Crime & Safety | Future 42

WA Democratic Lawmakers Prepare to Quickly Advance Largest Tax Hikes in State History

Most everyone at one point or another has been faced with personal financial challenge where money is tight, and you have to prioritize your spending. It’s what any responsible person does, dealing with what’s in your direct control. Cut back on eating out and entertainment. Cancel a subscription you can live without. Focus on basic...

Olympia Madness: Washington’s Not-So-Sweet Sixteen

A bracket-style tournament where YOU vote on the worst bills of 2025.

Mid-session update: Several disastrous bills fall short, but much to watch out for

Thank you to the thousands of you who have contacted lawmakers and signed in for committee hearings in response to our action alerts. With sign-ins especially often 10:1 in favor of a common-sense position, the response from our community has not gone unnoticed. Wednesday, March 12, marked a significant cutoff date for the Washington legislative...

Olympia wants to take away local control on homelessness

Olympia has done a terrible job handling Washington’s homelessness crisis. Now, they want to take away local control and force cities to allow encampments on public land. Say hello to HB 1380: Sponsored by Rep. Mia Gregerson (D–SeaTac), this bill would tie the hands of cities and force them to allow homeless encampments on public land....

Washington lawmakers move to weaken the initiative process and repeal the Parental Notification Law

Washington Democrats are moving forward with two bills that undermine citizens’ influence over state policy. Senate Bill 5382 would impose new restrictions on the state’s initiative process, making it significantly harder for grassroots campaigns to place measures on the ballot. Meanwhile, Senate Bill 5181 seeks to repeal a recently enacted parental notification law— one that...

Soft on crime, hard on victims: Olympia’s alarming legislative agenda

This legislative session, some lawmakers are doubling down on policies that many argue prioritize criminals over victims and public safety. From proposals to weaken sentencing laws to reducing penalties for using children in gang-related crimes, the majority in Olympia seems intent on continuing a trend that leaves communities less safe. Let’s take a closer look...

New poll: Washingtonians advise governor, lawmakers on budget shortfall

New polling from Napolitan News Service released today provides an update on where Washington voters stand on potential tax increases, as lawmakers begin a legislative session and must decide how to address a $12 billion budget shortfall over the next several years. Some highlights from the poll include: Seventy-eight percent (78%) of voters believe that taxes in Washington...

Inslee’s legacy on crime: Will WA’s next governor chart a new course?

Gov. Jay Inslee’s third term in office comes to an end on January 13, 2025, at which point he will have served in the position of Washington’s highest executive for twelve years. Earlier, Future 42 has covered Inslee’s legacy on growing state government bureaucracy, raising cost-of-living for working class families, and perhaps most ironically, his...

2024 Election Recap: The fight continues on

Despite facing a billionaire and public sector union-funded opposition campaign that spent nearly 5 times as much as the YES campaign, the repeal on Washington’s natural gas ban appears on track for success, with 51.43% support as of votes reported by Nov. 7. This hard-won success joins three other powerful citizen-led initiatives passed into law...

Election ballots arriving soon: Opportunity to continue year of historic change

Largely spurred by seven citizen-led initiatives from Let’s Go Washington, voters in our state have made their voices heard and changed laws and policy outcomes in a way previously unheard of in Washington. During the legislative session, lawmakers were constitutionally obligated to act on the initiatives – by either making them law immediately or leaving...

Snohomish County voters to decide on local Public Safety Sales Tax measure in Nov. 5th general election

This year’s General Election on November 5th presents an opportunity for Snohomish County voters to weigh in on Proposition 1, a public safety sales tax. Ballots will be hitting your mailbox now, and the last day to return your ballot is November 5th. Proposition 1 would increase the sales tax rate throughout Snohomish County by 0.2%,...

Innovative law enforcement technology being used to tackle vehicle thefts

An innovative technology from Flock is being successfully utilized across the country in order to target vehicle thefts, including here in Snohomish County. While adhering to privacy laws, this new technology collects only objective vehicle data by way of Automated License Plate Readers, alerts law enforcement of wanted vehicles, and aids in crime-solving. This camera system does...

Washingtonians Reclaim Their Voice: June 2024 Marks Turning Point in Citizen Power

The political landscape of Washington state is undergoing a seismic shift, with June 2024 standing out as a pivotal month in the growing citizen-led movement to hold lawmakers accountable. Let’s examine the key developments that made June a landmark month for citizen power in the Evergreen State: Three Citizen Initiatives Become Law Last year, millions...

Introducing the “Real Solutions to Homelessness” Pledge

The progressive approaches of “housing first” and “harm reduction” are failing our communities. While taxes increase and hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on these ineffective programs, homelessness, overdose deaths, and drug-associated crime have been on the rise. To counter these harmful progressive approaches, 50+ local elected officials throughout Washington State have signed on...