Best to judge Inslee’s vetoes by final score
VETOES FOR A PURPOSE: Gov. Jay Inslee took the unusual step of taking legislators’ bills hostage last week. Then on Thursday evening he killed 27 of them by veto. The Democrat had given fair warning that he wanted a supplemental budget by the end of the regular session Thursday evening or he’d start killing bills.
All of the slain measures — including one giving sponsors in drug-recovery groups a right of testimonial privilege so confidences are kept out of civil court proceedings — can easily be revived. This can be done either by a budget-related agreement in the House and Senate to override the vetoes or by fast-tracking the measures for re-passage once a budget deal is reached.
Inslee’s move was perhaps harsh and unfortunate, but well within his powers. It may be the tonic the House and Senate needed to sober up to the need for action and agreement in the special session that began immediately.
The public should remember that Senate Republicans also acted harshly but within their rights earlier this year when they summarily fired the state transportation secretary by rejecting her confirmation.
In truth, we think it is the GOP that has brought Washington, D.C.-style hardball to the legislative process more than Inslee and Democrats.
By Friday morning, the Senate GOP dropped its blockade against use of the state rainy day fund for about $190 million in wildfire-related costs incurred during the record-setting 2015 fire season. It also dropped a pension merger idea that needed far more study before being acted upon. Both were modest good steps in the right direction.
That sent the ball back to Democrats’ court. Major differences remain over whether to grant pay raises to teachers and whether additional funds should be taken from reserves to cover homeless emergencies.
STALKER NEEDS TO PAY: Good for Erin Andrews, the Fox sportscaster who sued and won a $55 million jury award against a man who stalked her, and the Marriott hotel that — without telling her — gave him the room next door to hers. He altered a hotel door peephole, and put nude videos of her on the Internet that have been viewed over 17 million times.
It took guts for Andrews to fight back, and she’s done a huge favor to other female celebrities who have been similarly harassed. She won’t get anything like $55 million when the dust settles, but the verdict sure sends the right message.
THINK OF JBLM’S NOISE AS A TEST: The rockets’ red glare won’t be a problem, but the noise might be.
This week, Joint Base Lewis McChord will try out firing its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System to see if the noise level in nearby communities will be tolerable.
If so, it will save time and money for travel to Yakima for this training, and allow soldiers involved to be home at night with their families.
This story was originally published March 13, 2016 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Best to judge Inslee’s vetoes by final score."