Business Climate
WPC's Center for Small Business focuses on improving Washington's small business climate by working closely with business owners and policymakers. The Center provides accurate information and analysis on the state's regulatory climate, tax structure, health insurance systems, and more.
Publications
2007 Legislative Session: Problem-Solving Legislation Only Creates Further Headaches
The theme of just about every legislative session seems to be, “More Needs to Be Done.” More problems need to be addressed, more action taken, more legislation passed. A search through the 2,500 bills introduced this year demonstrates the legislature’s desire to fix just about any problem imaginable. The only way to repair society’s ills, many lawmakers think, is by legislating problems out of existence.
Competitive Contracting Keeps King County's Accountability and Service High
For almost twenty years, King County has contracted with the private sector to provide recyclable hauling services—a service where a private company picks up recyclable waste at division transfer stations and drop boxes and hauls it to private recycling processors.
Sharpening the Focus on Climate Change in Washington
This short paper addresses three key questions, which require some focused attention and should temper the current public concern, as well as GHG reduction policy decisions.
Washington Policy Center Special Luncheon Featuring U.S. Ambassador to Singapore Pat Herbold
In an increasingly connected world, international ties are not a secondary matter but a primary concern. Pat Herbold, the current U.S. Ambassador to Singapore and former Washington Policy Center board member, illustrated the importance of our international relationships in her first official public appearance in Seattle since her appointment by President Bush in 2005.
Living Wage Proposals
Fulfilling the American Dream is most often defined as working hard, paying taxes, buying a home, obeying the law, starting a family, etc. For the most part, gainful employment is one of the cornerstones to achieving the American Dream. Employment brings paychecks, which provide housing, food, clothing, and more.
Our social and economic system is designed to provide everyone with a fair shot at success—but no one is guaranteed that success. In reality, whether through fault of their own or not, not every worker earns the big paychecks to provide fancy cars and large homes. Many people get by on a paycheck-to-paycheck basis, saving little for the future and worrying about how to pay their bills.
It's Time to Modernize Our State's Ma-Bell Era Telecom Laws
One of the basic tenets of government since the early 20th century, both nationally and locally, has been to protect. Protect consumers, employees, employers, and many more stratifications. Sometimes protection was warranted; and other times government regulators made mountains out of molehills.
The Revamped "Fair Share Act" is Still Wrong in Principle and Practice
Two new proposals would require all companies in Washington with 1,000 or more employees to provide health insurance benefits to their employees or pay compensation costs or a fine to the state treasury if an employee receives health insurance from the state. Employers would be required to report the number of employees to the Health Care Authority and the Department of Social and Health Services, which would then cross-reference the roster with those appearing on the state’s Basic Health Plan (BHP) and Medical Assistance (MA) program rosters but companies would not know which employees are on the state’s lists. Both programs are taxpayer-funded systems that help subsidize health care for low-income families. Companies with employee names on the BHP or MA list would be required to either pay a fine or pay the employee’s health care costs to the state. In some cases the state could levy both assessments.
Raise the B&O Tax Exemption
The Business & Occupation (B&O) tax is widely referred to as a draconian tax that particularly punishes new and small businesses. Year after year, legislators try to find ways to fix this tax, and year after year, it remains an unrelieved burden to the business community.
Small Businesses May Need a Good Defense this Legislative Session
It is said that the best offense is a good defense. While that adage may aid the Sonics and Seahawks, for business owners that care about staying in the game of public policy, it fails to hold true. Playing continual defense is bad for small businesses because surviving, not winning, becomes the goal.
Let There Be 'Blight'
The city of Burien, Wash., recently decided that a piece of property owned by the seven Strobel sisters that had long housed a popular diner-style restaurant was not upscale enough for the city's ambitious "Town Square" development, which will feature condos, shops, restaurants and offices. Rather than condemn the property for a private developer and risk a lawsuit, Burien came up with a plan--it would put a road through the property, and the city manager told his staff to "make damn sure" it did. When a subsequent survey revealed that the road would not affect the building itself, but only sideswipe a small corner of the property, the staff developed yet another site plan that put the road directly through the building. A trial court concluded that the city's actions might be "oppressive" and "an abuse of power"--but allowed the condemnation anyway. The Washington Court of Appeals affirmed, and the Washington Supreme Court refused to hear the case.
