Novel research adds to our understanding of Seattle’s minimum wage
The UW team that is studying the impacts of Seattle’s minimum wage ordinance released a study yesterday that finds that the increase to $13 last year (for some large employers) resulted in reduced hours for low-wage workers, which had the net effect of lowering their earnings by $125 a month on average.
Study finds minimal impacts from Seattle minimum wage law, but the jury’s still out
A new study from Michael Reich, Sylvia Allegretto, and Anna Godoey of the University of California, Berkeley looks at the effects of Seattle’s minimum wage ordinance.
We're Number 25...in wine taxes
Washington ranks right in the middle nationally for wine taxes, according to new numbers from the Tax Foundation. Check out their map to see how we compare to other states:
There may be support for proposed online sales tax, but could Washington actually collect any revenues?
The 2017–19 operating budget that was passed by the House earlier this year assumes enactment of several new taxes. These include requiring remote sellers, marketplace facilitators and referrers to collect and remit sales taxes on online purchases made by Washington residents or report the sales to the Department of Revenue (so that it could then collect use taxes from the buyers directly). It’s estimated that it would increase revenues by $329.2 million in 2017–19.
Policy Today podcast: State Revenue Forecasts & the State Budget
In today's podcast we talk about the process of forecasting state revenues, and how that process relates to the state budget.
Seattle income tax details and legal questions
Last month, the Seattle City Council approved a resolution calling for a city income tax. A proposed ordinance has now been released, and there will be a hearing tomorrow.
Robots vs. Middle-class jobs
A recent blog post by James Pethokoukis at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), "Is automation really the worst enemy of the US middle class?," adds perspective to the ongoing debate over how much impact robots and automation have on jobs:
Uncertainty in the health insurance market and the role of subsidies
Yesterday the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) announced that no insurer has filed to participate in the individual health insurance market in Grays Harbor or Klickitat counties in 2018. According to the OIC, as of March, 1,119 people in Klickitat County and 2,227 people in Grays Harbor County purchased insurance through the individual market. The OIC notes,
Seattle is a taxing place
The Seattle City Council’s Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods, and Finance Committee will meet tomorrow to possibly vote on the proposed pop tax (technically “a tax on engaging in the business of distributing sweetened beverages”) and to discuss an income tax for the city. (See today's
Video of our Annual Dinner speaker
If you missed our Annual Dinner in Bellevue May 23, you can watch it on TVW here. Our guest speaker, Ian Toner, gave a fascinating talk about the massive changes happening in our political system, the job market and workforce, and the economy -- both here and across the world.