Blog / Blogs / Washington Policy Blog

Washington Policy Blog

Email

Despite claims, transportation proposal not only benefits drivers

June 18, 2013 in Blog

Senator Curtis King (R-Yakima) produced a transportation funding proposal that focuses on preservation and maintenance, while allowing local options for transit districts statewide. Immediately after this package was introduced, critics stated that the package didn't benefit other modes of transportation.

Groups oppose the plan on the following grounds:

State Board of Education postpones vote on weakening School Achievement Index

June 18, 2013 in Blog

As I reported yesterday, the State Board of Education has postponed its vote to weaken Washington’s School Achievement Index.  The fifteen-member Board, led by Chairman Jeff Vincent, has decided to take up less controversial topics during its meeting tomorrow in Olympia. Click here to see the meeting agenda.

State revenue up another $231 million - $2 billion more for 2013-15

June 18, 2013 in Blog

Good news for state budget writers - today's revenue forecast has further increased projected revenue for the current and next budget by a combined $231 million for a total increase of more than $2 billion for 2013-15.

From today's Revenue Forecast:

It’s Nice to Acknowledge National Small Business Week—but Actions Speak Louder Than Words

June 17, 2013 in Blog

Today is the start of National Small Business Week, first designated in 1963 as a way to recognize the important role small businesses play in our nation’s economy.    Accordingly, President Obama is paying the expected platitudes to our nation’s job creators. 

Seattle's Climate Policy on Drugs

June 17, 2013 in Blog

Sometimes the simplest things can expose so much. Seattle's debate about the impact on climate policy of growing pot within city limits demonstrates how silly and ineffective some of Seattle's climate policies really are, contradicting the city's own "buy local" efforts.

As KUOW reports today, Seattle City Councilman Mike O'Brien is concerned that growing marijuana in Seattle will make it difficult to meet the City's goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. O'Brien told KUOW:

State Board of Education cancels vote to weaken School Achievement Index

June 17, 2013 in Blog

This Wednesday, June 19th, the State Board of Education meets in Olympia to discuss revisions to the School Achievement Index to reduce the rigor of the performance criteria used to evaluate schools, as I’ve explained here.  Originally, they planned to vote on the revisions after taking public testimony. 

State may want to keep those death tax refunds on hand

June 17, 2013 in Blog

Lawmakers may have thought they dodged a bullet last week when passing a retroactive death tax "fix" to a state Supreme Court ruling which would have required refunds but with additional litigation pending due to the retroactive nature of the tax increase the state may still end up paying those court ordered refunds.

New transportation proposal would focus on preservation and maintenance, not costly rail

June 14, 2013 in Blog

Senator King (R-Yakima) recently proposed a strong transportation package. It wouldn’t divert funds to the costly Columbia River Crossing project or to subsidizing transit, contrasting the House proposal and delivering direct benefits to drivers.

Spokesman-Review columnist ignores the cruelty of high minimum wage law that bans entry-level jobs

June 14, 2013 in Blog

Shawn Vestal's column today in The Spokesman-Review touting our state's higher wages compared to Idaho's leaves out an inconvenient truth: Washington's high minimum wage is meaningless if you can't find a job.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Idaho's unemployment rate (6.1%) is almost a full percentage point lower than Washington's (7%), meaning thousands of people in Idaho have family income and job opp

While you were sleeping - Senate passes/Inslee signs retroactive death tax increase

June 14, 2013 in Blog

Beating a Friday morning deadline to keep the Department of Revenue from issuing court ordered refunds, the Legislature yesterday approved HB 2075 - a retroactive change to the state's death tax. The new law undoes a unanimous State Supreme Court ruling which required death tax refunds to certain estates. 

Business Taxes Will Increase Yet Again

June 13, 2013 in Blog

The state Employment Security Department announced yesterday that Washington state's average annual wage grew by 3.4% last year to $51,595.  The average weekly wage rose from $959 to $992.  ESD says most of the wage increase was driven not by increased wages for all workers, rather by strong growth in industries that offer above-average pay—a 6.1% increase in the number of workers earning more than $75,000.

Tax increases for compensation enhancements?

June 13, 2013 in Blog

Though various reform bills proposed by the Senate have been pointed to by state Democrats and Governor Inslee as holding up a budget deal, the real sticking point continues to be whether to increase taxes despite the fact state revenues are currently projected to increase by $2 billion for the 2013-15 biennium (and may increase more at next week's Revenue Forecast).

Senate education reformers act to improve classroom instruction

June 11, 2013 in Blog

Over the weekend, the Senate Majority Coalition, in negotiations with the House Democrats over the budget, continued to push for ending the “Dance of the Lemons”; the practice of force-placing bad teachers from school to school, which I’ve written about here, here, and

Olympia's Retroactive Tax "Twilight Zone"

June 11, 2013 in Blog

Today is the last day of the 1st Special Session for lawmakers to finish work on the 2013-15 budget. So where do we stand? Here are the thoughts of House Majority Leader Rep. Sullivan (D) as quoted in The Olympian:

“We are still pretty far apart,” Sullivan said, noting that Gov. Jay Inslee had said last month that the chambers were light years apart. “I would say we are still somewhere out in space.’’

Taxpayer-Funded "EcoConsumer" Avoids Data While Attacking Private Alternative to Government Program

June 11, 2013 in Blog

When innovators working in a free-market come up with a better, environmentally friendly solution to a problem, what is the reaction of government agencies? Attack it.

Tom Watson, a King County employee who calls himself the "EcoConsumer," offers his thoughts on how to be a good environmentalist. On his (taxpayer-paid) blog, you will find a range of topics, from praise for Occupy Wall Street to recommending that people eat more kimchi (he calls it one of the "most enviro-friendly foods you can eat" but doesn't explain why).