(The Center Square) – Despite sitting $34.5 billion short on a 2016 voter-approved system expansion, Sound Transit still has millions to spend on billboard advertising. The Board of Directors will consider punting billions of dollars in projects and extending ST3’s financial plan through 2052 at the end of the month. This isn’t the first time Sound Transit has moved the goal posts; the board realigned the plan in 2021, pushing the potential completion date from
When former Gov. Christine Gregoire starts sounding the alarm about Washington state government, Olympia should pay attention. Gregoire is not a conservative activist. She is not anti-government. She is one of the architects of modern Democratic leadership in Washington state. Which is exactly why her recent remarks to the Association of Washington Business were so striking. And so politically significant. Speaking candidly about the direction of state government, Gregoire noted that when she left office,
(The Center Square) – “Everybody is leaving.” Washington AI startup entrepreneur Jesse Proudman said in a Thursday interview with The Center Square that he’s had enough, and he’s not alone. The Venice.ai founder and CTO said he’s looking at potentially Texas, Nashville or Florida as options to relocate, with the recently passed income tax being the final blow from a state he says has “increasingly villainized” business success and entrepreneurial spirit. “I don’t really want
(The Center Square) – From mandatory police trainings to millions of dollars in state spending to close the “digital divide,” Washington agencies are struggling to prove whether major programs are working. The Washington State Auditor’s Office said as much on Wednesday, when briefing lawmakers on three recent performance audits. The probes identified gaps in compliance, oversight, measurable outcomes and responsibility in fulfilling police training mandates, as well as $92.5 million spent on digital equity. Voters
