It’s as if The Times has generously opened up a press office for Zarelli right in their own editorial room, which certainly makes coordinating bills and press releases easier. From using Republican talking points like “Democrat budget” to demanding the House negotiate with him rather than the Senate majority leader, The Times is carrying Zarelli’s water for him.

The Times’ recent editorials on the budget read better as press releases for Zarelli. Read their latest press releases for Senator Joe Zarelli below.

For Immediate Release
March 15, 2012
Contact: Seattle Times Editorial Board: (206) 464-2496

No more foot-dragging on the state budget
The Seattle Times editorial board welcomes the newest Republican-Democrat budget in the Washington State Senate, and urges House Speaker Frank Chopp to end his refusal to deal with the new Senate majority. 

Seattle, WA – “Last week the Senate coalition made a conciliatory move. Its leaders released a modified budget that completely exempts schools and colleges from cuts. That is a good step. This page has said all along that there should be no further cuts to education. However, in order to do this, the Senate coalition shrinks the state’s reserves too much. Still, the Senate budget is more responsible. If its assumptions are correct, it begins the next budget period in balance. The House Democrats would leave the state $2 billion short — which is not acceptable.”

Read the full release here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2017770419_edit18budget.html

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It’s as if The Times has generously opened up a press office for Zarelli right in their own editorial room, which certainly makes coordinating bills and press releases easier. From using Republican talking points like “Democrat budget” to demanding the House negotiate with him rather than the Senate majority leader, The Times is carrying Zarelli’s water for him.

The Times’ recent editorials on the budget read better as press releases for Zarelli. Read their latest press releases for Senator Joe Zarelli below.

For Immediate Release
March 7, 2012
Contact: Seattle Times Editorial Board: (206) 464-2496

Respect the political shift in the Senate to craft budget

The pressure is on to break the Senate Democrats who joined with minority Republicans to pass a budget out of the Senate. The mavericks should stand strong, their opponents should respect their stance and negotiate the budget in the political middle.

Seattle, WA – “Pressure is now being brought on the three Democrats in the Washington Senate who broke ranks over the budget, especially Sen. Jim Kastama of Puyallup. We hope and expect they will withstand it.”

Read the full release here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2017692794_edit08budget.html

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It’s as if The Times has generously opened up a press office for Zarelli right in their own editorial room, which certainly makes coordinating bills and press releases easier. From using Republican talking points like “Democrat budget” to demanding the House negotiate with him rather than the Senate majority leader, The Times is carrying Zarelli’s water for him.

The Times’ recent editorials on the budget read better as press releases for Zarelli. Read their latest press releases for Senator Joe Zarelli below.

For Immediate Release
March 4, 2012
Contact: Seattle Times Editorial Board: (206) 464-2496

Senate earthquake should change state budget landscape

After three Democratic senators joined Republicans to pass a budget out of the Democrat-controlled Washington state Senate, negotiations should move more toward budget sustainability.

Seattle, WA – “The earth has shifted. Bruised egos must be set aside. This is a leadership test also for Speaker of the House Frank Chopp, and for Gov. Chris Gregoire, who in her last year in office can still make a difference. Indeed, the Republican takeover might well send the Legislature into a special session. But as Sen. Tom said, lawmakers were not elected to get out of Olympia on time. They were elected to do the best work for the people of Washington.”

Read the full release here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2017667609_edit05senate.html

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It’s as if the Times has generously opened up a press office for Zarelli right in their own editorial room, which certainly makes coordinating bills and press releases easier. From using Republican talking points like “Democrat budget” to demanding the House negotiate with him rather than the Senate majority leader, The Times is carrying Zarelli’s water for him.

The Times’ recent editorials on the budget read better as press releases for Zarelli. Read their latest press releases for Senator Joe Zarelli below.

For Immediate Release
February 29, 2012
Contact: Seattle Times Editorial Board: (206) 464-2496

Too few cuts, too many tricks in the Senate Democrats’ budget

The Seattle Times editorial board rejects the proposed budget offered by Senate Democrats in Olympia.

Seattle, WA – “What’s needed is a proposal that is based on real revenues, that supports schools and colleges first and spends the rest of the money on the most important things government does. Sen. Joe Zarelli, a Ridgefield Republican who is the ranking minority member on Ways and Means, said his caucus would offer a budget like that, designed so that moderate Democrats of both houses could support it. Bring it on.”

Read the full release here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2017630605_edit01supplemental.html

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The Times argued repeatedly that legislators should allow universities to increase tuition:

Clock is ticking on tuition-setting bill

February 22, 2010

“But there has been no shortage of studies and debate about higher-education funding. The current funding is broken. What’s needed now is a balance of smart policy and political compromise. Tuition flexibility injects sanity into a dysfunctional funding system.”

 
Why? Because tuition increases  would “ease the sting” of education cuts:

Yes, to four-year tuition increases

April 9, 2009

“Whopper tuition increases buy back some cuts on the other side of the equation: the state contribution to higher education… If tuition rises up to 14 percent a year at four-year schools – and it should – lawmakers should not take more out of higher ed. The idea is to ease the sting of proposed cuts.”

After the legislature passed the bill, the Times encouraged the University of Washington to approve tuition increases:

The painful necessity of a UW tuition hike

June 12, 2011

“THE University of Washington made a painful but responsible choice to raise undergraduate, in-state tuition by about 20 percent and protect access and quality. The Board of Regents should approve the proposed hike, raising tuition and fees to $10,574 from $8,700.”

So what happened last fall? The Times decried “reckless increases in student tuition.” Hmm…

Budget raids on higher education imperil Washington’s future – Actions that inhibit access must stop

November 20, 2011

“Access is also denied by reckless increases in student tuition, which is approaching 70 percent of the cost of education. As the Legislature has aggressively diverted funds from higher education since 2008, the burden has been shifted to students, who carry extraordinary debt loads.”

This spring, The Times described increasing tuition as “balancing the budget on the backs of students”:

Budget should not be balanced on the backs of state’s college and university students

October 2, 2011

“Higher tuition [sic] offset some cuts. That is balancing the budget on the backs of students. Moreover, despite rising tuition, state-funded aid was cut and fewer students who qualify received State Need Grants.”

Who is to blame for the tuition increases the Seattle Times supported? Hint: not The Seattle Times.

Lawmakers to blame for tuition increases

July 3, 2011

“The UW had no alternative but to turn to tuition for revenue after repeated failures by the state Legislature to come up with adequate funding.”