Posted by news intern Sarah Anne Lloyd.

Mayor Mike McGinn: suspends decision of 200 senior-level city positions that could be eliminated.

In Bridges: Republican State Senator Rodney Tom says they are "not going back" from the 6-lane, "Option A+" 520 Bridge design.

In Stabbing: Man in his 60's arrested for allegedly stabbing his roommate, also in his 60's.

AAAAAAAAAH! Case of man who allegedly killed his girlfriend and scattered her body parts in a gravel pit just outside of Gold Bar, WA gets creepier.

Yay, Kind Of: The US Defense department announces they have started the process to repeal the ban on gays openly serving in the military, but warns it will take several years.

In Budgets: President Obama to send a $3.8 trillion dollar budget to Congress that freezes a lot of domestic spending.

Oh No: US tries to figure out the situation with airlifted patients from Haiti; medical evacuations from Haiti to the US are currently suspended.

Speaking of Haiti: Ten Americans arrested in Haiti while trying to bus 33 children out of the country.

Eek! US strengthening missile defenses in the Persian Gulf.

Don't Raise Your Voice to Me! Western governments worried about China's "tone."

Denied: Authorities in Yemen reject a ceasefire offer from rebels in the North.

WHAT ABOUT CAVE SEXTING: 16-year-old boy invents a thing that lets people TEXT IN CAVES, wins science fair.

BABY PANDAS! BABY PANDAS BABY PANDAS

Posted by news intern Sarah Anne Lloyd.

"Green Pastures": Mike Mann, director of Seattle's Office of Sustainability and Environment, quits.

Basically Everything I Had as a Kid Probably Contained BPA: Washington State Senate passes Senate Bill 6248, a ban on Bisphenol A (BPA) in children's products.

Woman and Fetus: Man sentenced to 76 years for killing a pregnant woman in 1982.

AAAAAAAAAH! Man allegedly kills ex-girlfriend, scatters body parts around a gravel pit east of Gold Bar, WA. He says she broke a "Wiccan blood oath."

NOT AGAIN: Thurston County teens charged with felonies after sexting.

Breaks! President Obama proposes a $33 billion tax break plan to help boost job creation.

Ha Ha Purity Test: GOP adopts "purity resolution" requiring candidates to support 8 out of 10 listed issues to receive party support.

Mess! US suspends medical evacuations from Haiti until they figure out who is paying the medical bills.

Today in Arms Deals: China threatens sanctions on American arms contractors over the US's $6.4 billion arms sale to Taiwan.

Five Charged With "Waging War Against God": Iran tries 16 people over December's Ashura Day protests.

"Disgruntled Employee": Interpreter shoots and kills two US soldiers in Afghanistan.

In South Africa: Some of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes scattered in the Indian Ocean during a ceremony observing the 62nd anniversary of his death.

WAIT FOR IT: This last guy is awesome! I want a list of the other 104 words!

On behalf of Knoll Lowney, a local attorney and activist, a citizen filed an initiative today that would impose an excise tax on joint incomes exceeding $400,000, create a trust fund for health and education services, reduce property tax by 20 percent, and eliminate the state's business and occupation taxes for small companies. The measure (which you can read in this .pdf) was submitted to the Secretary of State's office today and will be reviewed by the Office of the Code Reviser to make sure it jibes with existing law.

But there could be complications with its legality. "You cannot have a graduated state income tax without amending the state constitution. The court has been clear on that," says Dave Ammons, spokesman for the Secretary of State. To amend the state consitution, both houses of the state legislature would need to approve the amendment by a two-thirds majority and a simple majority voters would have to ratify the legislature's vote.

The initiative's text argues that it complies with law. Because it imposes an "excise" tax, based on the receipt of income rather than the income as an asset, the measure is "intended to conform to the legal framework adopted by almost all states, consistent with United State Supreme Court rulings," it says.

"It’s not a back-of-the-napkin kind of" initiative, Ammons adds. "This guy has thought about a total rewrite of the tax system."

I have a call in to Lowney but haven't heard back.

The state legislature is considering methods to close a $2.6 billion budget shortfall. Yesterday I reported on moves in the state senate, apparently inspired by two taxation measures that passed Tuesday in Oregon, to raise state taxes on the wealthiest corporations and individuals.

LA Times:

Supporters of legalized marijuana announced today that they have gathered about 700,000 signatures for their initiative, virtually guaranteeing voters will see it on the November ballot.

They plan to turn in the petitions today to elections officials in some of the state's major counties, including Los Angeles. Supporters need 433,971 valid signatures to qualify the measure. ...

Polls have shown growing support nationwide for legalization. In California, a majority favors it. A Field Poll taken last April found that 56% of voters in the state and 60% in Los Angeles County want to make pot legal and tax it. That margin, though, is not enough to assure victory.

Washington activists also filed an initiative that would legalize marijuana. But unlike California's ringleader who "bankrolled a professional signature-gathering effort," the campaign leaders in this state are planning an all-volunteer campaign and having a hard time even accepting online contributions.