Cascadia today: OR passes tax disconnect + court rules feds must help salmon + Seattle's women's hockey stars
OR passes tax disconnect, saves $291 million
Oregon Capital Chronicle reports that the Oregon legislature passed SB 1507, which will disconnect the state's income tax from the federal tax code for a year and a half. By refusing to automatically apply federal tax rate cuts passed last year, the state will prevent $291 million in lost revenue. OR governor Tina Kotek is expected to sign the measure. Meanwhile, Washington state Democrats are planning up to half a billion in cuts to childcare subsidies for low income families – maybe they shouldn't have tucked a bunch of sales tax and business tax cuts in that millionaires' tax bill they passed. Sigh.
Judge rules federal dams must protect salmon
OPB reports that a US district judge has ruled that the Trump administration must let more water flow through dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers to protect salmon runs, essentially upholding a deal the Biden administration made with northwest tribes. Trump had tossed out the landmark deal. It was yet another setback in Trump's attacks on Cascadia over the past year.
Andrew Engelson
Vancouver police resist inquiry into 2015 beating death
CBC reports that Vancouver's police union told officers not to take notes during inquiries into the police beating death of Myles Gray in 2015. The inquiry is looking into whether VPD used excessive force in the incident. Among arguments officers made was that Gray was experiencing "excited delirium," a medically spurious diagnosis police often use to justify force. I wrote for the American Bar Association in 2024 about how police essentially created the disorder to excuse brutality.
Spokane shifts police funds to immigrant assistance
The Spokesman Review reports that the Spokane city council approved a measure that would shift $100,000 from the police budget to help fund groups providing assistance to immigrants. RANGE Media has more on the bill, which will provide direct aid for food, health care and rental costs. In related news, a Seattle city council bill introduced by Alexis Mercedes-Rinck would ban new immigrant detention centers within city limits. You can testify in support of this bill at the upcoming Seattle city council meeting at 2 pm Tues. March 3.
Cascadia is home to rad women's hockey players
The Stranger looks at the very rad US women's hockey team, which won a gold medal and didn't act like their male counterparts – simpering MAGA douchebags celebrating with the head of the FBI and joking with a misogynist president. The Seattle Torrent, the city's new Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) team, had five players on the gold-medal team, including captain Hilary Knight, who scored the game-tying goal against Canada. Buy tickets and support women's sports!
Thanks for reading. Keep loving and keep fighting. – Andrew
