24+ min ago  (492+ words) Washington Policy Center Washington’s fading fiscal shine - how decades of uncontrolled spending are eroding the states AAA credit rating Washington state still boasts one of the strongest credit profiles in the nation, but the warning lights are flashing. Moody’s recently…...

5+ day, 21+ hour ago  (309+ words) “Eric Zimmerman is a remarkable mind and an incredible resource for our state,” praised Steven Hatting, President and CEO of WPC. “His collaborative, data-centric approach to public policy intellectually frees him to pursue evidence wherever it leads for solutions and…...

1+ week, 4+ hour ago  (551+ words) Washington Policy Center NFIB report shows Washington small businesses are feeling the pinch of labor costs, regulations and high taxes A new NFIB Washington Small Business Economic Trends report delivers sobering news for the state’s small business community. The data…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago  (172+ words) America's 250th birthday is more than a celebration of our past. It is a chance to recommit ourselves to our future. America's next 250 years won't be determined by what government does for us. They'll be determined by what free people choose…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago  (302+ words) Another small business falls to Seattle’s failed crime policies Washington Policy Center Another small business falls to Seattle’s failed crime policies The closure of Aluel Cellars’ Capitol Hill tasting room is more than the loss of Seattle’s only winery in…...

2+ week, 6+ min ago  (167+ words) For the first time ever, state gas taxes will automatically increase starting today, July 1st. The 2% increase in Washington State's gas tax will automatically take effect this year (and every year subsequent) on July 1st. The legislature put gas tax policy on…...

2+ week, 4+ day ago  (406+ words) Also encouraging, all applicants who met the program’s contribution requirement and then completed a health assessment were approved based on their need for help with activities of daily living. That matters. WA Cares is supposed to help people with long-term…...

2+ week, 4+ day ago  (167+ words) The near-term improvement is also driven largely by one-time money. A surge in capital gains collections in fiscal 2026 raised the account those revenues flow into by about $1.28 billion for the biennium. Looking ahead to 2027–29, the Council projects $82.164 billion in revenue....

2+ week, 6+ day ago  (153+ words) A new report from the Downtown Seattle Association delivers a stark verdict on Seattle’s signature economic experiment. Five years after the city imposed a JumpStart payroll tax on large employers, downtown Seattle has shed roughly 30,000 jobs. Office building values have…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago  (180+ words) The column ends with the much more important question for the future of our state: will state government use this money well? On that score, the record is not encouraging. That surprise $750 million in collections is likely to close less…...