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Governor's new carbon-cap rule could include Seattle's lone steel manufacturing plant

Last month, Gov. Jay Inslee directed the state Department of Ecology to start “writing a rule that would cap and reduce carbon pollution.” This directive came after the governor’s carbon cap-and-trade proposal died in the 2015 legislative session. Ecology also released a list of entities it says emit at least 100,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide […]

Marijuana revenue distributions indicate strong cross-border sales

The Columbian reports that Vancouver is getting more of the marijuana revenue distributions for fiscal year 2016 than any other city — by far. The Association of Washington Cities (AWC) has the data. The 2015-17 state budget provides that $6 million will be distributed to cities and counties in FY 2016, and only those jurisdictions […]

Policy Today: The elusive silver bullet of tax policy

Taxes: The grass is always greener…

With the first meeting today of Gov. Inslee’s legislative McCleary workgroup, we’re likely to see another round of calls for new taxes – specifically, an income tax and/or a capital gains tax – to fund the rest of the state’s K-12 obligations. Arguments in favor of new forms of taxation include: Washington’s tax system is unfair and regressive, […]

InFocus podcast: Rent control, WA wine industry, state revenue & employment reports, and charter schools

Policy Today podcast: I-1366 in review

New brief: I-1366: A Choose Your Own Tax Adventure for Legislators

In a new policy brief, we take a look at Initiative 1366, which will be on the ballot this fall. Briefly, I-1366 would reduce the state sales tax from 6.5 percent to 5.5 percent unless the Legislature refers a constitutional amendment to voters for approval. The constitutional amendment would require two-thirds legislative approval to increase […]

InFocus podcast: NLRB ruling, stock market turmoil, state business tax rankings

777X plane project is cooking

On Wednesday night, State Route 526 was temporarily closed to traffic to transport a very special, very large oven to Boeing’s Composite Wing Center in Everett. The high-pressure oven, known as an autoclave, is there to “bake,” as the Seattle Times reports, the new 777X jet’s carbon fiber composite wings “to hardness.” The Boeing Company provides more […]

Wildfires and taxes

Earlier this month I wrote about the importance of apples to our state economy and the impacts that the weather can have. Wildfires are a risk too. The Wenatchee World reports that the Chelan Complex fire has “destroyed an estimated $30 million in Chelan County property.” That includes the loss of a Chelan Fruit warehouse, […]