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Scott Peterson walks by a rootball as tall as the adjacent power pole from a tree that fell on the roof of an apartment complex he does maintenance for on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Opinion

Editorial: Communities need FEMA’s help to rebuild after disaster

The scaling back or loss of the federal agency would drown states in losses and threaten preparedness.

County Council members Jared Mead, left, and Nate Nehring speak to students on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, during Civic Education Day at the Snohomish County Campus in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)

Opinion

Editorial: Students get a life lesson in building bridges

Two county officials’ civics campaign is showing the possibilities of discourse and government.

FILE - This Feb. 6, 2015, file photo, shows a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine on a countertop at a pediatrics clinic in Greenbrae, Calif. Washington state lawmakers voted Tuesday, April 23, 2019 to remove parents' ability to claim a personal or philosophical exemption from vaccinating their children for measles, although medical and religious exemptions will remain. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

Opinion

Editorial: Commonsense best shot at avoiding measles epidemic

Without vaccination, misinformation, hesitancy and disease could combine for a deadly epidemic.

Local artist Gabrielle Abbott with her mural "Grateful Steward" at South Lynnwood Park on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 in Lynnwood, Wash. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Opinion

Editorial: Earth Day calls for trust in act of planting trees

Even amid others’ actions to claw back past work and progress, there’s hope to fight climate change.

Snohomish County Elections employees check signatures on ballots on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024 in Everett , Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Opinion

Editorial: Trump order, SAVE Act do not serve voters

Trump’s and Congress’ meddling in election law will disenfranchise voters and complicate elections.

An apartment building under construction in Olympia, Washington in January 2025. Critics of a proposal to cap rent increases in Washington argue that it could stifle new development. (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)

Opinion

Editorial: Lawmakers should seek deal to keep rent cap at 7%

Now that rent stabilization has passed both chambers, a deal on a reasonable cap must be struck.

The sun sets beyond the the Evergreen Branch of the Everett Public Library as a person returns some books on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Opinion

Editorial: Reverse ruinous cuts to federal library program

The Trump administration’s shuttering of the IMLS will be felt at the local and state levels.

Kids play on glacial erratic in the Martha Lake Airport Park on Friday, May 4, 2018 in Lynnwood, Wa. The Glacial erratic rock in the park is one of the largest in urban King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Opinion

Editorial: Little park at Martha Lake an example of success

For 35 years, a state program has secured vital funding for parks, habitat, forests and farmland.

South County Fire and Rescue crews responded after a dump truck crashed into an Edmonds home and knocked out power lines last September. (Courtesy of South County Fire)

Opinion

Editorial: Edmonds voters, study up on fire district vote

Voters need to weigh issues of taxes, service and representation before casting their ballots.

The Washington state Capitol building in February. (Bill Lucia / Washington State Standard)

Opinion

Editorial: Lawmakers puzzle over taxes, cuts and consequences

With the governor balking at one tax proposal, lawmakers look for balance among cuts and revenue.

King County Executive Dow Constantine and Senator Maria Cantwell walk through the Lynnwood Center Station to board the 12:30 pm train during the Lynnwood 1 Line extension opening celebrations on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Opinion

Editorial: Transit board, new CEO have much to deliver

Sound Transit’s board hired one of its own as chief. The stakes for success are high for all…

Everett mayor Cassie Franklin delivers her State of the City address on Friday, March 28 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)

Opinion

Editorial: The state of Everett amid the state of play

In her state of the city speech, Mayor Cassie Franklin makes the case for optimism amid dark clouds.

Genna Martin / The Herald Piles of wires, motherboards and other electronic parts fill boxes at E-Waste Recycling Center, Thursday. Photo taken 1204014

Opinion

Editorial: Right to repair win for consumers, shops, climate

Legislation now in the Senate would make it easier and cheaper to fix smartphones and other devices.

The WA Cares law is designed to give individuals access to a lifetime benefit amount that, should they need it, they can use on a wide range of long-term services and supports. (Washington State Department of Social and Health Services)

Opinion

Editorial: Changes to WA Cares will honor voters’ confidence

State lawmakers are considering changes to improve the benefit’s access and long-term stability.

A press operator grabs a Herald newspaper to check over as the papers roll off the press in March 2022 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald file photo)

Opinion

Editorial: Keep journalism vital with state grant program

Legislation proposes a modest tax for some tech companies to help pay salaries of local journalists.

A semiautomatic handgun with a safety cable lock that prevents loading ammunition. (Dan Bates / The Herald)

Opinion

Editorial: Adopt permit-to-purchase gun law to cut deaths

Requiring training and a permit to buy a firearm could reduce deaths, particularly suicides.

FILE - The sun dial near the Legislative Building is shown under cloudy skies, March 10, 2022, at the state Capitol in Olympia, Wash. An effort to balance what is considered the nation's most regressive state tax code comes before the Washington Supreme Court on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, in a case that could overturn a prohibition on income taxes that dates to the 1930s. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

Opinion

Editorial: One option for pausing pay raise for state electeds

Only a referendum could hold off pay increases for state lawmakers and others facing a budget crisis.

**EMBARGO: No electronic distribution, Web posting or street sales before Saturday at 3:00 a.m. ET on Mar. 1, 2025. No exceptions for any reasons. EMBARGO set by source.** House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, (D-NY) speaks at a news conference about Republicans’ potential budget cuts to Medicaid, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Feb. 27, 2025. As Republicans push a budget resolution through Congress that will almost certainly require Medicaid cuts to finance a huge tax reduction, Democrats see an opening to use the same strategy in 2026 that won them back the House in 2018. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

Opinion

Editorial: Don’t gut Medicaid for richest Americans’ tax cuts

Extending tax cuts, as promised by Republicans, would likely force damaging cuts to Medicaid.

Two workers walk past a train following a press event at the Lynnwood City Center Link Station on Friday, June 7, 2024, in Lynnwood, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Opinion

Editorial: Open Sound Transit CEO hiring to public review

One finalist is known; the King County executive. All finalists should make their pitch to the public.

Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle. (Washington State Standard)

Opinion

Editorial: Hold clergy to duty to report child abuse

Teachers, health care providers and others must report suspected abuse. Clergy should as well.