Budget

After Cyprus, Euro Zone Will Slip into Depression

Posted March 29th, 2013 by MarketWatch Op-Ed

Obama Signs Funding Bill, Avoiding Shutdown

Posted March 27th, 2013 by The Hill

It’s the Perfect Time to Fix Our Roads and Bridges

Posted March 27th, 2013 by Bloomberg Columnist

Disability Insurance: America’s $124 Billion Secret Welfare Program

Posted March 27th, 2013 by The Atlantic

Democratic State Treasurer Says Wash. Business Taxes Are Too High

Posted March 23rd, 2013 by Jason Hagey | Olympia Business Watch

Washington’s tax system isn’t working for anyone, according to state Treasurer Jim McIntire. The regressive system over-taxes working families, McIntire said Thursday at AWB’s weekly Lobby Lunch gathering. But McIntire said he also believes businesses are over-taxed.

Movement Towards Tax Break Accountability

Posted March 23rd, 2013 by Andy Nicholas | Washington State Budget & Policy Center

Over the last two decades, policymakers have dramatically increased their use of tax breaks to further various legislative goals. As the graph below shows, the number of tax preferences on books has nearly doubled since 1990, rising to 640 from 333 over the last 23 years.

Latest State

Officials Explore Use of Temporary, Portable Bridge as Quick Fix

State Officials Looking at Using a Temporary Bridge

By Steve Miletich and Jack Broom | Seattle Times
I-5 Bridge Collapse Should Prompt Focus on Maintenance

Whatever Cause of Collapse, Incident Shows Need for Infrastructure Investment

By Editorial | Seattle Times
State Lawmakers Vote No on Flaws, Yes to Retouching

Shocker! Solons Get Photoshop Help in Official Portraits

By Melissa Santos | The News Tribune
PDC: Tacoma PAC That Sent Attack Mailers Against Connelly Violated State Law

State's Million-Dollar Candidate Was Attacked by Supporters of Jeannie Darneille

By Lewis Kamb | The News Tribune
Students Help Expand Scholarship Opportunities

Washington State’s Opportunity Scholarship Program is Right to Turn to its Scholars for Help Broadening and Deepening the Program’s Reach

By Editorial
It’s Harder to be a Husky This Year — More Turned Away at UW

By Katherine Long | Seattle Times
Scholarships Aim to Encourage Students to Study Science, Engineering

Boeing, Microsoft Kick in $25 Million for Scholarship Program

By Glenn Farley | KING-5 TV

Latest National/World

Menendez: We Don’t Have 60 Votes for Immigration Reform Bill

Democrats hold 55 votes in the Senate, and there are four members of the Gang of Eight who are Republicans. But not all Democratic votes are assured.

By Politico
The Rise of the Fourth Branch of Government

The result is that a citizen is 10 times more likely to be tried by an agency than by an actual court.

By Washington Post Op-Ed
Analysis: Obama Expresses Regrets But Seeks To Retain Anti-Terror Powers

“To put it crassly, the president sought to rebuke his own administration for taking the positions it has — but also to make sure that it could continue to do so.”

By Washington Post
Low-Skilled Workers Get Raw Deal Under Obamacare

Obamacare's requirement that insurance policies include "essential" benefits such as mental health services apply only to small businesses with fewer than 50 employees.

By Real Clear Politics
Seven Thrilling Facts About Carbon Taxes from the CBO

The burden imposed by a tax of $20 per ton on CO2 emissions would amount to 1.8 percent of before-tax income for households in the lowest quintile and about 0.7 percent of before-tax income for households in the highest quintile.

By Washington Post
German Solar Will Cost 4X Finnish Nuclear

The Olkiluoto nuclear reactor in Finland is commonly perceived as the poster child of construction delays and cost overruns.

By Real Clear Energy
How Ideas From Private Industry Help Combat Medicare Fraud, Waste, And Abuse

Such fraud-control programs in consumer banking have reduced losses by more than two-thirds over twenty years despite more sophisticated and more global fraud activities.

By Health Affairs

Budget

After Cyprus, Euro Zone Will Slip into Depression

Obama Signs Funding Bill, Avoiding Shutdown

It’s the Perfect Time to Fix Our Roads and Bridges

Disability Insurance: America’s $124 Billion Secret Welfare Program

Democratic State Treasurer Says Wash. Business Taxes Are Too High

Movement Towards Tax Break Accountability

U.S. Senate Narrowly Passes First Budget in Four Years

Cyprus Reports ‘Progress’ in EU Bailout Talks

Mismanaged State Pensions Bill Taxpayers for Shortfall

Search for ‘Plan B’: ECB Sets Ultimatum as Cyprus Moves toward Deal