Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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OLYMPIA - Some Washington drivers could see a new fee added to their vehicle- tabtransactions starting next year. Both the Senate and House agreed on a bill that would add a $5 fee for vehicle- registration renewals and purchases and a $12 fee for title transactions through public offices. Unless the bill is vetoed by the governor, a rare occurrence, it will become law. The money generated by the new fees would pay for a third 144-car ferry. Currently, private businesses that offer these services already charge an administrative fee, online...
OLYMPIA - A proposed change to a law aimed at preserving farmland and open space could result in higher taxes for some Washington property owners. House Bill 2306 would expand a tax classification on land actively used for agriculture, timber production or undeveloped open space. While property tax is generally assessed on the market value of a parcel, the state's Open Space Taxation Act allows land to be taxed at a lower rate based on its current use, such as farming. Under the current law, if a farming operation is 20 acres or more, the...
OLYMPIA - A voter decision in November seems to be the only direction that the gun debate in Washington is heading. Lawmakers this week held hearings on two gun- related initiatives that drew hundreds of people with strong views, both for and against - including former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who three years ago was injured in a gun attack. Both the Senate and House majorities are divided on the issue, so there's little chance the Legislature will actually vote on either...