October 29 , 2015 - Mary Strow
October 27 , 2015 - Mary Strow
We're Number Two…in organic farm sales
Here’s an interesting fact we missed last month: In 2014 Washington state’s organic farms ranked second in the nation for total sales of organic products. At $515 million in total sales, we were behind only California which clocked an impressive $2.2 billion. The total amount is the value of crop production sales plus the value of livestock […]
October 27 , 2015 - Emily Makings
A proposal for commercial rent control and lots of new taxes in Seattle
The state rent control ban applies specifically to residential structures. Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant saw the loophole there: Today she proposed rent control for commercial properties in Seattle. Her proposal is focused on small businesses, and it includes several other ideas “to strengthen independent and small businesses.” Here’s what she proposes: Commercial rent stabilization. […]
October 15 , 2015 - Mary Strow
October 15 , 2015 - Emily Makings
A new strategy for rent control?
Less than a month after the Seattle City Council approved a resolution asking the state Legislature to overturn the state ban on rent control, Councilmembers Kshama Sawant and Nick Licata are proposing an ordinance that would prohibit the imposition of rent increases while [a] rental property suffers from any defect that makes it unfit for […]
October 15 , 2015 - Kriss Sjoblom
Monthly employment report shows construction flat since January
The state Employment Security Department issued its employment report for September yesterday. The preliminary estimate is that seasonally-adjusted employment in Washington decreased by 2,200 from August to September. The estimate of July to August job growth was revised up to a gain of 5,200 jobs from the gain of 1,600 jobs previously announced. The preliminary estimate of June’s […]
October 12 , 2015 - Kriss Sjoblom
September 11 to October 10 state revenue collections were $27.9 million greater than forecasted
The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council issued its monthly Economic and Revenue Update this morning. Here are the key bullets on revenue from the summary: Major General Fund-State revenue collections for the September 11 – October 10, 2015 collection period came in $27.9 million (2.2%) above the September forecast. During the period there was a […]
October 09 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Value of Washington agriculture is $10.1 billion, and tariffs in several markets could be going down
Washington’s agricultural production in 2014 was valued at $10.119 billion, up from $10.061 billion in 2013. (The 2013 number was revised down from the figure that was released earlier this year.) Apples are still the highest-valued commodity in the state, at $1.896 billion. But their value declined by 11.2 percent over 2013, and by 23.6 […]
October 07 , 2015 - Mary Strow
Washington scores good – not great – on new "Opportunity Index"
Our friends at Opportunity Washington are out today with a brand-new assessment – called the “Opportunity Index” – of how Washington stacks up against the rest of the country on education, transportation and economic vitality. In partnership with the Association of Washington Business and the Washington Roundtable, the Research Council conducted a data-driven analysis of performance of all 50 states […]