WASHINGTON, USA —
House proposal would transition state to pay-per-mile system for drivers
A House proposal that would transition Washington state's gas tax held a public hearing on Tuesday in Olympia.
House Bill 1832 would establish a voluntary road usage charge program, which places a 2.5-cent per mile fee on motor vehicle usage of public roadways in the state.
Under the bill, drivers could voluntarily participate starting July 1, 2025.
Electric car owners who participate would not have to pay fees associated with electric vehicles, fees that can reach $275 a year.
Participants would receive tax credits for gas taxes paid throughout the year.
The system would become mandatory for all drivers on Jan. 1, 2030. Read more
The Seattle City Council has added caste to the city’s anti-discrimination laws, becoming the first U.S. city to specifically ban caste discrimination.
Calls to outlaw discrimination based on caste, a division of people based on birth or descent, have grown louder among South Asian diaspora communities in the United States. The movement is getting pushback from some Hindu Americans who argue that such legislation maligns a specific community.
Proponents of the ordinance approved by a 6-1 vote Tuesday said caste discrimination crosses national and religious boundaries and that without such laws, those facing caste discrimination in the U.S. will have no protections. Read more
Mayor Bruce Harrell delivered his 2023 State of the City speech on Tuesday afternoon, which outlined his vision for the city and priorities for his second year in office.
The mayor discussed economic recovery, the housing crisis, public safety and police reform -- all issues he campaigned on two years ago.
He pointed out that the Space Needle, the symbol of Seattle, was built in about a year and said that kind of bold vision is needed now to combat the city's challenges, like a 4% rise in crime last year and the impact of drugs, like fentanyl.
"Last year, 590 people died on our streets from a drug overdose," Harrell said. "That's 590 people too many. We're not afraid to enforce the law and make arrests when people cause damage to the fabric of our neighborhoods." Read more
Three people are suspected to have been buried and perished after an avalanche on Colchuck Peak near Leavenworth, the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) confirmed Tuesday.
Survivors told the Chelan County Sherriff's Office of Emergency Management that the slide happened around 1 p.m. on Sunday. Six people were climbing when the lead climber triggered the slide and four people fell.
Three other slides then sent snow and rocks on top of the climbers.
The only reported information on the three missing travelers was one was a man in his 50s from Connecticut, one man in his 60s from New Jersey, and a woman in her 60s. The man who survived the fall was from New York and in his 50s. Read more
Authorities have identified remains that washed ashore in Port Angeles in December 2021.
A foot inside of a shoe washed up near the mouth of the Elwha River and belonged to a resident of Sequim, Jerilyn Smith, who was reported missing on Jan. 7, 2018. She was 68 years old at the time of her disappearance, according to the Clallam County Sheriff's Office (CCSO).
Due to the limited recovery of the woman's remains, CCSO worked with Othram, a private company that specializes in testing trace amounts, degraded or contaminated DNA. Read more
RELATED: Western Washington Forecast
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