Unions formally rebuff Governor's request for health benefit changes

Illustrating once again the need for the Legislature to have the authority to make budget decisions concerning state employee compensation, state employee unions have rejected the Governor's request to make changes to the portion taxpayers pay for their health care. On Wednesday the Governor's budget director Marty Brown sent a letter to state unions informing them that the Governor was re-opening the 2011-13 health care benefits agreement "in order to negotiate a reduction in the employer premium contribution." Here is a copy of the OFM letter . . . READ MORE

Governor provides lawmakers with budget recommendations

Although the state's economy is beginning to show some signs of improvement as taxpayers are currently projected to provide approximately $2 billion more in revenue for the current budget than the last, state officials are still faced with the need to close a multi-billion dollar budget deficit. Governor Gregoire today presented the Legislature with a list of options of how to balance the budget during a special session set to begin on November 28. The Governor's budget reduction suggestions are available here . . . READ MORE

Governor asks unions to re-negotiate health care benefits

Tomorrow Governor Gregoire will be holding a press conference outlining her recommendations to address the state's budget deficit. Today her budget director Marty Brown sent a letter to state unions informing them that the Governor was re-opening the 2011-13 health care benefits agreement "in order to negotiate a reduction in the employer premium contribution." Here is a copy of the OFM letter . . . READ MORE

Sonntag tackles business regulations

Though he may be retiring at the end of his term next year, State Auditor Brian Sonntag is not scaling back his efforts to improve the performance of state government. This includes how government interacts with the economic engine necessary to provide the revenues to fund vital core functions: private enterprise. This is why Sonntag and his team are in the process of an important review of the state's regulatory environment. As noted by a March 2011 report . . . READ MORE

I-1183 liquor ads go under the microscope

With proponents and opponents of I-1183 (to end the state liquor monopoly) shattering state campaign contribution records for a ballot measure, the airwaves are about to see a binge of ads for and against the proposal. Hopefully future ads will fare better in truthfulness than some of those run to date. The Seattle Times has done a good job of separating fact and fiction from the current ads. Here is a sampling of their findings . . . READ MORE

ALEC Adopts Principles of Legislative Transparency

Members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have formally adopted "Principles of Legislative Transparency" to help guide how lawmakers conduct public business. ALEC is the nation's largest nonpartisan, individual membership organization of state legislators, with more than 2,400 legislator members from all 50 states, and 86 former members serving in the U.S. Congress. The ALEC Principles of Legislative Transparency were modeled after language drafted by the Washington Policy Center (WPC) to address various transparency abuses by the Washington State Legislature . . . READ MORE