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Keeping up with Washington news shouldn’t feel like a second job.

That’s why The Center Square is launching text updates.

About twice a week, we’ll send you a concise breakdown of a government or policy development worth knowing: what happened, why it matters, and what it could WA to 206-944-3016 or sign up here: joinsubtext.com/c/thecentersqu…

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Could public power lower electric bills?
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A Seattle council plan could add 135 police officers by 2028 after departures, versus 43 in the mayor's plan.

The mayor cites training delays. The added hires would bring future costs.
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Getting people off the streets is one challenge. Helping them overcome addiction is another.

A discussion about homelessness raises an important question: What happens after someone receives housing?
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Seattle's downtown business group backs the city's homeless plan, but its leader also calls for more drug-free recovery housing. The debate goes beyond getting people indoors.
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A Washington appeals court reversed a lower court decision in a property rights dispute
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Seattle is opening another tiny house village with 90 units, but questions remain about the city's long-term approach to homelessness.
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Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson wants to cut $7.1 million a year from firefighter overtime to help close a $175 million budget gap.

City Council members want to bring back some or all of the money.

Fire officials warn the cuts could mean fewer firefighters on duty and more fire trucks out of service.
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Replying to @TCSWashington
The mayor's plan would cut the daily firefighter staffing goal from 222 to 209.

Council members want to bring back either $5.1 million or the full $7.1 million each year.

No changes have been approved yet. The next budget hearing is Nov. 5.

Read more:
thecentersquare.com/washington/art…
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A controversy at a Portland Thorns game has renewed discussion about how people advocate for girls' sports.
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Workers near Seattle's newest tiny home village fear future fallout. The operator points to round-the-clock staffing, cameras and a resident code of conduct.
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Washington already has offices responsible for investigating potential fraud, but questions remain about whether those safeguards are doing enough.
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Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson is creating the state's first Chief Fraud Prevention Officer and a statewide fraud prevention workgroup.

But Republican lawmakers question the timing, just one week before Election Day, and why existing agencies aren't doing more to investigate suspected fraud.
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Replying to @TCSWashington
Four state agencies, including those overseeing health care, social services and child care, will receive closer scrutiny.

Ferguson says the order will strengthen fraud prevention, while GOP critics argue existing agencies should already be addressing the problem.

Read more:
thecentersquare.com/washington/art…
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Will Seattle use $20 million in city funding if federal support for Housing First programs is cut?

The Center Square asked Mayor Katie Wilson, but all she would say was, “We've got contingency plans.”
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Washington's Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll tax is reaching its current statutory cap, but discussions about raising that limit are already underway.
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Seattle says it has contingency plans for potential federal housing cuts. But will it use the money already set aside? The mayor did not answer that follow-up, and her press secretary later called the questions legitimate.
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How many potentially improper voter registrations are there in the state?
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Pierce County switched from an appointed sheriff to an elected one in 2006. Now voters face a choice about reversing that system.

Who should select the county's top law enforcement officer?
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Could Washington have thousands of noncitizens voting in its elections?

Federal authorities say they've identified more than 400 suspected cases and believe the number could be higher.

The secretary of state's office says noncitizen voting is extremely rare and questions the timing of the announcement.
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Replying to @TCSWashington
Washington GOP Chair Jim Walsh calls the 400-plus suspected cases the "tip of the iceberg."

Federal officials want ballots from those voters set aside pending eligibility checks, while state officials emphasize voter privacy and election security.

Read more:
thecentersquare.com/washington/art…
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