Morning News Digest: Friday, November 21, 2008

With the PolitickerWA.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Washington's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

Bad economy won't stop massive road projects

OLYMPIA — Legislative leaders may have a way to build support for replacing the deteriorating Alaskan Way Viaduct and Highway 520 bridge: Call it a jobs package. (Andrew Garber and Mike Lindblom, Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008418429_transpochallenges21m.html

Three local legislators named to GOP caucuses

Three legislators from Central Washington on Thursday were elected to leadership positions in the state House and Senate Republican caucuses. (Yakima Herald-Republic)

http://yakimaherald.com/stories/2008/11/20/three-local-legislators-named-to-gop-caucuses

State deficit hits colleges

The University of Washington could ask lawmakers to remove a cap on tuition increases and community colleges may be forced to lay off faculty and turn students away because of anticipated funding cuts as high as 20 percent. (Amy Rolph, Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/388799_regents21.html

With budget deficit looming, DeBolt sees important role for GOP minority

Rep. Richard DeBolt (R-Chehalis) will be leading House Republicans this year, who despite having finished the 2008 election with a net gain in seats, still face a massive majority of Democrats. (PolitickerWA.com)

http://www.politickerwa.com/bryanbissell/2647/budget-deficit-looming-debolt-sees-important-role-gop-minority

County races finally decided

Democrat Pat McCarthy beat Republican Shawn Bunney by a narrow margin to become the first woman to serve as Pierce County executive, results released Thursday show.  (David Wickert, The News Tribune)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/front/topstories/story/544655.html

WTA budget would cut expenses but not bus service in '09

In Richard Walsh's 30-year career at Whatcom Transportation Authority, he's never seen a budget as bare bones as the one he's proposing for 2009. But, he says, riders won't see a difference in bus service next year. (Jared Paben, The Bellingham Herald)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/255/story/680788.html

$101M to fix school buildings

Hoquiam School Board members have sticker shock in the wake of a report saying their school buildings need more than $101 million in improvements. Complicating matters is a financial consultant’s report saying the district only qualifies for a $23 million bond, leaving a lot of guess work for where to find the rest of the money. (Steven Friederich, The Daily World)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/11/20/local_news/02news.txt

Warning: State may squeeze farmers for fees

KITTITAS COUNTY — Kittitas County’s three state lawmakers on Wednesday warned that state government, facing a huge deficit, may seek more operating revenue on the backs of the agricultural community by increasing fees and interpreting laws in a way that add to the financial burdens of farmers and ranchers. (Mike Johnston, The Daily Record)

http://www.kvnews.com/articles/2008/11/20/news/doc4925d95592650307462076.txt

With the PolitickerWA.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Washington's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.