Emily Makings

In Focus this week: Exchange enrollment, wage inequality, and tipping

Senate W&M chair proposes "no new taxes" budget

Following Friday’s 2015-17 budget proposal from the House Appropriations chair, today the Senate Ways and Means Committee chair made his proposal. Under the proposal, 2015-17 near general fund-state plus opportunity pathways (NGFS+) spending would total $38.0 billion. (This is about $1.0 billion less than in the House proposal.) Some policy highlights: $1.3 billion for basic […]

Moving away from tipping in Seattle

Seattle’s new minimum wage ordinance takes effect on Wednesday. From the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog: Most Capitol Hill food and drink owners will only be required to raise employee wages by less than a dollar if they aren’t already making $11 an hour plus tips. But over time, the phased in wage hike could bring about fundamental changes to […]

House Democrats present a $5.1 billion budget problem for 2015-17

It is budget season in the state Legislature. Today House Democrats released their proposal for 2015-17. (Details here.) Total spending for 2015-17 would be $39.0 billion. (As originally enacted, expenditures totaled $33.8 billion for 2013-15.) The proposal would increase policy level spending by $2.4 billion near general fund-state plus opportunity pathways (NGFS+). Given those increases […]

Final enrollment numbers from the Exchange, and national enrollment issues

I’ve noted that the Washington Health Benefit Exchange (HBE) did not meet its enrollment goals for the open enrollment period that ended in February. Yesterday the HBE released final enrollment numbers through March 9. Some highlights and comments: A total of 158,302 either newly enrolled or renewed their coverage in qualified (private) health plans (QHP). […]

Minimum wage links

The University of Washington won’t be complying with Seattle’s new minimum wage ordinance, at least to begin with: But whether a city can set wages for the UW, the state community colleges, Seattle Public Schools, King County, the Port of Seattle and other public entities is still up for debate. Some of those agencies have […]

New report: Senate Transportation Package Would Begin to Address State’s Significant Infrastructure Needs

We’ve published a new special report on the Senate’s transportation budget. Briefly: The Senate’s transportation package would increase spending by $13.8 billion through 2031. It would increase the state gas tax by 11.7 cents over three years, bringing in $5.6 billion through 2031. It assumes bonding authority of $3.4 billion. Of the spending, $1.3 billion […]

In Focus this week: Employment, franchisees, and WRC annual dinner

Policy Today: Aerospace Tax Incentives – Is a Deal a Deal?

In Focus this week: Employment and tax collections are up; new workers' comp rules?; measuring income inequality