Just as he was two years before, University of Washington football coach Steve Sarkisian was the top paid employee on the Washington state-government’s payroll in 2012. He earned $2.7 million in 2012 – money actually paid out of athletic department funds (like earnings from selling tickets or television rights for Husky games) and not by taxpayers.

While most state employees saw 3 percent reductions in pay and hours worked since July 2011, Sarkisian’s pay was up from $1.98 million in 2010 and $2.53 million in 2011.

It should be no surprise that athletics coaches took the top three spots. Men’s …

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UPDATE: 3:55 p.m. — with comments from Thoms.

Tacoma’s ethics board has found newly appointed City Councilman Robert Thoms violated city ethics rules when he supported a council resolution endorsing a school bond measure while his lobbying firm was under contract with Tacoma Public Schools.

In its preliminary findings issued Friday, the ethics board concluded “Thoms used his office for the benefit or gain of another” by promoting and voting on the Feb. 5 resolution, which expressed council support for Proposition 1 and urged voters to approve it.

The …

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A rally today on the Capitol steps will promote a proposal to raise gas taxes and other revenue to fund improvements to roads, ferries, mass transit, storm water filtration and other infrastructure.

U.S. Rep. Denny Heck and Gov. Jay Inslee plan to address the crowd, which supporters said would include supporters of business, labor, farm, environment and transit interests. Some of the most vocal advocates for a transportation package are the backers of connecting state Route 167 from its endpoint in Puyallup to the Port of Tacoma.

Gov. Jay Inslee also signs a slew of bills today, including one that seeks to root out …

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Consumers Union and the Washington State Hospital Association are still tangling over legislation approved unanimously by the Legislature to require more reporting by hospitals when patients come down with infections during care. The state Department of Health is taking the hospitals’ side, opposing requirements to do separate reports for every knee, hip or cardiac surgery.

Otherwise the parties agree on the bill, which is broadly meant to bring the state’s reporting requirements into alignment with the demands of Obamacare.

House Bill 1471 passed the House and Senate unanimously in the way Consumers Union prefers. But both approaches sought …

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In Tacoma, few surprises and little activity emerged as the candidate registration filing period came to a close on Friday. In all, five seats on the city’s non-partisan council are up for election this year.

Olgy Diaz, a legislative aide to state. Rep. David Sawyer, D-29, formally challenged incumbent Councilman Joe Lonergan for the 5th District seat representing south Tacoma. Meantime, Justin Van Dyk, a former sales consultant who previously had announced intentions to oppose Lonergan, did not file as a candidate.

In Tacoma’s 2nd District – a horseshoe-shaped area that stretches around Commencement Bay from Northeast Tacoma to Old …

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Filing week is over and no dark horse candidates jumped in to represent parts of Pierce and Kitsap counties in the state Senate, so Rep. Jan Angel and Sen. Nathan Schlicher have the field to themselves.

It’s a pivotal race for the balance of power in the Senate, and it could get very expensive.

Sen. Derek Kilmer stepped down to go to Congress, leaving a vacancy to be filled for a year by a fellow Democrat and then up for grabs for the final year of his term. Schlicher, an emergency room doctor from Gig Harbor, was …

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Several East Pierce County cities and towns could experience a leadership shake-up after the November election, as a number of mayor positions are up for grabs and others have attracted challengers.

Election season started this week as candidates officially filed with the Pierce County Auditor’s Office for races in the Aug. 6 primary and the Nov. 5 general election.

Cities and towns with outgoing mayors include Puyallup, Orting, Eatonville and Edgewood. Incumbent mayors in Sumner, Bonney Lake and Milton all will face challengers.

In Eatonville, four candidates filed to run for mayor after Ray Harper opted not to seek a …

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Joachim (Joe) Pestinger is running unopposed to be the next mayor of Orting, according to the Pierce County elections website.

Pestinger, a fire commissioner with Orting Valley Fire & Rescue, is running to replace Cheryl Temple, who has served city government for more than 20 years.

In other races, incumbents Graham Hunt, William Birkes and Scott Drennen are all running unopposed for their City Council seats.

Barbara Ford is running unopposed to fill Council Position 2, a spot vacated by outgoing Deputy Mayor Stanley Holland.

Kari Plog: 253-597-8682
kari.plog@thenewstribune.com
@KariPlog