Open Government
WPC's Center for Government Reform's mission is to partner with stakeholders and citizens to work toward a government focused on its core functions while improving its transparency, accountability, performance, and effectiveness for taxpayers.
Publications
Rethinking Washington State Parks: How to Avoid Governor Inslee’s Plan to Close 60 State Parks
Leonard Gilroy, Director of Government Reform at Reason Foundation,
and adjunct scholar, Washington Policy Center
In his “Working Washington” report issued earlier this year, Gov. Jay Inslee proposes a range of new taxes to help increase funding for education and other state services, including Washington’s cash-strapped state parks system.[1] Without an additional $23.7 million in new funding, the governor warns that “up to 60 state parks could be closed year round or seasonally.”
Five Items Lawmakers Should Include in the 2013-15 budget
Jason Mercier, Director, Center for Government Reform
, May, 2013Governor Inslee has called a 30-day Special Session to begin on May 13th so that lawmakers can complete their unfinished work on the 2013-15 state budget. One of the major sticking points in ongoing budget negotiations is the House’s controversial decision to propose more than $1 billion in job killing tax increases.
Medicaid Expansion Is Wrong for Washington State
Drew Gonshorowski, WPC Adjunct Scholar and researcher at The Heritage Foundation's Center for Data Analysis
, April, 2013Expanding Medicaid is a key element of the federal Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare. Originally, the law required states to extend the public health program to cover individuals and families who make up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. If a state refused, the feds would cancel all of its Medicaid funding.
Definition of ‘Tax Increase’ Debated
Jason Mercier, Director, Center for Government Reform
, April, 2013When the 2013 Legislative Session began this past January, tax increases in Washington state were a longshot.
First there was the voters’ most recent confirmation (for the fifth time) of the state’s two-decade old law requiring a supermajority vote in the legislature to raise taxes. That proposal, Initiative 1185, received 64 percent of the vote and passed in every county of the state, including liberal King County.
State leaders should keep their promises, let temporary taxes expire
Jason Mercier, Director, Center for Government Reform
, April, 2013When the 2013 Legislative Session began this past January, tax increases in our state were a long shot.
First there was the voters’ most recent confirmation, for the fifth time, of our state’s two-decade-old law requiring a supermajority vote in the legislature to raise taxes. That proposal, Initiative 1185, received 64% of the vote (more than President Obama received) and passed in every county of the state, including King County.
Don't Pour State Taxes into Local Transit
Dann Mead Smith, President, Washington Policy Center
, March, 2013Puget Sound Business Journal published this column on March 8, 2013.
SB 5851: Creating a Defined-contribution Retirement Plan Option for Public Employees
Jason Mercier, Director, Center for Government Reform
, March, 2013Introduction
A long-standing Washington Policy Center recommendation is that the state transition from costly defined-benefit pension plans to a stable defined-contribution retirement plan for new state employees. A defined-benefit plan promises workers they will receive a certain dollar benefit level every month after they retire, while a defined-contribution plan provides workers a stable contribution toward the pension during their working life, along with tax-free employee contributions, which the worker can draw from during retirement.
Business Tax Should Be Simplified to Flat Rate
Jason Mercier, Director, Center for Government Reform
Erin Shannon, Director, Center for Small Business
In 1972, Washington voters considered an amendment to the state constitution to automatically end all special tax exemptions after 10 years unless they were reauthorized. That measure failed by a vote of 45 percent to 55 percent.
Proposition 2: A Reasonable Taxpayer Protection Policy
David A. Condon, Nancy McLaughlin and Chris Cargill
, January, 2013This column was published in The Spokesman-Review on January 20, 2013.
In 2004, Spokane Mayor Jim West told the people of Spokane something they often don’t like to hear. “We need to raise your taxes,” the mayor essentially said, referring to the need to fund the city’s 10-year street repair bond.
Obamacare Implementation Begins, While State Officials Propose More Health Care Taxes
Paul Guppy, Vice President for Research
, January, 2013Although it was intended to reduce health care costs, the federal Obamacare law contains a broad series of new taxes now taking effect in advance of full implementation of the mandatory program in January 2014. For example, a new 2.3 percent tax on medical devices started this month, which will raise the price of all medical supplies, from thermometers to pacemakers, used by doctors and nurses. Medical suppliers must pay the tax even if they don’t make a profit.