Cascadia today: WA health costs may double + no cops in Seattle high schools + Portland arts orgs push back at Trump

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WA health costs to double without action

As the US government shutdown enters its tenth day, KUOW reports on what's at stake: Obamacare subsidies. If the feds don't act to renew the subsidies, Washington residents on ACA insurance plans could see their premiums double, and as many as 80,000 people drop coverage. In related news, Oregon Capital Chronicle reports on how Oregon's law guaranteeing trans health care faces challenges two years in. Most critically: rising demand as more trans people move to the state fleeing discrimination in Trump-supporting states, coupled with a lack of medical professionals who specialize in gender-affirming care.

Dems demand answers on Portland ICE facility

Oregon Capital Chronicle reports that after a visit to Portland's controversial ICE facility in September, Oregon Congressional reps Suzanne Bonamici and Maxine Dexter, and senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley sent letters this month to the Trump administration demanding more information on access to legal representation at the immigration detention site as well as the feds' use of pepper spray on protesters there. Meanwhile OPB reports that a US citizen from the Portland suburb of Milwaukie was abducted and held at the facility, despite his US citizenship status. He's filing a lawsuit for discrimination – because of a Supreme Court ruling, ICE is using racial profiling (AKA "Kavanaugh stops") to arrest people merely because of the color of their skin.

No cops in Seattle high school

KUOW reports that the Seattle School Board rejected a plan by the Seattle Police Department to staff an armed officer at Garfield High School. SPD had hoped to have an officer at the school after several fatal shootings there in the past two years. Many students and teachers are opposed, however.

“Guns do not belong in school. Plain and simple.” – Makena Gadient, Garfield high school special education teacher

Meanwhile, SPD chief Shon Barnes announced yesterday, after reporting by PubliCola, that he was reversing a plan to hire controversial officer Michael Tietjen to lead the east precinct, the site of protests in 2020. During the Black Lives Matter protests, Tietjen referred to protesters as "cockroaches."

Vancouver votes for zero property tax hike

The Daily Hive reports that the Vancouver city council voted this week to not raise Vancouver property taxes in 2026, a longtime promise of mayor Ken Sim. CBC looks at the numbers in Vancouver's $2.3 billion budget: city staffers have said a tax increase of 5 to 6 percent will be necessary to balance the budget, but pro-business mayor Sim wants the city to find "efficiencies."

As the Trump tariff crisis hammers the global economy, and British Columbia' Cascadia neighbors to the south face massive cuts to federal spending thanks to Trump's Project 2025, now is not the time for cities like Vancouver and Seattle to push austerity. We're facing a housing affordability crisis, homelessness, and real threats to people's health and safety. There is immense wealth in both these cities, it's time to create a fair system that requires the rich to pay their fair share (an huge open secret in Vancouver is that many wealthy homeowners are exempt from paying any taxes on their multimillion-dollar properties). That has to change before Vancouver starts cutting government services.

Oregon artists slam depiction of Portland as "hellhole"

Oregon Arts Watch reports on how Portland artists and cultural institutions are pushing back on the the Trump administration's lies about Portland being a "war zone" under attack from ANTIFA™. Downtown cultural centers, including Keller Auditorium, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and the Antoinette Hatfield Hall have seen ticket sales increasing steadily since the pandemic. Attendance at the Portland Art Museum is up 30 percent over last year. And Portland Center Stage, the city's largest theater group, has seen interest surging as well.

“People understand now how important the arts are as a driver of our economic health." --Ian Gillingham, Portland Art Museum

--Andrew Engelson