Blog

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 […]

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 […]

Putting the focus back on increasing economic opportunity for all

In my column, I comment on the president’s State of the Union address and the shift in focus from inequality to opportunity. The new opportunity emphasis was previously discussed here and is examined in this New York Times story. I also highly recommend this Robert Samuelson column explaining why inequality is not the problem. To create “ladders […]

Governor's tax proposals face skeptical Legislature

Gov. Inslee’s proposed tax increases to boost school spending look like they’ll go where they’ve gone before — nowhere. AWB president Kris Johnson had this statement. Unfortunately, the governor’s plan to eliminate a handful of tax incentives does not address the long-term funding challenge we face, and would have serious negative impacts on the employers […]

New policy brief: Toward a Thoughtful Review of Tax Policies

We have published a new brief titled Toward a Thoughtful Review of Tax Policies, which can be downloaded through this link.

Raising the minimum wage doesn't reduce income inequality – economic growth does

If income inequality is a problem – and there’s no consensus that it is (see here and here) – economic growth is the best way to reduce the disparities. Scott Winship, whose work on this issue has been outstanding, writes at e21: … it is the fragility of the economy that lies behind concerns over […]

Gov's State of the State: Increase minimum wage, boost education spending, fund transportation package

In his State of the State address yesterday, Gov. Inslee introduced themes likely to resonate through the November elections.  Whether they will gain bipartisan  approval in the divided Legislature is less probable. The headlines: a minimum wage increase, $200 million in new education funding (including the oft-suspended teacher COLA) paid for with unspecified tax increases, […]

Justice Johnson files dissent in Supremes' education funding order – Court's impact on short session unclear

Last week I posted on the state Supreme Court majority opinion finding lawmakers failed to make adequate progress toward full funding of basic education as specified in the Court’s McCleary decision. I concluded: Substantial new funding in the short session is unlikely. Key legislators already question the need for any supplemental budget. After last year’s lengthy […]

Washington ranks 6th best in Tax Foundation's 2014 State Business Tax Climate Index

Once again, the Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation gives Washington high marks for its business tax climate. The map below shows how the 50 states fare on the annual report. The full report is here. As we’ve written before, the Tax Foundation methodology favors states without an income tax. Here’s from our post on last year’s […]

Time to take another look at "property tax swap" to boost school spending?

In my column today, I suggest lawmakers take another look at the property tax swap proposed last year. A couple of issues prompted the suggestion. A report by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities finding that most states have not returned to inflation-adjusted pre-recession per pupil spending. Comparatively, Washington looks pretty good. The legislature’s […]