Home | MAKUPFRONT: UP FRONT WITH ROBERT MAK

First take on the day’s political news from the Up Front team.

It’s caucus day:  Make or break day for Santorum?  NBC First Read breaks down the dynamics of the Minnesota and Colorado caucuses.  Will any presidential hopeful upset Romney?  Also, as Washington state Republicans prepare for a March 3rd caucus, the Republican track record on caucus operations has taken a hit in both Iowa and Nevada.

Jobs, Jobs:  At noon state Democrats Jim Kastama and Derek Kilmer hold a press conference on legislation to create jobs.  This comes a day after Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Inslee launched his first policy announcement yesterday, proposing new tax incentives to create jobs in Washington state. 

Federal Way saga continues: Sound Transit board members propose a $24 million dollar expenditure to get the light rail extension to Federal Way “shovel ready”.  The proposal would create a plan, and pencil out the cost of a project Sound Transit says it cannot currently afford. Elected officials in Federal Way are upset that the extension was part of the original light rail plan that voters passed, but now is off the table. Sound Transit officials say revenue from the South King County sub-area are down almost $900 million dollars. By law, Sound Transit must spend the revenue it raises in a sub-area in that sub-area. Federal Way Mayor Skip Priest’s initial response to the proposal was favorable but he added that Federal Way commuters “can’t ride a plan”.

Paid to stay home:  The KING 5 investigators continue looking into state workers paid to stay at home and do nothing.  The total:  Since 2006, more than 1,000 state workers have been put on home assignment at taxpayer expense, while being investigated for allegations of misconduct.