This Washington
Young Turks
I'd say this year's leftiest bill introduced to date is state Rep. Eileen Cody's (D-34, W. Seattle) proposal to close a batch of corporate loopholes—including a tax break for big banks and a tax break for the TransAlta coal plant.
And while the November election was supposed to be all about cuts cuts cuts and no revenue for the state, it turns out that more than half of the freshmen in the Democratic caucus are co-sponsoring the revenue bill.
House freshman Rep. Laurie Jinkins (D-27, Tacoma)
Reps. Andy Billig (D-3, Spokane), Joe Fitzgibbon (D-34, W. Seattle, Burien), David Frockt (D-46, N. Seatle), Laurie Jinkins (D-27, Tacoma), Steve Tharinger (D-24, Sequim), and Cindy Ryu (D-32, Edmonds, Shoreline, Kenmore), six of the 11 new state house Democrats signed on. That's more than a quarter of the 23 co-sponsors.
The progressive contingent in the house lost four of its mainstays last year—Brendan Williams (retired/resigned), Geoff Simpson (lost reelection), Sen. Sharon Nelson (moved to the senate), and Sen. Maralyn Chase (moved to the senate). And Rep. Tami Green (D-28, Lakewood), the leader of the coalition , was promoted to floor leader, bringing her a little too close to leadership perhaps to be a rabblerouser.
Progressive lobbyists in Olympia think it's a good sign that a pack of newbies signed on to Cody's bill.
However, footnote to the theory: Theringer is a big supporter of Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen's controversial driver's license bill that critics accuse of being unfair to undocumented immigrants.
And while the November election was supposed to be all about cuts cuts cuts and no revenue for the state, it turns out that more than half of the freshmen in the Democratic caucus are co-sponsoring the revenue bill.
House freshman Rep. Laurie Jinkins (D-27, Tacoma)
Reps. Andy Billig (D-3, Spokane), Joe Fitzgibbon (D-34, W. Seattle, Burien), David Frockt (D-46, N. Seatle), Laurie Jinkins (D-27, Tacoma), Steve Tharinger (D-24, Sequim), and Cindy Ryu (D-32, Edmonds, Shoreline, Kenmore), six of the 11 new state house Democrats signed on. That's more than a quarter of the 23 co-sponsors.
The progressive contingent in the house lost four of its mainstays last year—Brendan Williams (retired/resigned), Geoff Simpson (lost reelection), Sen. Sharon Nelson (moved to the senate), and Sen. Maralyn Chase (moved to the senate). And Rep. Tami Green (D-28, Lakewood), the leader of the coalition , was promoted to floor leader, bringing her a little too close to leadership perhaps to be a rabblerouser.
Progressive lobbyists in Olympia think it's a good sign that a pack of newbies signed on to Cody's bill.
However, footnote to the theory: Theringer is a big supporter of Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen's controversial driver's license bill that critics accuse of being unfair to undocumented immigrants.
