Media Coverage

2010 Media Coverage

A Specter Haunting Washington: The Income Tax Debate Returns From the Dead Yet Again

03.05.2010 | Olympia Newswire | There’s a specter haunting Washington state, and to many Democrats and Republicans, it might as well be communism. But it’s not communism. Indeed it’s not even socialism. It’s the notion that the wealthy should pay as large a percentage of their income in taxes as everyone else. And that in recessions— when tax revenues decline because people are unemployed or spending less, and more businesses are struggling— those who can pay more taxes should, so that government can continue to provide basic services for everyone. It’s the proposal, in short, that Washington state should adopt an income tax.

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Sales tax on vehicle trade-ins may return

02.25.2010 | News Tribune, Olympian | Senate budget writers proposed getting rid of a tax break on the value of traded-in property to save $92 million next year. There are pros and cons to repealing the tax, said Marilyn Watkins, policy director for the Economic Opportunity Institute, a think tank that has argued for eliminating tax exemptions.

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Too Many Cuts, Too Few Taxes: The State Legislature’s Budget Proposals Are Out of Balance

02.23.2010 | Olympia Newswire | Mark your calendar. Tuesday, February 23, 2010 was the high water mark in our state government’s efforts to preserve Washington’s health, education and human-services infrastructure against the ravages of the Great Recession. From here, things will only get worse. And even now, things aren’t so great. Marilyn Watkins of the Economic Opportunity Institute, another liberal think tank, thinks the Senate should reconsider their approach.

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$500M in tax breaks targeted to help close budget gap

02.23.2010 | Seattle Times | Senate Democratic leaders on Tuesday proposed a budget that would pare 26 tax loopholes and exemptions, bringing back $500 million a year to the state treasury. They also want to ensure closer scrutiny of any future tax exemptions. That's only a small slice of the more than $50 billion a biennium worth of state tax breaks on the books. Comments from Marilyn Watkins, policy director for the Economic Opportunity Institute.

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WA Lawmakers on Early Learning: Promises Today, Funds Tomorrow

02.22.2010 | Washington News Service, Lake Stevens Journal | With all the state budget talk in Olympia, Washington's youngest residents haven't gotten much media attention, but early learning is another hot topic at the Capitol. A package of four bills to be heard in committee today makes a commitment to fund early learning programs for pre-kindergarteners and services for families of children from birth to age three - not now, but when the state can afford it. Hannah Lidman, senior policy associate with the Economic Opportunity Institute, says a growing body of research shows that helping young families is an investment in the state's future.

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Proposal: Double estate tax to help pay for student aid

02.12.2010 | The Olympian | Democratic Rep. Maralyn Chase introduced a bill that would double the state's estate tax Friday. House Bill has five co-sponsors including two Olympia-area Democrats, Reps. Brendan Williams and Sam Hunt. HB 3184 would raise the tax rates for estates valued less than $1 million from 10 percent to 20 percent. The left-of-center Economic Opportunity Institute notes on its list of tax options that the federal estate tax expired on Jan. 1, and it estimates the higher state tax would bring in $65.8 million.

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Liberal Revenue Agents: 115 Groups Unite to Promote New Taxes

02.04.2010 | Olympia Newswire | The quality of life for tens of thousands of Washington’s most vulnerable residents depends on a group with a clunky name that most of them have not, and will never, hear of: the Rebuilding Our Economic Future Coalition. The Coalition’s lobbyists are putting options before legislators drawn from the work of liberal economists like the Economic Opportunity Institute’s Marilyn Watkins.

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The $700 million question: Will state officials get serious about closing tax loopholes?

01.20.2010 | Real Change News | Last week, Gov. Chris Gregoire announced her keenly awaited proposal to close tax loopholes in order to help shrink the state’s $2.6 billion deficit. Education, health and human-services advocates hoped for a big number, but they were disappointed. In fact, Gregoire’s plan fell about $2.584 billion short.

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Report: Cutting WA State Budget = Cutting WA Jobs

1.18.2010 | Public News Service | A Washington economist who has crunched the numbers warns that the more budget cuts the legislature makes, the more jobs the state will lose. Marilyn Watkins, policy director with the Economic Opportunity Institute, says the effects of state spending ripple through the economy, from buying supplies and hiring contractors to the paychecks state employees spend in local businesses.

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