Melissa Santos
Crosscut
Seattle, WA, United States
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Past articles by Melissa:
Transit users 18 and younger ride free under new WA program
Kids in Washington soon won’t have to pay to use public buses and trains across the state in a new $3 billion transit plan. → Read More
Washington state's new capital gains tax: a primer
A look at who pays — and why people are challenging it in court. → Read More
Weekly WA newspaper fined $15,000 for selling election coverage
The Tacoma Weekly got slapped down by campaign finance regulators last week, who said its illegal move undermined journalism. → Read More
What WA’s new police accountability laws do and don’t do
Plus, a closer look at some of the concerned statements made by police chiefs and sheriffs. → Read More
That voting-rights bill Congress rejected? Most of it is WA law
With mail-in voting and same-day voter registration “we really are ahead of the curve,” one state lawmaker says. → Read More
New laws aim to keep people from losing their homes in Washington
Help for renters and homeowners is on the way as the state’s eviction moratorium is set to expire June 30. → Read More
Eight big things the Washington State Legislature passed in 2021
A new capital-gains tax, a slate of police accountability bills and new limits on carrying guns at protests are just a few of the things that state lawmakers approved. → Read More
Why new taxes are likely even as Washington is flush with cash
Democratic lawmakers say now is the moment to fix the state’s regressive tax code, which they say unfairly burdens low-income people. → Read More
How fired cops win their jobs back: arbitration
In Washington state and around the nation, some cops fired for dishonesty or misconduct remain on the beat because private arbitrators gave them their jobs back. → Read More
Amazon throws support behind low-carbon fuel standard bill in Washington state
Melissa Santos is a reporter for Crosscut, where this story first appeared. Amazon is embracing the adoption of a low-carbon fuel standard in Washington state… → Read More
Federal money to SpaceX may hurt public broadband efforts in Washington state
Melissa Santos is a reporter for Crosscut, where this story first appeared. You might think Russ Elliott would be pleased about private companies winning $223… → Read More
How $1 billion in pot taxes gets spent in Washington state
Money from legal cannabis sales amounts to about 2% of the state operating budget. → Read More
Update: Plans to tax the rich advancing in WA Legislature in 2021
Wealth tax, capital gains tax, payroll tax — what’s the difference? We break it down. → Read More
Tracking plans to tax the rich in the 2021 Washington Legislature
Wealth tax, capital gains tax, payroll tax — what’s the difference? We break it down. → Read More
Growing pot at home could become legal in Washington state
Other states that have legalized recreational cannabis already allow home growing, but Washington does not. → Read More
Washington state unveils $2.2 billion COVID relief plan
Washington lawmakers want to help struggling renters, small businesses and other people find a way back from the pandemic-induced economic downturn. → Read More
Some WA legislators come to the Capitol armed with guns
It’s legal for state lawmakers to carry firearms while voting on bills and conducting the people’s business. → Read More
Washington state donors gave big in Georgia Senate races
Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock benefited from more than $7 million in local contributions, many of them from tech workers. → Read More
How Seattle's new payroll tax complicates efforts to enact one statewide
In considering a new statewide payroll tax, lawmakers want to avoid double-taxing Seattle businesses. → Read More
What you should know about WA Gov. Jay Inslee’s 2021 budget plan
The Democratic governor is proposing new taxes to help pay for coronavirus relief, plus an ambitious plan to cap carbon emissions in Washington state. → Read More