “is an exciting idea that helps address the impact of sales taxes that all heaviest on people with low incomes who need cars. By proposing a progressive tax structure, this luxury tax helps promote fair transportation of revenue for our state.”
Regarding the highway user fee, he said “as vehicles in Washington become more fuel efficient and don't pay gas taxes at all, we need to ensure that those who use the roads the most pay their fair share to maintain and preserve our highways.”
By Spencer Pauley The Center Square
Revenue collected last year from Seattle’s payroll expense tax on big businesses was $47 million lower than projected, with Mayor Bruce Harrell implying that large corporations aren’t paying their fair share.
The Office of Economic and Revenue Forecasts released its year-end revenue report on Tuesday, revealing the less-thanexpected intake. A forecast in October estimated the tax would generate $406.8 million. Instead, actual revenues totaled $360 million.
The JumpStart Payroll Tax was passed in 2020, and is often referred to as the "Amazon Tax," due to it targeting larger Seattlebased companies like Amazon, Meta, and Google. The tax's stated purpose was to pay for affordable housing and some environmental initiatives. It levies a 0.75% to 2.5% tax on about 500 of Seattle’s largest businesses – that is, those with at least $8.5 million in local annual payroll. Amazon, Meta and Google are expected to pay $520 million this year.
In a statement following the report, Harrell
acknowledged that the drop in payroll tax revenue will significantly impact the city’s budget for future years. He blamed Seattle’s large businesses for shifting employees to offices outside of the city to avoid the tax.
“Large corporations should pay their fair share and we should be wary when they use job placements to avoid paying funding that our communities rely on, but we also must recognize businesses will make choices based on their bottom line,” Harrell said in a Tuesday statement. “We need to design our tax policies with the full context of our economy and a comprehensive view that ensures we raise the revenue needed to
support all of our residents in a progressive way, aligned with our values.”
The Center Square previously reported that Amazon is moving more of its corporate employees to Bellevue, setting a goal of bringing 25,000 jobs to the city.
The payroll tax is being heavily used in the city’s 2025-2026 budget to address a $350 million general fund shortfall through 2026.
When the tech sector began to cool considerably in 2022, total payroll tax obligations declined about 13.6% year-overyear, from $293 million in 2022 to $253 million, which was 10% below the forecast from November 2022.
The tech sector recently saw layoffs in the Puget Sound region. For instance, earlier this year, Meta laid off about 3,600 employees, or 5% of the company’s workforce.
Seattle City Councilmember Dan Strauss, who serves as Budget Committee chair, is optimistic that the recent return of workers to the downtown area full-time will help with the numbers.
Seattle’s largest companies are subject to another tax this year: a 5% tax on annual compensation above $1 million paid to any Seattle employee. The revenue generated goes toward the development of social housing in the city. The tax went into effect at the beginning of the year.
The International Children’s Friendship Festival (ICFF) returns for its 16th year, bringing a vibrant celebration of culture, creativity, and unity to Seattle on April 5- 6. Hosted at the Fisher Pavilion in Seattle Center, ICFF is the largest children’s festival in the Pacific Northwest, where children take center stage as both organizers and performers. The festival is proudly organized by the ICFF committee of the Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington (TACAWA).
ICFF’s mission is to channel the positive energy of International Children’s Day—a globally recognized holiday originating in Türkiye — into a powerful celebration of diversity and global friendship. The festival aims to foster a future where cultures from around the world are honored, appreciated, and celebrated. Attendees will be captivated by live musical performances from children’s groups representing diverse cultural backgrounds. The Global Citizen passport game will encourage young visitors to explore cultural exhibits, immersing themselves in new languages, games, and traditions from across the world.
The ICFF Art Showcase serves as a premier platform for young artists, featuring over 200 artworks annually. Through visual storytelling, participants promote global peace and understanding. Festivalgoers actively engage by voting for their favorite pieces, adding to the interactive cultural experience. Previous showcase themes have included friendship, the environment, and my favorite place with this year’s theme being “When I Picture Tomorrow, I See…”
The Youth Voices program focuses on cross-cultural learning and creative work amongst 55 youth leaders from many of ICFF’s community partners. Over the course of 8 weeks, youth representatives came together and focused on three separate projects: the collaborative design of a large-scale arts installation, a community storytelling and oral history project, and the preparation of cross-cultural music/dance teaching workshops! Leaders also explored and deliberated the writings of diverse global scholar-activists to ultimately produce a 2025 Youth Voices Vision Statement, shared with local leaders across Seattle. ICFF continues to gain international recognition, hosting over
You can't put the skin back on the chicken
They say death comes in threes. A crazy superstition, one of those fallacies that has no grounding in truth but you secretly believe it anyway.
Because I have been waiting for the third shoe to drop, waiting since I lost my nephew last year, and my dad a few months later. And when I say “drop,” I mean it fell from the sky with all the weight and intensity of a meteor landing.
This next paragraph comes from the saddest part of me, so I will choose my words carefully; make it short: My sister tripped, fell, hit her head on a glass coffee table, and that was it. The realization sinks in slowly.
It’s the beginning of spring, the most beautiful time of the year, so that’s all I’m going to say about my sister’s tumble. (That word just rushed in, I can’t help it. The reality of how quickly everything can tumble down roosts on every bone of my ribcage.)
I wish I had more faith that everything happens for a reason. I’ve felt the pull of it at times, like when lying on my back at Manitou Beach. It’s an all-over everything-is-rightwith-the-world feeling, the exact opposite of tension. It faded as soon as a man arrived with a dog that chased—that he let chase—a heron. My faith (if that dog had been leashed) would be this beach at low tide when the mudflats exhale that strong, briny smell. It helps me to cope.
trying to fill something other than hunger (I mean, how many chickens does it take to fill the human heart?), you can’t unrealize it. You can’t put the skin back on the chicken. When I admit to my friend Murphey that I’ve also spent a bundle on new clothes since hearing the news, she says, “It happens.” Those two words ingrained not just my love of Murphey but my need for her at a time like this. And because I receive so much comfort from friends (not from chicken, not from new clothes) and even more from nature, I’m grateful that comfort is everywhere you look on this island. All you have to do is let it in. Like air.
We did have our squabbles, though, my sister and I. I remember one exchange went something like, “You aren’t making enough money,” she said. She was an accountant. She related everything to money.
“I make enough,” I say.
“You are fooling yourself,” she says.
30 countries and cultures, including Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tahiti, Tanzania, Tibet, Türkiye, Ukraine and the USA.
ICFF serves as a dynamic platform for children to actively engage in diversity, inclusion, and leadership. Many young participants have flourished through their involvement, carrying forward the festival’s message of “Peace at Home, Peace in the World” as they shape a brighter future.
There is no event quite like ICFF — a celebration that highlights children’s talents while fostering cultural exchange, learning, and personal growth. It stands as a testament to the boundless potential for unity, creativity, and understanding that thrives within our youth.
For more information, visit our website and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X. For inquiries and giving opportunities, contact info@ icffseattle.org.
So here I am, coping. I take another walk, speak when spoken to, feign interest in the news. I tell the owner of an Elon Musk truck how ugly I think his vehicle is, not to mention how ugly a man is who fathers fourteen kids by different women, not one of them his wife. And this is suddenly okay because he is so rich? I said. And that’s all I remember about that wine tasting, at which I got drunk. And that is why I buy a rotisserie chicken. And all that crispy skin, I stuff it into my mouth. I can hardly remember a version of myself that was allowed to eat the skin but I am nothing but a real pig these days. My phone rings, but I am too busy to answer it. Too busy remembering how my sister and I used to fight over the wishbone. She liked to dry them out, display them. I liked to pull them apart and make a wish right then and there. Pronto!
I'm very pronto about many things. So said my sister. So say my friends. And difinitely my husband.
Actually, I’m surprised that I can stomach chicken at all. I’d been led to believe that grief reduces the appetite. Not so. And once you realize the connection between food and
“Am I?” This didn’t temp her to answer my question. She wasn’t born to discuss value in terms of passion. She charged by 15-minute increment. Plus, and I don’t want to say this unkindly, she was the oldest of three sisters and liked to boss us around. Boss our parents around. She liked to be the boss, had to be the boss, which made her even bossier.
“You are so immature,” she said.
“F*** off,” I said, and hung up.
That was one of our last conversations.
I live with this.
Oh god, I can’t end here . . . so I won't.
Recently, a reader of this column called me a polymath. I had to look it up. It sounded like a mix of things I don’t like: polyester and math? You can forget about math. Turns out, she thinks I am aware.
And that’s the word I think of now.
I am more aware since losing my sister. Aware that sometimes you tumble and fall and you do not bump your head, you do not die, and you have to be grateful for this.
You have to express gratefulness for this.
Mary Lou Sanelli's latest title is In So Many Words, nominated for a 2025 Washington State Book Award. She works as a writer, speaker, and master dance teacher. For more information visit www. marylousanelli.com.