The Highline Journal

Stories that promote a flourishing Highline region by holding gov't, business, education & faith communities accountable to their responsibilities and values.

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

Think your local school taxes will go down?? think again….

home values DOWN, tax rates UP = SAME TAX BILL!

We vote for $$dollar amount with a variable rate

**INCOMING** Highline School BOND and Tech LEVY for $643 MILLION in November.

Vote wisely…

[Jonathan Choe @choeshow]

Seattle is a failing city. They voted for this.

[Jonathan Choe @choeshow]

Seattle is a failing city. They voted for this.

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

Think your local school taxes will go down?? think again….

home values DOWN, tax rates UP = SAME TAX BILL!

We vote for $$DOLLAR AMOUNT with a VARIABLE RATE

**INCOMING** Highline School BOND and Tech LEVY for $643 MILLION in November.

Vote wisely…

[SEATTLESUBMISSIONS @SEATTLESUBMISS]

Seattle now officially leads the country with the largest decline in home values across major metro cities in the US 🏠📉

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

Holy cats… at least the parents are getting a warning

[Jonathan Choe @choeshow]

This is Mercer Island, WA. Those rich affluent parents better start waking up and going after the woke school board and superintendent.

[Jonathan Choe @choeshow]

HAPPENING NOW: Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson wants these homeless drug addicts far away from the FIFA World Cup stadium in SODO.
Imagine if fans and visitors saw the open air drug use, tent encampments, and permissive street culture. What would they think of the city?
We Heart Seattle's Andrea Suarez and I are checking in on the city's problematic hot spots. Right now, it looks worse than ever as Wilson pushes the addicts further away from the downtown tourist corridor.
For whatever it's worth, there's another mega sweep scheduled for Friday in SODO. Will it make a difference?
@MayorofSeattle|@weheartseattle|@DiscoveryCWP

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

ANTIFA strikes in Burien - violently forcing an 80 year-old military veteran holding a protest sign to the ground…

It’s about love, not hate right?

@choeshow @BrandiKruse @kingcosoPIO

https://t.co/MpXCx06m3o

[Luke Duecy @LukeKIRO]

New document dump shows WA's #MillionairesTax was designed from the start with one specific legal goal in mind - and it wasn't revenue.

Called it 'Millionaire Tax 1.0'...

The Center Square broke it... more on @KIRONewsradio @Mynorthwest @AGOWA

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

BREAKING: @Burien City Manager Placed on Leave After Closed-Door Meeting.

New Council makes Abrupt Leadership changes. City attorney is gone. What comes next?

https://t.co/BGTQBYNbSo

@choeshow @BrandiKruse @TheBurienVoice

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

RECORD-BREAKING $615 MILLION #highlineschools bond proposal advances for 3 middle school rebuilds. Goes to the school board in June. Voters could decide November 2026. Plus a $48M tech levy???

https://t.co/UxUkkIJYP8

[Rip Wheeler @WheelerRipWA]

Where does the money go?

Washington’s unusually high and varied tax burdens—such as the nation’s highest marijuana excise tax (37%), a steep capital gains tax starting at 9.9% on larger gains, a B&O gross receipts tax on businesses, elevated gas and cigarette taxes, estate taxes, and more. These contribute to the state’s regressive tax structure, where lower and middle income households often pay a higher share of their income in taxes compared to higher earners.

Where the Money Goes
Washington’s state budget is funded mostly by these taxes (no traditional personal income tax until the recently enacted “millionaires tax” on income over $1 million, effective 2028). The bulk flows into three main budgets:
• Operating Budget: This is the largest piece, recently around $70–80 billion over a two-year biennium in state general funds (total spending, including federal funds and other sources, reaches $140–170+ billion). Key allocations include:
• K-12 Public Education: Typically the single biggest category, often 40–50%+ of the near-general fund. This covers basic education, special education, transportation for students, and related programs, driven in part by court mandates like the McCleary decision.
• Human Services/Health Care: Around 30–45% in broader breakdowns, funding Apple Health, long-term care, mental health, developmental disabilities services, child care subsidies, food assistance, and public assistance programs.
• Higher Education: 8–15%, supporting community colleges, universities, and related programs.
• Other: Criminal justice/corrections, natural resources/environment, general government operations, debt service, and miscellaneous.
• Transportation Budget: Separate fund (~$14–15 billion recently over two years) for roads, bridges, ferries, public transit, and related infrastructure. Much of this comes from gas taxes, vehicle fees, and dedicated sources.
• Capital Budget: Smaller, focused on construction/renovation of schools, universities, housing, parks, behavioral health facilities, and other infrastructure.

Federal funds make up a large share of total spending (often 30%+ in operating), especially for health/human services and education. Dedicated accounts (e.g., for specific taxes like real estate excise or property taxes) also direct money to schools or other purposes.
Recent Context (2025–2027 Biennium and Beyond)
Budgets have grown significantly—driven by inflation, caseload growth (e.g., health services), population, and policy expansions in education, housing/homelessness, behavioral health, and climate initiatives. Recent cycles have seen spending outpace revenue growth in some projections, leading to shortfalls addressed by tax hikes, cuts, or reserves. The state collects tens of billions annually in taxes (e.g., ~$34–35 billion in one recent fiscal year), with sales tax and B&O as the top sources.
The infographic features Gov. Bob Ferguson (a Democrat who has supported various tax measures). Washington ranks high nationally in per-capita state/local tax collections and spending, though its overall tax system is often critiqued as regressive and complex. Recent actions include new business/technology taxes and the high-earner income tax (projected to bring in billions eventually, with some revenue targeted for affordability measures like school meals or tax credits).

In short, most of the revenue from these “unique to WA” taxes supports education (especially K-12) and human services/health care, with dedicated slices for transportation and infrastructure. Exact percentages shift slightly by biennium and whether you’re looking at “near-general fund” (state taxes) or all funds, but education and health/human services consistently dominate.

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

Yes! Opt out of all surveys for your children both public and private schools - and be sure to read the curriculum to see what your kids are learning in their sexual health classes - another important opt out choice. Be wary when they say “age-appropriate“…

[Brian Heywood - That Damn Mormon @bkheywood]

If you have school aged kids and Don’t Know what SBIRT is read on… a thread

SBIRT stands for
• Screening
• Brief Intervention
• Referral To Treatment

1/
Your middle schooler's school may be running a program called SBIRT. Most parents have never heard of it. They should. 🧵

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

Title IX Edmonds Public Forum on March 14 to protect girls’ sports. This Lynnwood event tackles the hot issue of boys playing against girls in girls’ sports. @letsgowa check it out!

https://t.co/9FTj5HShek

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

https://t.co/GomtyH7XYJ

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

“Millionaires tax” public hearing set for early Tues 2/24. Record breaking number of people - nearly 110,000 - again say NO! to WA state income tax… *detractors say this is fake*

https://t.co/GomtyH7XYJ

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

Burien city council progressives promised to REPEAL Burien’s hard won public camping ban immediately. So what are they waiting for??

Oh yeah! Olympia dems are primed to do the council’s Dirty Work-uncontrolled homeless tents across WA state!
@choeshow

https://t.co/dizEroSTm0

[Wall Street Apes @WallStreetApes]

Students give a presentation to their class about being pro-immigration and against police officers and ICE

They say “F*ck ICE” and all give the middle finger to federal immigration enforcement

This is absolutely unacceptable. Our kids are being indoctrinated to support a foreign invasion to bring down America

If we don’t stop the indoctrination in our schools America will eventually fall

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

Summit Atlas charter school White Center respects Parents AND Students before possible anti-ICE student walkouts ⭐️

Meanwhile @HighlineSchools takes evasive DAMAGE CONTROL as dad @modern_ragnar__ threatens lawsuit!

https://t.co/QGIBWXNjc1

@SummitAtlas264 @choeshow @BrandiKruse

[TaraBull @TaraBull]

"You Took My Child Without Telling Me!" — Dad Confronts School Over Secret Anti-ICE Walkout

Sounds like grounds for a lawsuit

[American AF 🇺🇸 @iAnonPatriot]

Anti-ICE student in Enumclaw, WA says she would SHO0T conservatives if she had a gũn..

Yikes.

[The Highline Journal @HighlineJour]

Peaceful and respectful

[Jonathan Choe @choeshow]

An Enumclaw, WA high school mob surrounds independent journalists covering an anti-ICE classroom walkout Friday afternoon.