Richard S. Davis

Sharp dissent from a business member of Seattle mayor's minimum wage committee, city council considers amendments (UPDATED)

The Seattle Times reports that Seattle business owner Dave Meinert, a member of Mayor Ed Murray’s income inequality advisory committee is calling the process leading to a supposed compromise proposal a “charade.” His characterization is a pointed departure from Seattle nice.  … Meinert says he feels betrayed by the process because the proposal business owners […]

Speaker Frank Chopp in Publicola: "My goal is to pass an increased statewide minimum wage."

Publicola asked House Speaker Frank Chopp if he regretted not moving Rep. Jessyn Farrell’s proposed $12 statewide minimum wage last session. They publish his response here. This is the crux, but you’d benefit from reading it in context. My goal is to pass an increased statewide minimum wage for Washington workers and families. I am […]

Expanding access to higher education: online learning, improving transition from 2-year to 4-year institutions

Two good articles on higher education were published today. One theme they share: we need to focus on increasing access while keeping tuition affordable. In the Columbian, Don Brunell writes of the success being experienced by WGU Washington (that’s Western Governors University). The university serves working adults and the 950,000 state residents who have started […]

Seattle, nation's fastest growing city, and some bumps in the road ahead: business costs, housing affordability, and rising taxes

The Census Bureau reported last week that Seattle was the nation’s fastest growing city. From the Seattle Times story: From July 1, 2012 to July 1, 2013, Seattle grew by 2.8 percent — the highest rate among the 50 most-populous U.S. cities. Seattle added nearly 18,000 residents in the one-year period, bringing its population to about 652,000. The Times notes […]

Seattle's $15 minimum wage: Buyer's remorse before the sale

Even as it was being announced and celebrated by some members of his income inequality committee, the political leaders acknowledged the Seattle mayor’s $15 minimum wage proposal would undergo tweaking before it was adopted by the city council. Remember Councilmember Nick Licata’s comments about legislators liking to get their “fingerprints” on such things. There’s been […]

Grab your budget calculator: Costs rising for Washington's 2015 legislative session

We previously noted the governor’s enthusiasm for public employee pay increases and new revenues. The Olympian has more today. …[Inslee] got a standing ovation when he said it was “unacceptable” workers had gone six years without a general pay raise, according to federation spokesman Tim Welch. Inslee’s spokesmen did not dispute that he called the lack […]

Governor's opening bid in collective bargaining: raise wages and raise taxes

Gov. Inslee’s May 17 speech to the Washington Federation of State Employees got rave reviews from those in attendance. No surprise there. “It’s just clear to me that it’s unacceptable that state employees have gone so long without a general pay increase,” the governor told a cheering crowd of about 500 Federation Policy Committee delegates Saturday […]

Seattle Times editorial board favors data-center tax incentives. Here's why they're right.

The Times editorial gets right to the point. When lawmakers return for business in January, they should reauthorize Washington’s server-farm tax break, and pronto. Our September 2013 report, Economic Impact of Data Centers on Central Washington (clever title, that), helps explain why. World class industries have located in Central Washington, providing stable, diversified em- ployment and expanded tax bases for […]

Governor's climate committee looks at cap-and-trade through an international lens; interstate battles over energy policy

Crosscut reports that the governor’s climate change committee heard yesterday from United Kingdom experts on their experience with cap-and-trade. Among other things, the experts say, “it’s complicated.” However, Inslee suggested that a rudimentary cap-and-trade proposal could be mapped out this year, noting that Great Britain started out with a limited program that grew more sophisticated as the […]

Washington ranks No. 33 in Chief Executive magazine's 2014 "Best & Worst States for Business" report

The springtime business climate reports are beginning to appear. Chief Executive magazine is out with its annual “best and worst states for business” rankings. Washington comes in at No. 33 (No. 1 is best and goes to Texas). The Evergreen State moved up three places from last year’s No. 36, but is still well entrenched […]