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As former trustees for Timberland Regional Library (TRL), we urge voters to approve TRL’s levy lid lift measure that is on this fall’s ballot.
The Timberland district covers five counties …
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By Edna Fund, Bob Hall, Corby Varness and Brian Zylstra
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9/30/26
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This November, Washington voters will decide whether to enact I-645. This proposal would repeal a new 9.9% income tax , with a current statutory exemption of one million dollars, that is scheduled to …
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Jason Mercier / Mountain States Policy Center
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9/28/26
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Wildfire is no longer a seasonal surprise across the Mountain West. It is a recurring fiscal challenge that threatens communities, public lands, infrastructure, air quality, and state budgets.
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By Emily Strasburg / Idaho Capital Sun
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9/25/26
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Multiple Washington school districts recently reached tentative bargaining agreements, and an October 1 deadline looms for unionized state government employees to submit ratified contracts in time …
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By Meg Goudy / Mountain States Policy Center
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9/24/26
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There seem to be two words that have suddenly become difficult to print in Washington state: income tax.
Sure, you can find the phrase easily on the state’s own website. In fact, the …
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By Chris Cargill / Mountain States Policy Center
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9/18/26
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It will take years to fully rebuild from the devastating wildfires that destroyed more than 800 homes in the Spokane area in August.
Residents lost homes they lived in for decades and homes they …
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9/18/26
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I was in Raymond with my mentor helping cut up a pear tree for a friend and was able to score a few pieces for my help. Pear is really nice wood to work with, so I am excited to get it processed, …
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By Maureen Harkcom
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9/18/26
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Wildfire is no longer a seasonal surprise across the Mountain West. It is a recurring fiscal challenge that threatens communities, public lands, infrastructure, air quality, and state budgets.
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Emily Strasburg / Idaho Capital Sun
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9/18/26
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People usually think of a community’s exports as the things it produces, like timber, agriculture and manufacturing. Maybe some product or industry that puts a place on the map. I’ve always …
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Commentary by Wayne Fournier / For The Chronicle
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9/16/26
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Recently, I had the opportunity to tour the TransAlta facility outside Centralia. For most people, it’s simply another power plant. For me, it is something more. Before it was TransAlta, it was …
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By Wayne Fournier
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9/10/26
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Like me, about half of all workers in Washington are employed by small and medium businesses, either their own or someone else’s. That simple truth is exactly why the new 9.9% tax on income over a …
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By Mike Sotelo / Ethnic Chamber of Commerce Coalition
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9/4/26
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I served in the Washington state Senate with John Braun for years.
I was a Democrat, John was a Republican, and we didn’t agree on everything.
But I worked closely enough with him to know …
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Commentary by Tim Sheldon
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9/4/26
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Yes and no might be the two most important words in the English language. They're certainly two of the most powerful.
Yes creates movement. It starts projects, approves agreements, makes …
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Commentary by Wayne Fournier
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8/31/26
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I have become convinced that one day robots will rule the world — not because they’re smarter than we are, but because they’ve already mastered the art of refusing to let us speak to another …
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By Dr. Richard Stride
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8/27/26
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Editor’s note: Victor Garcia, who was appointed to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in April 2025, died over the weekend . Before he passed, the hunter, fisherman and retired educator …
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By Victor Garcia
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8/25/26
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The Pacific Northwest is drifting toward an energy crisis of its own making. The newly appointed leader of the Bonneville Power Administration, Travis Kavulla, with support from Secretary of Energy …
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By Jim Luce
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8/21/26
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As a kid, I loved Schoolhouse Rock. Like many people my age, I can still hear "I'm Just a Bill" playing in my head. A bill sits on Capitol Hill, gets debated, gets voted on and (if it's lucky) …
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Commentary by Wayne Fournier
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8/12/26
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Newly released data shows that two out of the top three states for average hourly wage growth in the nation are in our region. This is good news for consumers when considering regional purchasing …
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By Sam Cardwell / Mountain States Policy Center
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8/12/26
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Warning lights continue to flash red for Washington’s economy.
Employers are becoming more pessimistic about the state economy and increasingly looking outside Washington to expand. At this …
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By Kris Johnson, Association of Washington Business
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8/10/26
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A new CNN poll came out this week. The approval numbers are bad for Trump, tied for the worst of his career. Most people say he isn’t paying attention to the country’s real problems. Most people …
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By Rob Richards
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8/5/26
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