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On Tuesday, in response to the Trump administration’s tariffs on steel and aluminum, Mexico announced a 20 percent tariff on U.S. apples. The tariff could be costly for Washington State apple growers and farmers may need to look for other export markets. In 2011, a 20 percent tariff imposed by Mexico cost Washington farmers $44 million. If the 2018 harvest is of average size and the tariffs remain in place for a year, the economic impact could be similar.

Last week, Governor Jay Inslee wrote an op-ed piece in USA Today discussing the progress of the U.S. Climate Alliance to uphold the Paris Agreement. Inslee said, in part, wrote, quote: “President Trump’s announcement exactly one year ago that he intended to withdraw from the Paris Agreement raised global concerns that the agreement could weaken or unravel. Instead, Trump’s retreat has catalyzed leaders in America and around the world to stand shoulder to shoulder and press forward with climate solutions. In just one year, the alliance has grown into a bipartisan coalition of 17 governors representing 40% of the U.S. population and a $9 trillion economy — larger than that of every country in the world but the U.S. and China.”

The document continues,
“We will do everything in our power to defend and continue our climate actions. This includes continuing to oppose any federal proposal to cancel the Clean Power Plan, weaken clean car and appliance standards or expand offshore drilling. One year after President Trump’s abdication, the rapid economic growth of states within the U.S. Climate Alliance remains a beacon to all Americans and to every other nation that Americans are still in the Paris Agreement and will not retreat.”

Democratic Governors Associations Threaten to Sue

Last Thursday, the Democratic Governors Associations of 14 states including Washington, sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar threatening to sue if the Trump administration cuts federal funding for family planning providers such as Planned Parenthood. The letter states, in part, quote: “If this reckless policy is finalized as written, we will have no choice but to explore all possible avenues, including legal options, to block it from harming the women in our states. We strongly urge you to reconsider this plan, which is nothing more than a domestic ‘gag rule’ that poses serious risks to women’s health,” The letter continues saying “We will continue to consult with our states’ Attorneys General, state legislatures, and state health agencies to stop this rule from harming the millions of women we are sworn to protect.”

LGBTQ Pride Month
On Tuesday, in celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month, Governor Inslee raised the Pride Flag at the Washington State’s capitol in Olympia. On his Facebook page, Inslee said, quote: “In Washington, we won’t back down in our efforts to protect every Washingtonian against discrimination, in all forms, and in all ways.” Thousands of people are expected to gather this Saturday starting at noon at the Riverfront Park Lilac Meadows to celebrate the Spokane Pride Parade and Rainbow Festival which includes a parade, festival, resource fair, and dance party. The Spokane-based nonprofit OutSpokane organizes the event each year and more information can be found on their website, outspokane.org.

Rumors of an Amazon Fulfillment Center being built in Spokane surfaced in late May and reported by the Spokane Journal of Business. This week, more details about “Project Rose,” as the building project is referred to, are making that rumor more believable. Project Rose is set to start construction in June and according to recent documents filed with Spokane County. The building is expected to support 1,800 employees, with a max of 2400 employees according to the Journal of Business. The large warehouse according to the Spokesman-Review will be located 80 acres southwest of Spokane International Airport

In our last story from the Washington News Service: after siding with a Colorado bakery that refused to make a cake for a same-sex couple this week, the U-S Supreme Court looks at a petition for a similar case from Washington state on Thursday. Eric Tegethoff has more.

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