Billions of dollars in transportation fixes are promised across the state, but nearly all require voter approval and, so far, early hints from Olympia suggest the Legislature can't decide whether to put the cart before the horse. But Locke's proposal also says it's up to voters to approve the money. Republicans want to clean house at DOT and reorganize the department before any vote for more funding goes to voters.
Democrats prefer getting voter approval first.
There's no reason the Legislature could not make a good faith effort to reorganize DOT, make it accountable to the governor, and draw up priorities for a statewide transportation tax vote scheduled for the fall. It will be easy to delay any firm action on transportation solutions, but it would also be unconscionable. The Seattle Times Pay demands escalating Those who opposed the teacher pay initiative in November were concerned that passage would open the floodgates to an unaffordable spending spree. Judging from the advocacy groups lining the halls in Olympia, the pressure is building. Across Washington state, groups are mobilizing to demand more pay.