State Economy
Washington State, like the rest of the nation, is struggling from the
effects of the recent economic recession. This downturn has been
especially hard-hitting: unemployment has risen to record levels,
increasingly people are living without health insurance, and more and
more Washingtonians are receiving food stamps. In order to set the
stage for economic recovery, lawmakers must take a balanced approach
that includes careful spending cuts and revenue increases so that vital
services are not eliminated at a time when people need them most.
Related research:
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Policy Agenda: Framework for Prosperity
- We lay out specific recommendations for targeted investments that bring our state closer to providing prosperity for all Washingtonians. We also provide revenue options to help pay for those investments.
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IN PURSUIT OF PROSPERITY: Eight Strategies to Rebuild Washington State's Economy
- By Lori Pfingst, PhD As our newly elected leaders reconvene for next legislative session and beyond, it is important they recognize that widely shared prosperity doesn’t happen by accident. History, supported by persuasive research, proves that prosperity happens when we deliberately invest in the foundations of a strong economy – broad and equal opportunity to build knowledge and skills, adequate compensation and support for workers, and adequate investments in conditions that foster economic growth.


