News & Stories

Not enough money to keep food on the table. That’s the challenge for more than 15 percent of Washington households, according to new data from the agency responsible for federal food and nutrition programs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the number of Washington households considered “food insecure” has crept up since 2006, from slightly […]

The latest job trends update from the National Employment Law Project finds lower-wage employment grew 2.7 times faster than mid- and higher-wage occupations during the economic recovery: Lower-wage occupations ($7.69 – $13.83/hr.) were 21 percent of recession losses, but 58 percent of recovery growth. Mid-wage occupations ($13.84 – $21.13/hr.) were 60 percent of recession losses, […]

A recent report shows why education may be key to lowering the unemployment rate. In a nod to the increasing importance of a college degree, a report from the Brookings Institution finds a shortage of educated workers is keeping unemployment high – and holding back economic recovery. Following a study of the largest 100 metro […]

From The Lost Decade of the Middle Class: In the half century following World War II, American families could always count on rising prosperity. Each decade ended with family incomes higher than what they were at the start. That is no longer the case. Years of slow growth punctuated by two recessions left American families […]

Longtime State Senate leaders Lisa Brown (D-Spokane) and Joe Zarelli (R-Ridgefield) are retiring this year. Join us as they discuss the challenges facing Washington, including the budget shortfall, school funding, skyrocketing tuition, health care and more. Zarelli and Brown will candidly address the choices elected leaders face on these issues, and the players – big […]

The Pew Research Center’s newest report is making waves with its findings: the American middle class is shrinking amidst one of its most difficult decades. Over one-third of respondents to the Pew survey said hard work is no longer enough to get ahead in America, and 85% of those who self-identified as middle class say […]

On July Fourth, we here in Washington actually got to appreciate a little bit of summer … finally. August delivered some hot weather that our friends back East would have easily claimed as a respite from their humidity and heat. Now we have this great weather, with the air cooling off and beautiful blue skies. […]

The New York Fed recently released new data on national student debt, painting a bleak picture of the future for middle class students and their families: the total amount of student debt has grown to $902 million – and average of $24,301 per person. To make matters worse, it’s increasingly likely that many students with […]

As long as Arthur Laffer and ALEC give Washington a negative economic outlook, there’s reason for hope The Washington Policy Center (WPC) says our state’s economic future is none too bright, based on a low “economic outlook” ranking from Arthur Laffer and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). But if history is any guide, we’ve […]

The Seattle Coalition for a Healthy Workforce has a nice summary of Seattle’s Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance, with information for workers and employers alike – check it out here.

Progress doesn’t happen in a moment, it happens in a movement – and the movement to safeguard public health and provide basic financial security for workers is picking up steam. Across the country, grassroots organization, civic engagement, and a whole lot of elbow grease have been successful in securing paid sick leave for workers in Seattle, San […]

Historically, pensions, savings, and Social Security have been the three pillars of American retirement security. But with the disappearance of private sector pensions, Wall Street’s wild swings threatening 401Ks, and misinformation about Social Security fueling a push for unnecessary cuts, the retirement security of Americans is at risk. But retirement security isn’t just a problem for seniors […]

Complaints about the minimum wage are a favorite refrain among so–called small business advocates like the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB). But their argument’s fatal flaw is the assumption that happier workers and higher profits are mutually exclusive. According to Zeynep Ton, a professor of Operations Management at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, many retailers […]

A few months ago, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) made waves with these choice words about students burdened by debt: I went through school, I worked my way through, it took me seven years, I never borrowed a dime of money. He [her husband] borrowed a little bit of money because we both were totally on […]

After passing the California State Senate in late May, private sector employees in the Golden State are one step closer to a low-cost, low-risk, and completely portable retirement savings option provided by the state. Senate Bill 1234 would provide a retirement plan that sponsors say would complement Social Security income for low-income retirees. The bill […]

At one time, a college degree was almost a guarantee of homeownership. Now, high student loan debt is locking many graduates out of the housing market. A recent report from the Young Invincibles shows growing student debt burdens are excluding many otherwise-qualified graduates from the home-buying market – a trend that’s sure to crimp the tepid economic recovery. […]

Over 100 business owners, HR representatives, and employers packed into conference rooms at the Swedish Medical Center in Ballard this afternoon as Karina Bull, an attorney with the Seattle Office for Civil Rights, fielded questions about compliance with the city’s paid sick days ordinance, set to go into effect September 1st. When the new law […]

Economists, business owners, and policy experts agree: a raise for America’s lowest paid workers is long overdue. The federal minimum wage hasn’t risen in three years, and at $7.25 an hour, it’s actually worth less than minimum wage in 1968. Standing in the way of incremental increases in the minimum wage are groups like the […]

Homeownership has been a hallmark of the American dream since the days of westward expansion, but today that dream has never been more fragile. Every day, families struggle to make payments on underwater mortgages in a depressed housing market, threatening not just middle class prosperity, but our entire economic recovery. Left alone, it could take […]

From the Tacoma News Tribune A new Senate education committee report on the nation’s for-profit colleges paints a disturbing picture of billions in taxpayer dollars being spent on student aid, with precious little to show for it. Tuition at these colleges tends to be pricey, with associate degrees costing at least four times as much as […]

Recently, the IRS reported the average tax rate of the top 400 highest earning Americans. With average earnings of $200 million per filer, you might think this group paid a tax rate close to the maximum, but you’d be wrong. In 2009, this elite group enjoyed an average tax rate of just 19.9% – closer to someone […]

Arthur Laffer’s economic predictions don’t hold up – even using his own numbers Yesterday I examined the numerous flaws in the American Legislative Exchange Council’s publication “Rich States, Poor States” (RSPS), written by Arthur Laffer. But let’s set all that aside for now, and see how RSPS does when measured by its own standards – […]

Many voters are going to be disappointed even before they cast their ballots in November. They will receive their ballots in the mail, search for their party’s legislative candidates, and find no candidates. Instead, they have but one choice … which is tantamount to no choice at all. If you live in Edmonds in the […]

If you want your state’s economy to grow, do the opposite of what ALEC and Arthur Laffer recommend. Each year since 2007, the conservative bill mill and stealth corporate lobby group known as the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has teamed up with Dr. Arthur Laffer, known as the “father of supply side economics”, to […]

Today, on its 77th birthday, our Social Security system is more important than ever. In a world of risky investment schemes and unpredictable markets, Social Security is a fortress of security and reliability. In this uncertain world, where no one is invulnerable to the tragedy of premature death or serious and permanent disability, Social Security […]

The recent tepid jobs report is a reminder that as a country we still have work to do to ensure future prosperity. But as we look to rebuild our economy and strive for growth in GDP, Robert Kennedy’s famous words from 1968 should ring in our ears: Gross National Product counts air pollution and cigarette […]

Wondering how Seattle’s new Paid Sick and Safe Leave ordinance will impact you or your business? Learn more about it at one of these free workshops open to the public: August 13 – South Seattle: at Tutta Bella in Columbia City, co-sponsored by the MLK Business Association, Columbia City Business Association, and the Rainier Chamber […]