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Washington State Budget 101
01.09.2012
| Where does state revenue come from, and how is it spent? Why does
Washington face budget deficits - and how big have budget cuts really
been? Get answers to these and other important budget and tax policy
questions in this convenient sheet.
$2 Billion in Progressive Annual Revenue for Washington
12.20.2011
| This brief lists, in detail, $2 billion in annual state revenue
that could be raised by asking the wealthiest corporations and people
to pay their fair share, ending tax preferences for big banks and
and commercial farms, and updating our tax code to reflect our 21st
century economy.
Washington’s minimum wage standard: Protecting workers and families during tough economic times
12.14.2011
| Washington state's minimum wage - the best state rate in the nation
- increases with the rate of inflation. This ensures full-time minimum
wage workers are able to earn enough to stay above the official
poverty line, which is not the case in many other states.
Washington's Working Women 2012
12.12.2011
| Washington's Working Women 2012 is EOI's annual snapshot of women's
economic security in Washington state. It finds women are becoming
increasingly vulnerable to economic instability and poverty. As
men are slowly returning to work, women are continuing to lose jobs;
and all the while, ongoing state, federal and local government budget
cuts are shredding the social safety net.
One Billion in Progressive Revenue
11.14.2011
| Washington legislators will convene a special session on November
28th to respond to a $1.4 billion drop in expected revenue for the
remainder of the 2011-13 state budget. As this fact sheet outlines,
by closing tax breaks that favor the few and wealthy, our state
can support up to $1 billion in public investments that create jobs
and protect our communities.
A Jobs and Recovery Plan for Washington
10.27.2011
| Washington’s economy will produce more jobs and rebound more quickly
if policymakers raise taxes rather than cut spending further. Ending
corporate tax breaks and maintaining investments of $2 billion in
education, health care, and services for struggling state residents
would result in 9,000 to 17,000 additional private and public sector
jobs.
Recent News and Opinion from EOI
Making most of 2012 means acting, not sitting
01.04.2012 | John Burbank | If there's a single lesson to be drawn from the events of 2011, it's this: Democracy is based on acting and doing, not sitting and watching. The actions of a sole protestor in Algeria, magnified by thousands of others, toppled dictators in Algeria, Egypt and Libya. People did not just watch — they marched, they protested, and they risked their livelihoods and their lives. No one even saw the “Arab Spring” coming until it had happened.
Full Column | Everett Herald »
Helping our low-income workers keep up
12.27.2011 | Marilyn Watkins and Christine L. Owens | In 1998, an overwhelming two-thirds of Washington voters supported a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage and adjust it upward each year to keep pace with the rising cost of living. As a result, there's a bright spot on the horizon for Washington's lowest-paid workers: On Jan. 1, Washington's minimum wage will increase by 37 cents to $9.04, the best in the nation.
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