House Finance Committee discusses B&O reform

The House Finance Committee continued its important interim work discussing the state's tax structure by holding a work session yesterday on ways to reform the B&O tax. Earlier this year the Committee discussed what the principles of the state's tax system should be. I had the opportunity yesterday's to give a presentation on WPC's proposal to modify the state's current B&O tax to a Single Business Tax, or gross-receipts margins tax . . . READ MORE

2014 supplemental budget will need to keep state spending limit in mind

After going through multiple special sessions to adopt the state's 2013-15 budget, the last thing lawmakers will want to do is fight about a 2014 supplemental budget. State agencies, however, have already submitted their 2014 supplemental budget wish list requesting a combined increase in spending of $895 million and 806 new FTEs . . . READ MORE

No more ludicrous speed lawmaking

Now that lawmakers have saved the state's Boeing "destiny for a generation" (pending a Wednesday vote by Boeing unions), let's hope we can get them to commit to abandoning future "ludicrous speed" lawmaking. As noted by NFIB's (National Federation of Independent Business) testimony earlier this week, if a legislative proposal is good public policy it will still be good policy after the public has a chance to read, understand and comment on the proposal . . . READ MORE

Tax exemptions, transparency, and a hotel bill

I was supposed to be on the road to Olympia this morning for a Thursday House Finance Work Session to discuss tax exemptions and WPC's recommendation to eliminate targeted tax exemptions and instead replace the B&O tax with a revenue neutral single business tax. With the Governor calling a Boeing Special Session for Thursday at 9 a.m., however, the House work session has been understandably canceled . . . READ MORE

Look for election results tonight, tomorrow, and in the weeks to come

For most election races we will probably know the outcome sometime tonight. For those close races, however, it will take a few more days and perhaps weeks to know the victors. That is because that although Washington is all vote by mail, ballots aren't due on Election Day but simply need to be postmarked. For our neighbors in Oregon, however, their ballots are actually due on Election Day . . . READ MORE