Legislative news:

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Chopp like polluter tax; refineries lobby Gregoire -- The House Speaker backs a proposal to triple the state's tax on oil, pesticides and other chemicals, raising up to $250 million a year for projects cleaning up polluted stormwater cited as the leading threat to the health of Puget Sound and other waterways. In the short term, the bill would divert money to the general fund, which faces a $2.7 billion shortfall this year. Gregoire said at a news conference last week that she likes the stormwater tax idea, but stopped short of saying she'll support the bill now before the Legislature.

►  In today's (Everett) Herald -- State Senate votes to rescind I-960's tax limitations -- In a 26-22 vote shortly after 11 p.m., the Senate swept aside Initiative 960 in its entirety, through July 1, 2011. One day earlier, senators passed a bill suspending only a portion of the 2007 measure, an action Democrats deemed a mistake they rectified with Wednesday's do-over.

►  In today's Seattle times -- Changes made to bill that would allow universities to set tuition -- Students had questioned senators about how the state would protect access to financial aid. So senators approved an amendment that would make all provisions in the bill contingent on the state maintaining need grants and eligibility standards at current levels.

►  From AP -- State deficit adds $96 million -- The latest bump in the budget deficit -- to about $2.7 billion -- was driven mostly by higher-than-expected costs for public school teachers

►  In today's News Tribune -- Sen. Roach investigations cost state $55,413 -- The Senate Facilities and Operations Committee paid an outside lawyer to investigate a complaint against Roach.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Lawmakers freeze bonuses and salary increases (editorial) -- The State Senate has passed HB 2998, which extends a salary freeze begun early this year and suspends cash performance awards for state employees and their supervisors. The Legislature is starting to ask pointed questions about the growth of bureaucracy during good times, and what is actually needed and can be sustained in hard times.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Legislature shouldn't smother the state in special-interest tax breaks (editorial) -- (No, that's not really the headline. We just thought it would be fun to substitute the words "special-interest tax breaks" for "taxes" in this editorial. Then it would be more clearly ironic, and easier to stomach, that a company that just got a 40% business tax cut last year can write such a smug, condescending editorial that completely dismisses the economic and social harm that another all-cuts budget would do. Let's begin...) 

Special-interest tax breaks are now the preferred inhalant in Olympia. This page advised legislators to just say no to temptation. Our thought was that the public is not strong enough now to carry a heavier burden of special-interest tax breaks... The economy is still in a hole. It's a deep hole, and special-interest tax breaks make it harder to get out. 

Local news:

►  In the Columbian -- Port of Vancouver landscaping contract stirs debate -- Labor advocates argue that renewing the Department of Corrections' contract would kill local jobs and private landscaping businesses by paying below-market rates for the port’s lawn care. “They’re working for free and private industry can’t compete,” said ILWU Local 4 President Brad Clark. “Give the work to honest, law-abiding, tax-paying citizens.” In the end, port commissioners voted 2-1 to cancel the port’s contract with the county.

►  At SeattlePI.com -- Metro tunnel assault on girl sparks security debate -- Metro will change its policies after a video shows a 15-year-old girl beaten in front of three contracted Olympic Security Services guards who didn't intervene to help her. SEIU 6 organizers have met with Olympic employees as part of a push to unionize the industry. Most Olympic guards earn $11.10 an hour after a recent 50-cent raise and report that they get little or no training.

►  In today's Tri-City Herald -- Stimulus money helps Hanford landfill keep growing -- With the infusion of nearly $2 billion in economic stimulus money to speed up environmental cleanup at Hanford, the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility is being filled faster than ever. 

►  In today's (Everett) Herald -- Puzzling jet market for Boeing, Airbus -- While air traffic declined, they delivered a record number of aircraft. “I can’t figure it out,” says guy paid to figure it out.

National news:

►  At Politico -- Unions bash Democrats, warn of political fallout -- Labor groups are furious with the Democrats they helped put in office — and are threatening to stay home this fall when Democratic incumbents will need their help fending off Republican challengers. The Senate’s failure to confirm labor lawyer Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board was just the latest blow, but the frustrations have been building for months. "Here's labor getting thrown under the bus again," said AFGE President John Gage. "It's really frustrating for labor, and a lot of union people are thinking: We put out big time in money and volunteers and support. And it seems like the little things that could have been aren't being done."

►  From AP -- Obama report: 95,000 more jobs each month -- The Council of Economic Advisers trumpets the $787 billion stimulus package, which it says has saved or created about 2 million jobs. Obama points out that the economy he inherited was losing 700,000 jobs per month.

►  In today's LA Times -- Illegal immigrant numbers plunge -- A new report that the nation's illegal immigrant population has declined by nearly 1 million has sharpened the debate over whether to legalize those remaining or allow their numbers to shrink through attrition.

►  In today's NY Times -- Black leaders push Obama for jobs bill -- Some black leaders have criticized Obama for not aiming programs at African-Americans hard hit by the recession. But the president says that broader efforts to help the disadvantaged will also benefit blacks.

►  Today in The Onion -- Wal-Mart cuts over 13,000 of what it calls jobs -- "Obviously, it is a sad day whenever we have to let go of any of the people we have dehumanized so thoroughly that we can barely muster the will to describe them as employees," said Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke. "However, this is a business, and we must do what we can to stay competitive while still paying our existing workforce what we actually refer to with a straight face as wages."