Blog

Competitiveness key to landing Boeing 777X: Inslee announces aerospace strategy

Gov. Jay Inslee has joined the competitiveness battle, a high stakes bid to assure that the Boeing 777X is built here. The Seattle Times writes: Gov. Jay Inslee proposes funding a new cargo facility at the Port of Everett, extending Boeing’s tax breaks and streamlining the local permitting process in Everett as part of a […]

New study finds Seattle has nation's 8th worst traffic congestion

Emily wrote earlier today about the House Transportation Committee’s work on a new funding plan. Also today the Puget Sound Business Journal reported on a new study confirming commuter perceptions. Seattle’s traffic problems are the eighth-worst in the country, according to a new study by Kirkland-based traffic data company Inrix. According to the sixth Inrix […]

Revised Connecting Washington transportation package moves forward, including gas tax increase

Earlier this year, Rep. Clibborn introduced a 10-year, $10 billion transportation package called Connecting Washington. (I wrote about the details of that proposal here.) Since then, less expansive transportation budgets have been passed by the House and Senate. Last week, Clibborn introduced a revised version of her plan, which would spend $8.4 billion over 12 […]

Transportation regulatory reform: streamlining and expediting

In addition to the “bare-bones” transportation budget bills that were passed in the House and Senate last week, the House passed (by a vote of 93 to 1) a transportation regulatory reform bill (ESHB 1978) “that expedites the delivery of transportation projects through a streamlined approach to environmental decision making.” ESHB 1978 “recognizes the opportunity […]

The Columbia River Crossing and the House- and Senate-passed transportation budgets

This week, both the House and Senate passed 2013–15 transportation budgets. They are both “bare-bones,” as Sen. Eide said of the Senate version. (In a policy brief last month, we wrote about the importance of funding transportation.) The House-passed budget, ESHB 1864, passed April 16 by a 68-28 vote. 2013–15 spending would total $8.480 billion. […]

Northwest coal ports and American railroad success

The Economist, England’s business-oriented news magazine, features the Northwest’s coal export controversy this week. The relatively short piece offers both sides a chance to state their case. Balance in coverage of this issue can be hard to find. It’s worth a read. An associated story from the previous week should not be missed. It deals […]

New Brief: Legislative Congestion Shouldn't Stall Transportation Fix

Washington hasn’t increased the gas tax in eight years, but transportation system maintenance needs and demand for new projects have grown. As the 2012 Connecting Washington Task Force report explains, Fuel tax increases in 2003 and 2005 made it possible to issue bonds to pay for 421 transportation projects throughout the state. That means the […]

Official state revenue forecast comes out at noon today. View with caution.

In my column today I suggest lawmakers take a cautious view of the numbers. The state, national and global economies continue to face substantial risk. A balanced budget is, of course, a priority. But With much risk beyond their control, lawmakers should be cautious in their spending and prudent in maintaining adequate budget reserves. They […]

2013 National Infrastructure Report Card Improves to a D+

The American Society of Civil Engineers released its quadrennial report card on the nation’s infrastructure today. It’s less lousy than it was four years ago. As the New York Times reports: It is the first time in the 15 years that the engineering organization has conducted its study that the grade has improved. The report […]

The Economist magazine looks to the states and finds policy innovation and growing economies.

This issue of The Economist has a look at the American economy. Offsetting the predictable despair over the antics and inaction in D.C. is a positive assessment of American entrepreneurs and the dynamism in the states, what they call the America that works. A couple of excerpts then I encourage you to RTWT. Pressed for […]