The Washington State Supreme Court has ruled the two-thirds approval requirement for the Legislature to raise taxes is unconstitutional.

The 6-3 ruling is in response to a lawsuit that was filed by the League of Women Voters and other groups over Initiative 1053, which was sponsored by Tim Eyman and approved by voters in 2010 and reaffirmed in the 2012 election.

The two-thirds approval “supermajority” requirement was initially approved by voters in 1993, and was reimposed in elections in 1998 and 2007. read more »

Poulsbo’s new police chief will be Al Townsend, the Port Orchard police chief who was a late applicant for the position after helping Poulsbo city officials interview finalists for the job.

Mayor Becky Erickson announced her hiring decision at the Poulsbo City Council meeting Feb. 20. There are still some background checks that must be completed, but the council is scheduled to vote March 6 on approving Townsend’s hiring and his salary.

His salary in Poulsbo is still being negotiated, but it will be less than the $126,000 he’s paid in Port Orchard.

Townsend, 46, has been police chief in Port Orchard since 1999. His contract with the city reportedly requires a 60-day notice of resignation, so he would not start in Poulsbo until around May 1. He will succeed Chief Dennis Swiney, who retired in January. read more »

The ballot measure on incorporation of Silverdale as a city appears headed to a resounding defeat.

The returns listed online Tuesday night by the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office show 2,718 votes — nearly 70 percent — against the measure, and 1,173 votes in favor.

The last proposal for incorporation of Silverdale was on the ballot in 1999, and voters rejected it by a much narrower margin.

Port Orchard Police Chief Al Townsend, who had been assisting Poulsbo city officials in their hiring process to find a new police chief, has decided to apply for the position himself.

In a city news release issued Tuesday, Feb. 5, Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson announced that the recruitment process had been extended and Townsend is a finalist for the chief’s job.

The announcement came less than a week after five other finalists identified through a national search had been interviewed by Erickson and others — including Townsend — and had attended a public reception Jan. 30 at City Hall.

Erickson said she will decide soon who to hire for the job, possibly by the end of this week. read more »

The House Democratic Steering & Policy Committee has recommended that Representative-elect Derek Kilmer be appointed to the House Armed Services Committee.

Kilmer, the former state senator from Gig Harbor, was elected to Congress in November to replace longtime Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Belfair), who is retiring.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve on the Armed Services Committee,” Kilmer said in a statement issued Dec. 20. “Not only does the military play a vital role in keeping our entire nation safe and secure, it also has an enormous impact on the lives of many residents in our region. I look forward to the opportunity to play a meaningful role in helping to strengthen our military read more »

State Representative Jan Angel announced today that she will run in an upcoming special election for the open State Senate seat vacated by Derek Kilmer, who was recently elected to the US Congress.

Angel, who won re-election last week with more than 59% of the vote, said her priorities remain unchanged.

“People need good jobs available to them,” said Angel. “We all need to be able to pay our bills and provide for our families.”

Angel said she will continue her work for a top-notch education system, funding education first as her priority.

“All of this must be done under a balanced, sustainable budget,” said Angel. “And that means having a conversation across the aisle that will yield bi-partisan solutions.” read more »

After a nearly yearlong search for a larger system to partner with to assure future stability, Harrison Medical Center has announced its plans to affiliate with Tacoma-based Franciscan Health System.

The affiliation will allow Harrison and Franciscan, both private nonprofit operations, to “expand services, improve the delivery and quality of care read more »

After tonight’s jazz performance by Mark Lewis at El Coral, the Mexican restaurant on Fourth Street in Bremerton will close for good.

Owner Alejandro Agraz confirmed today that the restaurant he’s run for five years is shutting down.

He said a number of factors led to the decision to close the business — parking issues, the disruption from the city’s recently completed construction work renovating Fourth Street, and higher rent if he had renewed his lease that’s up at the end of July. read more »

OLYMPIA — The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the 2010 Affordable Care Act. In a close decision, with multiple opinions, the Court ruled that the federal requirement to purchase health insurance — specifically a plan dictated by government regulators — does not violate the Constitution.

The states, including Washington, that challenged the health care law, argued that the Constitution’s Commerce Clause allows Congress to regulate commerce among the states but does not allow it to force Americans to engage in commerce. A majority of the Court agreed but the Court ultimately ruled that the mandate is constitutional under Congress’s taxing power. read more »