Blog

Campaign for higher minimum wage inspired by the Occupy movement?

That’s one conclusion that could be drawn from this excellent NW News Network story by Austin Jenkins. But David Rolf of the Service Employees International Union says there was something missing: “Occupy didn’t have a long term theory of how to make change and it didn’t have very crisp demands.” Rolf says that started to […]

Minimum wage muddle: Part 2 – Dueling Washington Post columnists; Samuelson gets it right

One thing nearly everyone who follows politics understands intuitively is that it’s rarely a good idea to take advice from someone who wants to see you lose. So it’s unlikely that many conservatives will pay much attention to E. J. Dionne’s column telling them that “raising the minimum wage is the right idea for the […]

Minimum wage muddle: Part 1 – the evolving SeaTac story and a border tale

The Seattle Times takes a look at the effects of SeaTac Proposition 1 and finds, well, not much yet. Six weeks after the new hourly minimum standard took effect at some hotels and parking lots in SeaTac, proponents and opponents alike say any evidence to gauge its impact is still anecdotal. At the Clarion Hotel […]

Transportation plan released in Senate today – next steps uncertain

Senate Transportation Committee co-chair Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, today released a $12.4 billion transportation plan. Video coverage of the press conference here. King writes in his cover letter to the governor and legislative transportation leaders that he wants to “restart negotiations,” a theme echoed at the press conference by Majority Leader Rodney Tom and others. As […]

Raising the minimum wage would increase state costs. Who knew?

It looks like HB 2672, the bill that would raise the statewide minimum wage, won’t come to a vote on the House floor. Or maybe it will. As Publicola reports, Rep. Jessyn Farrell’s (D-46, N. Seattle) bill to boost the state minimum wage from $9.32 to $12 by 2017 failed to come up for a […]

State announces expanded environmental review of Longview commodity export terminal, continuing uncertainty and threatening investment

Today’s announcement that the Department of Ecology will undertake an expanded review of the Millenium Bulk Terminals near Longview confirms expectations that the state would subject the trade terminals – it’s more than coal – to a costly, lengthy, and uncertain permitting process. The announcement prompted swift reaction from the Alliance for NW Jobs and […]

Washington House committee votes to make it harder to outsource

Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee passed (14-13) HB 2473, a labor-initiated bill that would make it more difficult for state agencies to outsource work. From the bill report, here’s a bit of what it requires: Requires agencies to prepare a written record of the basis of the decision and a comprehensive impact assessment when contracting out […]

What's the right minimum wage? How about $5 an hour?

We’ve heard a lot of talk about where the minimum wage should be set to increase economic opportunity and provide an adequate income for low wage workers. Gov. Inslee has talked about bumping it a buck or two. The president and some in Congress want the federal minimum wage set at $10.10. In Seattle they’re […]

It's a competitive world: Management prof recommends Microsoft move to San Francisco

It’s no secret that much of the world covets Washington’s twin economic engines, aerospace and technology, anchored by Boeing and Microsoft. And it’s no secret that this state occasionally takes its prosperity for granted. Every so often, Boeing will remind lawmakers that complacency is not a prize-winning strategy. But for the most part, Olympia tends […]

Work suspended on Panama Canal expansion

According to the Wall Street Journal, work on the Panama Canal expansion has been suspended, due to a dispute over who will pay for $1.6 billion in cost overruns: The pace of work on the project, 70% of which is finished, has been slowing over the past few weeks, as GUPC [the consortium running the […]