Cascadia today: WA bill would withhold payments to feds + Seattle schools shelter from ICE + a new queer comics shop

WA Dems introduce bill to withhold federal payments

A group of progressive Democrats in the Washington legislature this week, including Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond), introduced SB 6218, a bill "Directing the withholding of state payments to the federal government if federal funding is withheld due to the existence of a valid Washington state law." Cascadia Journal has reached out to Sen Dhingra's office for comment. It appears the bill would limit payments the state owes the federal government if the Trump administration publishes Washington for policies such as its sanctuary law limiting cooperation with ICE.

However, a resident of Washington's 43rd District in Seattle told Cascadia Journal they received an email response to a request to support the bill from Senate majority leader Jamie Pedersen that indicated while "my heart is certainly in favor of SB 6218" Pedersen said Democrats would not advance the bill out committee because governor Ferguson had indicated he would veto the bill "because the members of his administration who approve withholding payments to the federal government would face criminal penalties."

Cascadia Journal has reached out to governor Ferugon's office for comment and will report more when we hear back.

In December I wrote about how states like Oregon and Washington could potentially push back against the Trump administration's retaliatory cuts to federal spending by withholding federal tax payments and putting the funds in escrow.

It’s time for Cascadia to impound federal taxes

As Washington and Oregon face numerous economic threats, including the real possibility of recession, disastrous flooding, continued wildfires, and massive cuts to the federal budget by the Trump administration, it’s time to consider an idea that’s been gaining traction in blue states hit hard by Trump’s authoritarian rule: holding federal

Cascadia JournalAndrew Engelson

Democrats in the Oregon legislature are also planning to introduce legislation that would withhold federal payments, Oregon Capital Chronicle reports. Cascadia Journal has reached out to the bill's sponsor and will report when we hear back.

Six Seattle schools shelter because of ICE activity

The Stranger reports that six Seattle public schools in the city's central and south end, including Cleveland STEM high school, went into shelter-in-place because of ICE activity in the vicinity. Response from area leaders was swift:

“It is heartbreaking and maddening that kids and teachers had to shelter in place out of fear that they could be targeted by ICE. I'm thankful to Seattle Public Schools for their quick action to put families first.”
– state Sen. Rebecca Saldaña

BC premier wants limits on DRIPA

Last summer, BC courts ruled in favor of assigning title for up to 325 hectares of land in the Vancouver suburb of Richmond to the Quw'utsun (Cowichan) First Nation, and stirred panic among landowners there. In response, CBC reports that BC premier David Eby will propose legislation that would limit the court's ability to enforce the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). The Quw'utsun have stated they don't want the land, but deserve compensation for the deceptive practices that led to them giving away that land.

“It has been British Columbia’s historic and ongoing refusal to address reconciliation at Tl’uqtinus that brought us to this point where we have sought to reset the Quw’utsun-Crown relationship through the Court. Our case has always been about the Crown doing the right thing.”
--Quw’utsun Nation Chief John Elliott (Tholmen)

A new queer-affirming comic shop in Seattle's south end

The South Seattle Emerald reports on the new shop, Crow's Nest Comics, in Seattle's Judkins Park neighborhood, which sells comics and games and is focused on titles and games that affirm queer, trans, and BIPOC people.

Thanks for reading! --Andrew