Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance shares the emotions of the week, which are a result of the actions of state and local Democrats
Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today
See Grok’s analysis of this story
I’ve got a message for conservative patriots in the state of Washington. I know you’re discouraged, so am I. But, are we going to give up or are we going to continue to fight for political change?
I know the fatigue for many of us is reaching an all-time high. We haven’t had a Republican governor for more than 40 years. Our current State Senate and House of Representatives are firmly in control of the Democrats. That majority party exercised that power over us this week by succeeding in their long-term goal of establishing a state income tax, even though the people have voted it down at least 10 times and many believe it is unconstitutional.
I’ve had a lot of politically depressing days over the years and Tuesday ranked right up there. I know I wasn’t alone in my misery. Outspoken conservative journalist and podcaster Brandi Kruse took to social media Tuesday evening to express her thoughts, which echoed the emotions I was feeling myself.
“Good grief. Today was depressing,’’ Kruse said in a video posted on her Facebook account. “I mean, I’ve got a lot of fight in me for Washington state. I love this state, but days like today just make you feel beat down. Democrats pushed through, even though Republicans filibustered for 24 hours straight. Democrats passed the unconstitutional income tax. So we’re going to have an income tax in Washington state.’’
In the video, Kruse described the “depressing day” in Washington state politics by touching on not only the passage of the state income tax proposal, but also a federal court decision denying her request related to a press pass she had been denied. She also discussed broader concerns about government power and economic impacts in Washington.
Kruse says that even though the income tax targets millionaires, she argues it will eventually affect the middle class. She argues the tax could drive wealthy residents, investors, and entrepreneurs out of Washington. We’ve already seen that come to fruition today with the announced departure of Starbucks Founder Howard Schultz. Kruse suggests more could follow Schultz. According to her argument, if revenue from wealthy taxpayers declines, lawmakers may seek more revenue from the broader population.
Kruse spoke of the decision of a federal judge to decline to issue an emergency stay in her lawsuit against the state over the denial of a press pass to the Washington Capitol. She stated this is the first time in 15 years covering Washington politics that she has not had a press pass. She believes the denial is tied to her support of certain political initiatives.
Kruse criticized Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Bob Ferguson, arguing they are expanding government power and ignoring constitutional concerns. She also referenced a law she says allows an appointed board to remove elected sheriffs. All those issues and more force Kruse to question what recourse exists when both government and courts fail to protect constitutional rights.
Clark County adds to the frustration
For those of us here in Clark County, we have had our own issues this week to add to the state-wide nonsense that led to Kruse’s temporary depression.
On Tuesday evening, taxpayers in Vancouver and the Vancouver Urban Growth Area found out they could be on the hook for operations and maintenance costs should Oregon’s light rail extend into downtown Vancouver, but the smaller cities that make up the C-TRAN boundary appear to be protected from those costs. Remember, on three separate occasions, Clark County voters expressed their opposition to light rail being included in the I-5 Bridge replacement project.
From the account of Clark County Today reporter Paul Valencia:
The C-TRAN Board of Directors once again changed the language on the Modified Locally Preferred Alternative (MLPA) for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program. The vote took place Tuesday night, with a couple of conditions.
One major condition is that the board would accept the proposal to change its composition, giving the city of Vancouver four seats on the C-TRAN board, three to the Clark County Council, and two seats to be shared by Battle Ground, Camas, La Center, Ridgefield, Washougal and Yacolt. Currently, the board has three from Vancouver, two for Clark County, and four seats shared by the other cities.
Minutes after the C-TRAN board meeting adjourned Tuesday night, the Board Composition Review Committee (BCRC) resumed its meeting and voted to recommend that 4-3-2 proposal.
That means the nine-member C-TRAN board will have four representatives from the city of Vancouver and three from the Clark County Council. And, one of those three from the County Council will be from the district that covers the city of Vancouver. All of the board’s decisions will be made by a majority of representatives from Vancouver and, I don’t know about you, but those elected officials from the city of Vancouver rarely exhibit values or ideas that resemble my own.
In her State of the City Address Monday, Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle took a moment before lauding all of what she considered to be the recent accomplishments of the city to open the substantive part of her speech with an anti-law enforcement message.
“I want to acknowledge the fear, uncertainty, and frustration many in our community are feeling and experiencing around ICE activity,” the mayor said, noting that ICE has caused “real harm and destabilization.”
She praised the city’s anti-ICE declaration in January, and wanted residents to know that the city will pursue every avenue available “to limit ICE’s reach and protect our community.”
Each day, Clark County Today does its best to keep members of the area informed about what is happening in this community. For the life of me, I can’t find the examples of the “real harm and destabilization’’ that McEnerny-Ogle spoke of. I know examples can be found on our televisions and social media feeds, but those are from other areas of our country, not Clark County. The claim of an abundance of “fear, uncertainty and frustration’’ for many in the city of Vancouver seems incredibly irresponsible and sensational to me.
We pledge to continue the fight
In December, the Clark County Chapter of Future 42 held its grand opening. Project 42 is a Washington state nonprofit organization founded to change the course of the state by prioritizing free markets, personal liberty, and an individual’s right to prosper. Launched in 2021, it focuses on building durable conservative infrastructure through long-term capacity building, strategic investments in effective organizations, and measurable outcomes. Its county-level arm, Future 42, expands civic engagement via local projects that track government actions, issue policy alerts and scorecards, recruit and train candidates, and boost citizen participation.
Recently, Leslie Lewallen, the director of the Clark County Chapter of Future 42, addressed the mindset shared by Kruse and myself this week.
“You can leave. You can move to another state. Or you can stay and fight,” Lewallen told Clark County Today earlier this year. “From my point of view, there’s nothing else I can do but stay and fight. I love Washington state. I wish everybody would stay and fight.”
Similarly, in her social media post, Kruse said she is feeling discouraged but says she plans to continue advocating for political change. I know I plan to do the same. It is my hope that a great many of you will do the same.
This independent analysis was created with Grok, an AI model from xAI. It is not written or edited by ClarkCountyToday.com and is provided to help readers evaluate the article’s sourcing and context.
Quick summary
In this opinion column, Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance writes that he is discouraged by recent political outcomes he opposes, including passage of a state income tax and local decisions tied to C‑TRAN light rail funding. He says he will continue advocating for political change alongside conservative journalist Brandi Kruse and others, and urges readers not to give up or leave but to stay engaged and keep fighting for change.
What Grok notices
- Grounds the column’s frustration in specific examples, including the income tax vote, C‑TRAN light rail cost-allocation decisions described as favoring Vancouver, and remarks attributed to Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny‑Ogle about ICE.
- Connects local and statewide themes by recapping voter opposition to light rail referenced in the column and describing ongoing disputes about C‑TRAN governance and board composition.
- Frames the piece as an argument for perseverance rather than resignation, emphasizing continued political engagement as the author’s response to setbacks.
- Includes a hopeful note about emerging conservative organizing and infrastructure referenced in the column (including Future 42 activity in Clark County), suggesting an effort to build longer-term capacity.
- Signals that near-term developments readers may watch include the income tax bill’s ongoing legislative status and the final wording and implementation steps for C‑TRAN’s Modified Locally Preferred Alternative language.
Questions worth asking
- How might sustained advocacy from conservative organizations influence future decisions on regional transit governance, taxation, or public safety policy in Clark County?
- What role does turnout—especially in special elections or off-cycle contests—play in shaping outcomes like transit funding decisions and board-composition changes?
- What strategies could reduce tensions between urban growth areas and smaller cities when allocating costs and representation in regional bodies?
- How do recent state-level policy wins for Democrats affect long-term conservative engagement, fundraising, and candidate recruitment in Washington?
- What roles can community organizations, local media, and civic groups play in shaping accountability and public understanding of local government decisions?
Also read:
- Opinion: Brandi Kruse and I are feeling discouraged but we’re planning to continue advocating for political change. Will you?
Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance reflects on a discouraging week in Washington state politics, echoing Brandi Kruse’s frustrations over Democrats’ state income tax victory and local decisions on transit and ICE while urging conservatives not to give up on advocating for political change. - Opinion: ‘My thoughts on yesterday’s tragic state income tax’
Leslie Lewallen argues Democrats passed an unconstitutional “millionaires tax” on March 10, 2026, rejected more than 70 Republican amendments, and set Washington on a path she says will harm jobs, schools, and families statewide. - Opinion: Starbucks founder flees the new NW tax hell
Lars Larson argues that Howard and Sheri Schultz are leaving the Pacific Northwest for Miami following Washington’s new millionaires tax and rapid state budget growth in Oregon and Washington. - After marathon debate, WA House advances income tax
The Washington House approved a proposed income tax on households earning more than $1 million a year after more than 24 hours of debate and dozens of amendments. - C-TRAN: Light rail funding addressed again; changes are coming to C-TRAN board composition
C-TRAN approved new language tied to the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program that shields smaller cities from light rail operating costs while shifting potential financial responsibility toward Vancouver and the urban growth area.
