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The Straight Facts on Social Security
08.15.2009
| Far more than a retirement program,
Social Security is the bedrock of economic
security for millions of children and
parents, as well as working and retired
Americans. As a nation, we can easily
afford Social Security - the Trust Fund
is secure, and the program is in good
shape financially now and far into the
future.
But we can improve on Social Security's winning formula.
Recent Publications and News Highlights
401(k) now a "201(k)"? Time to look at other options for retirement income security
08.03.2009
| Without dramatic changes to our country’s private-sector pension and
retirement saving system, most workers will not be able to save enough
for a comfortable retirement. A Universal Voluntary Retirement Account
(UVRA) program would promote future retirees’ economic security by making
it possible for all workers to save for retirement
at their workplace.
As costs rise at Washington’s public universities, students and families are “Losing by Degrees”
07.27.2009
| Washington State is falling behind in
the effort to build a world class education system as continued cuts
in state funding and the corresponding tuition hikes mean fewer, more
expensive slots at public universities and colleges for Washington
families. With public funding for state higher education at a 30-year
low, Losing
by Degrees calls on state leaders to identify new sources of public
revenue to increase public investment in higher education in order
to build a more competitive economy, and warns of lost economic security
and decreased business competitiveness if no action is taken.
Voters send clear signal: Leave vital services intact
11.11.09 | John Burbank Voters east of the Cascades turned conventional wisdom on its head last week.
These voters are often portrayed by the Seattle media market as conservative, anti-tax, anti-government citizens. Turns out they can recognize snake oil as soon as they see it. Twelve out of 20 counties in Eastern Washington rejected Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1033.
But the election wasn’t only about rejection of measures to hobble public services. It was also about increasing funding for these services at the local level.
Full Column | Everett Herald »
Keep services in mind when cursing taxes
10.14.2009 | John Burbank | A couple of weeks ago I was speaking to a group of employees at the Everett Labor Temple. One woman raised her hand and asked how we were going to protect ourselves from the government taking our money for taxes. I asked her where she worked, and she responded that she worked for the Marysville School District. That means her family’s income depends upon us, the taxpayers. So I thought it might be handy to sketch a few equations that we tend to forget about.
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