Free Republic

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell released his payroll expense tax (PET) report for 2024 Tuesday, and its projections came up nearly $50 million short. “Today’s announcement that PET revenues collected in 2024 were $47 million lower than projected requires action to ensure our budget remains balanced,” Harrell explained in a statement. Harrell said that his 2025 budget proposal was based on the projections from the independent Office of Economic and Revenue Forecasts. But since they got it wrong, the mayor said for the 2026 budget, “my office will consider all options, including additional revenue sources and appropriate expense reductions, to ensure...

We're not really sure how to categorize the latest craziness out of the state of Washington. Is it government incompetence? The dangers of artificial intelligence? 'Come to Seattle for hot, sexy singles'? Maybe we should just go with 'all of the above.' (OK, not that last one, that wasn't nice.) Yes, just when you thought the state that brought us 'CHAZ' back in 2020 couldn't get any more batpoop insane, a new report from local radio host Jason Rantz shows us that Washington has not yet begun to plumb the depths of its depravity. EXCLUSIVE: Washington Lottery was forced to...

A Seattle police officer shared with me a heartbreaking letter explaining why they are “broken” after so many years protecting the public. The letter is long. It’s important you read it all. This is an officer who has committed much of their adult life to serving a community that, right now, is doing little to support police. This officer is “broken” due to recent experiences as activists demonize cops and the Seattle City Council pushes to defund the department by 50%. This is an officer you don’t want to lose. Please read this letter and commit to no longer being...