Splitsville
According to this Seattle Times Editorial Senate Joint Resolution 8009 will ask that Washington State be split East-West. Co-sponsored by Joyce Mulliken, R-Ephrata, the bill would ask for authorization to create a new 51st state of Eastern Washington.
However much I prefer the climate of Western Washington I can certainly simpathize with the frustrations the desert-side of the state. King County in particular is viewed as the tail that wags the rest of the dog, imposing its will throughout the state. Citizens from Vantage to Republic are tired, for example, of paying taxes for the largest ferry service in the world that they rarely (if ever) use as well as professional sports stadiums and boondoggles. I don't blame them a bit.
The only problem with this scenario is that it leaves too many counties in the fevered grip of the high-density counties. I say let each county vote on which state they would rather belong to, as long as the results are a contiguous block of counties. The Democrats will find themselves controlling an ever-shrinking empire.
If the State of Eastern Washington becomes a reality and they have the type of business environment that is condusive to, you know, conducting business there will likely be a huge population migration to the barren beauty of the desert.
This is the type of government-as-service-provider described in The Sovereign Individual. The more mobile citizens and businesses becomes due to technology, the more governments will need to treat citizens as customers. These citizen/customers will go where they (and their money) are welcomed and treated well.
The time has come.