This from our man in Washington, Les Blumenthal:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Washington state officials have identified a minimum of $600 million in infrastructure projects they would like funded by a federal economic stimulus package early next year, Gov. Chris Gregoire said this afternoon after she and other governors met with President-elect Barack Obama.

The state may also need nearly $1 billion in federal money for its Medicaid program if it is to avoid cuts in medical care for the poor and disabled or in other state programs, Gregoire told reporters in Washington, D.C., where Democratic governors were gathering as a follow-up to the meeting with Obama in Philadelphia.

“I don’t think any of this is a handout,” the governor said. “If we don’t do something, it (the economy) will only get worse.”

Gregoire said she has made clear to the Obama transition team that she is not interested in a job in the new administration.

But in conversations with Rahm Emanuel, who Obama has named his White House chief of staff, and John Podesta, who is helping run the Obama transition team, Gregoire said she has lobbied for several other Washingtonians.

The governor wouldn’t name names, but among those mentioned are Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., for a high ranking post in the State Department, perhaps undersecretary; former Gov. Gary Locke as U.S. trade representative and Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., for secretary of interior.

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That means the current toll schedule -- $2.75 for passenger cars with transponders, $4 for those who stop at a toll booth -- could remain in effect for 2010 fiscal year. (That's July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010.)

Here are the four options (ETC stands for "electronic toll collection" aka, transponder rate):

1. No change to current rates ($2.75 ETC and $4.00 Cash)

2. No change to ETC rate with a corresponding Cash rate needed to meet target ($2.75 ETC and $6.00 Cash)

3. No change to Cash rate and corresponding ETC rate needed to meet target ($3.50 ETC and $4.00 Cash)

4. Changes to both ETC and Cash rate needed to meet target ($3.25 and $5.00 Cash)

Robert Ryan, chairman of the Citizen Advisory Committee, which is meeting tonight, said members wanted a few options to examine.

The materials for tonight's CAC meeting are currently posted on-line at
this link.

Even though traffic dropped a tad when we had $4.35 gasoline, revenue collection is slightly ahead of schedule. And gas in now under $2 a gallon again.

The AP has a story about a Seattle artist, chosen to make a decoration for the White House Christmas tree, who decorated her ornament with pro-impeachment messages.

Here's the story...

WASHINGTON (AP) — An ornament made by a Seattle artist for the White House Christmas tree includes a message supporting efforts to impeach President Bush.

Artist Deborah Lawrence says she wanted to salute Democratic Rep. Jim McDermott of Seattle, a longtime Bush foe who backs impeachment.
The nine-inch ball is covered with swirly red and white stripes and features a picture of McDermott. Tiny glued-on text salutes the impeachment resolution.

First lady Laura Bush asked members of Congress to pick artists to decorate ornaments for the tree. The ornaments are supposed to showcase something special about each congressional district.

A spokeswoman for Laura Bush told The Washington Post there were no plans to remove Lawrence’s artwork — or her invitation to a White House reception Tuesday.

UPDATE: The White House has changed course and has now rejected the ornament.

“I think it really is a shame and, quite frankly, not very much in the holiday spirit,” Sally McDonough, a spokeswoman for the first lady, told The Associated Press.

Instructions to the artists were very clear: Decorate the ornaments in a patriotic, red, white and blue theme, McDonough said. Lawrence’s ornament was the only one of about 370 submitted for the White House tree that was rejected, she said.

I always get suspicious when a cabinet member leaves right after her boss is reelected, but the departure of Jone (pronounced like "Joan") Bosworth doesn't appear to be part of a second-term house cleaning.

"It's my choice," Bosworth said a few minutes ago. Her father died unexpectedly this year and she let Gov. Chris Gregoire she would not be around for a second term, Bosworth said.

Her last day is Jan. 9.

I take some of the blame for her leaving. Every time I plan to do a profile on a cabinet officials, they leave. True. I was half-way through my research on DOC Secretary Harold Clarke, and he announced he was leaving for Massachusetts. Now Bosworth, who had an interesting resume, includign a stint with the U.S. diplomatic corps.

Bosworth was the first every director of the state Department of Earling Learning. "I'm proud of what we've done in a little over two years," she said. "I know kids are safer in Washington because of what we've done."

All of the pre-school programs and day-care oversight were put under the new agency.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Dec. 2, 2008

DEL founding director announces resignation

OLYMPIA – Jone Bosworth, the founding director of the Washington State Department of Early Learning (DEL), today announced her plans to leave the agency next month.

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Brad Shannon at The Olympian has an item today about the proposed resolution of a complaint against an independent expenditure campaign called Citizens for Washington.

The PAC, which started life as a pro-Chris Gregoire PAC but morphed into a pro-Randy Dorn (and anti-Terry Bergeson) PAC was accused of violating laws governing independent expenditures. Specifically, Bergeson supporters said the PAC – funded exclusively by the Service Employees International Union – was too-closely tied to Dorn and his campaign.

Take a look at Brad's post here.

Jeff Koenings "resigned" Monday after a special telephonic meeting by members of the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

His resignation is effective in 10 days.

Phil Anderson is acting director.

Here is the full story by the TNT's Jeff Mayor, as well as the news release sent out last night by the commission.

ANNOUNCEMENT – Dec. 1, 2008

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission convened in a special meeting via telephone conference call this afternoon and immediately went into executive session to discuss personnel issues. The Commission came back into public session and voted in favor of accepting a letter of resignation received today from Director Jeff Koenings, with an effective date of December 11, 2008. Another vote was taken to appoint Phil Anderson as acting director.

=> Read more!