Talking on Your Cell Phone: A Sin?
Washington state residents now pay the highest wireless user taxes in the country. A staggering statewide average of 18.69% (consisting of state and local taxes), combined with the added federal tax rate of 6.46%, gives Washingtonians the only wireless tax rate above 25% in the nation. Reaching for that cell phone may not be as […]
June 18 , 2015 - Lew Moore
On the Budget Impasse
There’s not much information coming out of Olympia about the status of the ongoing budget talks, but what we have heard prompts a review of what we know. McCleary and Initiative 1351. First, we started this session with the understanding that there could be a significant budget shortfall resulting largely from the state Supreme Court’s […]
May 12 , 2015 - Lew Moore
New Debate Over Aerospace Tax Incentive Deal
The debate has exploded once again over the failed bill which would have added new employment level requirements to the 2013 aerospace tax incentive agreement. Last week the venue was the Seattle Times editorial pages. First up, labor advocates Jon Holden and Ryan Rule, who lament a 3.5 percent decrease in Boeing jobs since 2013, […]
April 13 , 2015 - Lew Moore
Comparing State Sales Tax Rates
A new report from the Tax Foundation compares average sales tax rates in the 50 states. Some states have no sales tax, including Oregon (as Vancouver, WA merchants and others along our southern border well know), Montana, Delaware, and New Hampshire (which also has no income tax). According to this report the five lowest states […]
February 24 , 2015 - Lew Moore
Streamlined Permitting for Transportation Projects
The transportation package before the state Senate includes several elements designed to speed the completion of new construction and maintenance projects, including adding a 90 day processing requirement for new construction permits, limiting permit appeals to Superior Court, and exempting maintenance from state and local permits. This initiative to increase efficiency and reduce costs is mirrored […]
January 26 , 2015 - Lew Moore
Progress on Government Reform
In December, Governor Inslee reported on the progress of the Lean/performance management program, originally conceived at MIT and instituted by the legislature to create savings and efficiencies in the delivery of government services. This interesting reform initiative has progressed due in no small measure to over $6m worth of pro bono training efforts by many […]