Blog

Washington Union Membership, 2011

In January, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its 2011 Union Members Survey, which Dick wrote about here.  Briefly, BLS found that union membership was 11.8 percent nationally, with a public-sector union membership rate of 37.0 percent and a private-sector membership rate of 6.9 percent. Using BLS data, Professors Barry Hirsch (Georgia State University) […]

Revision to state revenue forecast adds $95.7 million for 2011-13 biennium

The headline number for today's revision to the state general fund revenue forecast is a gain of $95.7 million, taking expected revenues for the 2011-13 biennium to $30.284 billion. However, $50.6 million of the $95.7 gain is due to actions taken in the December 2011 special session of the legislature allowing unclaimed property seized by […]

State's monthly Economic and Revenue Update contains a bit of good news

The state Forecast Council’s monthly Economic and Revenue Update (available here), which was released this afternoon, contains a bit of good news on revenue collections over the last month. Here is the summary: The preliminary February forecast for the U.S. economy is similar to the November forecast, with continued concerns about downside risks. Washington’s economy […]

Why it's a mistake to increase capital gains taxes

In an earlier column, I pointed out that several problems with proposals to tax capital gains in our state. With key legislators, including the Senate Ways and Means chair, still promoting the idea, I wanted to call attention to a recent blog post from the American Enterprise Institute. Some very effective debunking of prevalent myths. […]

Cities continue to block B&O tax simplification backed by business, governor

For years, business groups have sought a way to simplify the state’s myriad municipal business and occupation tax regimens. AWB president Don Brunell devoted his column this week to the issue, indicating support for Gov. Gregoire’s tax simplification proposal. B&O taxes are assessed on a business’ gross income, regardless of profit. The state imposes a […]

New Brief: Nation's Seventh-Best Business Climate?

Last week, the Tax Foundation released its annual ranking of state business tax climates.  Washington–largely thanks to our lack of an income tax–ranks seventh in the nation.  In a policy brief, we discuss the ranking and what it means for Washington.  This brief builds on a post from Dick last week.

Union membership rate stayed flat in 2011

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the 2011 union members report Friday. In 2011, the union membership rate–the percent of wage and salary workers who were members of a union–was 11.8 percent, essentially unchanged from 11.9 percent in 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The number of wage and salary workers belonging […]

Machinery & Equipment Exemption Key to Keeping Jobs, Investments in Washington

Manufacturing continues to be a strength of Washington’s economy. We have published a Policy Brief on the machinery and equipment exemption, which contributes to that strength by encouraging the capital investments that anchor manufacturing here.

U.S. Chamber gives WA poor marks for employment laws and regulations

At Olympia Business Watch, AWB president Don Brunell writes that the latest review of state employment laws and regulations by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce again places Washington in the “poor” category, along with 14 other states. The Chamber’s study assigns each state one of three grades: Good, Fair, Poor. As Brunell points out, there […]

Tax Foundation: WA has nation's 7th best business tax climate. There's more.

The Tax Foundation, a respected national tax policy research group, released its annual report ranking the business tax climate in the 50 states. As it has in the past, the group gives Washington generally high marks. This year, the state comes in No. 7, up one from last year’s 8th place ranking.   Here’s the […]