Richard S. Davis

Washington ranks 30th in total school spending per pupil in 2011

A new report from the U.S. Census provides a wealth of data on public school spending. (Links to all the data can be found here.) A look at state revenues and spending per pupil can be found in this spreadsheet, Table 11 from the report. It shows that Washington spent $9,483 per pupil, ranking the state […]

State business climates matter, drive interstate economic competition

Last week I posted on the flawed Good Jobs First study purporting to demonstrate that business climate rankings are worthless, ideological exercises. My column today debunks the charge that the studies are bunk. I encourage you to read it and share your thoughts with me. It’s nonsense to argue that there’s nothing to be gained […]

Inslee's three priorities for special session: budget, transportation, DUI

Gov. Inslee has pared his list of special session priorities to three. Gov. Jay Inslee has narrowed his list of top priorities for lawmakers to address in a special session, saying Monday that the Legislature must focus on the operating budget, a transportation-funding package and new legislation to crack down on drunken drivers. As the […]

Oregon Medicaid study inconclusive on benefits, warrants caution on expansion

We previously wrote on the results of a closely-watched Medicaid study in Oregon. Avik Roy has taken a second look at the results (we linked to his earlier piece also). He’s not encouraged. . . . the Oregon findings are even worse than they look. Here’s why. 1. 40 percent of those who ‘won’ the […]

What we've learned about Boeing, multipliers and the state economy

With the governor committed to seeing the 777X built here (stories in the Seattle Times and Everett Herald) I thought it worthwhile to link to some of our previous work related to Boeing’s impact on the economy. In 2009 we produced an economic impact report, What If Boeing Left Washington. Some findings: Since each Boeing […]

Competitiveness key to landing Boeing 777X: Inslee announces aerospace strategy

Gov. Jay Inslee has joined the competitiveness battle, a high stakes bid to assure that the Boeing 777X is built here. The Seattle Times writes: Gov. Jay Inslee proposes funding a new cargo facility at the Port of Everett, extending Boeing’s tax breaks and streamlining the local permitting process in Everett as part of a […]

WA ranks No. 36 in Chief Executive magazine business climate survey

Washington does not fare well in the latest business climate survey conducted by Chief Executive magazine. The state comes in No. 36, between Maine and Rhode Island. The top ten are unsurprising: Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Arizona, Virginia, South Carolina, Nevada and Georgia. At the bottom of the list are Illinois, New York […]

Site Selection magazine's Top 10 Competitive States. TX #1, WA not among them.

Another magazine business climate ranking, using a different methodology than the Chief Executive survey I linked to earlier today. Site Selection ranks the states based on a formula that includes new and expanded facilities, capital investment, jobs created, tax policy (using the Tax Foundation tax climate report), the Beacon Hill Institute’s business climate index, and […]

Best Cities for Jobs – Seattle Ranks No. 14 Among Large Cities

The competition among states is often more about competition among metro areas. Some industries thrive in urban centers. Tech, health care, mass media and other creative enterprises are among them. New Geography recently published a ranking of the "best cities for job growth." And again we see a different methodology – not policies, not perceptions, […]

U.S. Senate passes Internet sales tax bill, still big hurdle in the House

On a strong bipartisan vote, 69-27, the U.S. Senate yesterday passed the Marketplace Fairness Act, or what most of us just call a bill requiring online retailers to collect sales taxes. Mashable has a short, clear explanation of the legislation and why it’s necessary. So does the National Conference of State Legislatures, which strongly supported […]