Dick Nelson is a former Washington State legislator. He currently contributes to the public debate on state and local fiscal issues through research and commentary. As when he was in the legislature,
While the city's residents just rejected a tax that included $18 million for streetcar planning, Seattle's Transit Master Plan envisions devoting most of a 20-year effort to streetcar lines.
Gov. Gregoire hints that enough pain is enough; we need to look at raising taxes or closing loopholes too. A veteran legislative budget writer suggests some smart ways to go about it, and warns of hurdles that could trip up the effort.
When opponents of the trade pact with South Korea say 59,000 jobs would be lost in Washington state, how factual is that claim, and where does it come from?
A look at the budget's changes over decades shows much bigger numbers but not as big as you might think. And these numbers reflect shifting public values, demographic shifts, federal programs, and bipartisan agreement over the nature of the growth.
A key legislative proposal from Seattle's Ed Murray would ask voters to restore majority rule on decisions to abolish the costly tax breaks handed out to businesses.
