OLYMPIA…Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, offered this comment after learning a proposal to allow local governments to raise property taxes without voter approval has been abandoned by majority Democrats in the Senate. Senate Bill 5770 would allow a local property-tax rate to climb up to 3% annually with only a...

Sept. 12,  2023 Hi, Neighbors! For legislators, the period between our annual sessions is called the “interim.” Seeing how it’s been about four months since the 2023 legislative session ended and there are about four months before next year’s legislative session begins, here’s a mid-interim update. I hope this finds...