Press Room
Media contact:
Tara Lee, Communications Director
(206) 851-4452 - cell
Email: taraL (at) budgetandpolicy.org
2012
Editorial: " President Obama should put rising tuition blame on state legislatures." Our analysis on the ratio between higher education tuition and state support is cited. (January 26th, 2012)
Op-Ed: "One way to get off the revenue rollercoaster." Our Executive Director Remy Trupin explains how a five percent tax on capital gains would address some of the long-term structural problems with our revenue system. (January 22nd, 2012)
"Would you support a state capital gains tax?" Our Executive Director Remy Trupin discusses the benefit of a capital gains tax for Washington state. (January 19th, 2012)
"Dems. propose capital gains tax bill in Olympia." Our capital gains proposal and chart on the wealth distribution of capital gains are included. (January 17th, 2012)
"Democrat Jinkins adds capital gains tax to agenda." The proposal is based on our capital gains policy brief. (January 17th, 2012)
"Small-business group backs tax hike." Our policy brief on $10 billion in budget cuts is highlighted. (January 12th, 2012)
"Rep. Jinkins to propose capital gains tax." The proposal is based on our capital gains policy brief. (January 6th, 2012)
Seattle P.I. (A.P.)
"Definition of state budget cut hard to pin down." Policy Analyst Kim Justice discusses the human impact of budget cuts. (January 2nd, 2012)
2011
Op-Ed: "Progressives Debate the Sales Tax." Senior Policy Analyst Lori Pfingst discusses the need for a one-penny increase in the sales tax, paired with funding for the Working Families Tax Rebate. (December 6th, 2011)
"State tax compromise a long way away." Our capital gains proposal is among the ideas being reviewed to close the state's $2 billion budget gap. (December 3rd, 2011)
"Report: Recession still weighs heavily on children." Kids Count in Washington, our new partnership with the Children's Alliance is highlighted. (December 2nd, 2011)
"The Empty Drum Bangs the Loudest." Columnist Joel Connelly says, " Begin to popularize genuine reforms, such as those proposed by...Washington State Budget & Policy Center" (November 29th, 2011)
"Lefty think tank supports regressive sales tax, for now." Our idea to pair a sales tax increase with the Working Families Tax Rebate is featured.(November 29th, 2011)
Op-Ed: "Washington state's revenue system needs reasonable reform." Executive Director Remy Trupin highlights the need for reforming the revenue system to make it stable and sustainable. He argues we need short-term revenue to meet immediate needs, and long-term structural reform such as a tax on capital gains. (November 24th, 2011)
Editorial: "Cuts to higher education system could well be catastrophic." Our recent policy brief on declining support for education is included. (November 21st, 2011)
"No capital gains tax? We are at loss to explain that." Columnist Shawn Vestal explores our capital gains proposal and interviews Policy Analyst Andy Nicholas. (November 19th, 2011)
"All Talk, No Money for Education," highlights our recent policy brief on declining support for education. (November 16, 2011)
Op-Ed: "Three Solutions That Can Raise Revenue and Put the State's Budget on the Road to Recovery." Our Executive Director Remy Trupin lays out some ideas to raise revenue in the short-term and provide economic security in the long-term. (Nov. 9th, 2011)
"Seattle Think Tank Proposes New Capital Gains Proposal." Policy Analyst Andy Nicholas is interviewed about his new paper. (Nov. 3rd, 2011)
"Lefty Policy Center's Budget Solution: Tax the 3 percent." Our new capital gains proposal is highlighted. (Nov. 3rd, 2011)
"A New Proposal for Taxing Capital Gains in Washington state." (Nov. 3rd, 2011) Policy Analyst Andy Nicholas and Executive Director Remy Trupin are interviewed.
Op-Ed: "How Should the State Deal with the Budget Crisis?" (Nov. 1st, 2011). Executive Director Remy Trupin shares his thoughts.
"State Tax Ideas Pop Up." Our Executive Director Remy Trupin is interviewed and discusses some of our recommendations. (Oct. 30, 2011)
"Halting Meat-Axe Budget Cuts: A Modest Proposal." Columnist Joel Connelly highlights our Framework for Prosperity. (Oct. 27, 2011)
"Gregoire Suggests Impactful Cuts to Balance the State Budget." Includes our full statement in response to the Governor’s budget plan. (Oct. 27, 2011)
"Governor's Budget Starts with $2 billion in Cuts, but Will Tax Increase Follow?" Executive Director Remy Trupin is quoted, also highlights some of our proposals, and includes our full statement in response the Governor's budget plan. (Oct. 27, 2011)
"Gregoire Proposes Service and Pay Cuts." Includes part of our statement in response to the Governor's budget plan. (Oct. 27, 2011)
"Gregoire Recommends $2 billion In Cuts." Includes our entire statement in response to the Governor's budge plan. (Oct. 27, 2011)
"The Conversation." Policy Analyst Andy Nicholas discusses why this recession is different, and what we can do to restore our prosperity. (Oct.11, 2011)
“Hard times bite deep in Washington: Who will step up as the state steps away?” Our Senior Policy Analyst Lori Pfingst is discusses the impact of childhood poverty. (Oct. 4, 2011)
Spokesman Review
“In the new class war, meet America’s army of child soldiers.” Budget & Policy Center analysis of census data is highlighted. (Sept. 23, 2011)
PubliCola
Budget & Policy Center breakdown of the latest census data detailing the economic crisis in our state. (Sept. 23, 2011)
The Stranger
Slog: “Poorest Counties in Washington State.” Budget & Policy Center's graph showing poverty levels in Washington State. (Sept. 23, 2011)
Op-Ed: "Further Cuts are not an Option." Executive Director Remy Trupin responds to the September Revenue Forecast which shows $1.4 billion less that projected. (Sept. 15, 2011)
The News Tribune
"Citizen panel looks at tax exemptions." Policy Analyst Andy Nicholas discusses the new tax break audit report and wasteful tax preferences. (August 22, 2011)
KUOW
Weekday radio show. Senior Policy Analyst Lori Pfingst talks about the KIDS COUNT data release that showed 1 in 5 children in America are living in poverty. (August 17, 2011)
Publicola
"Afternoon Jolt: Tax Break Version." Publicola reports on the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) report, citing the Budget & Policy Center's analysis to explain how tax payers are the real loser in the tax break debate. (July 27, 2011)
Puget Sound Business Journal
"Washington state nonprofit service agencies brace for budget cut impact." Policy Analyst Kim Justice comments on the challenges nonprofit service agencies face. (June 10, 2011)
Puget Sound Business Journal
"How nonprofits will cope with state cuts." The Washington State Budget & Policy Center provides a comprehensive analysis of what programs will be hit by 2011 budget cuts. (May 27, 2011)
The Stranger
"A Vow to Fight Budget Cuts at the Ballot Box." The Washington State Budget & Policy Center points out that this new budget is 90 percent cuts—on top of plenty of cuts that have already been instituted in recent years. (May 24, 2011)
Seattle Times
Op-Ed: "Higher-education cuts mortgage Washington's future." Board Chair Aaron Katz discusses the consequences of higher education cuts as described in Kim Justice's report "Undermining Prosperity: Higher Education Cuts Weaken Access, Affordability, Quality." (May 11, 2011)
Everett Herald
"Legislators look at rolling back tax breaks to solve budget problem." Senate Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on three proposals aimed at helping fill the $5.1 billion budget deficit by altering or ending tax breaks. Andy Nicholas comments on how this would be a more balanced and rational budgeting process. (May 5, 2011)
Everett Herald
"Op-Ed: How we can rebuild." Remy Trupin writes that we must begin now to enact policy changes that will help us recover and ensure our state's future growth and prosperity. Together we must pursue forward-looking strategies and investments that will make our state stronger, ensure a stable recovery, and prepare us for any future economic downturns. (May 1, 2011)
Everett Herald
"Op-Ed: Legislators need to take a longer view." Remy Trupin discusses how the effects of proposed cuts in the budget will create larger costs to the state in the long term. A more responsible approach would weigh both the short- and long-term effects of a proposal, and make investments that will make Washington stronger over time. (April 16, 2011)
The Columbian
"Senate budget proposal quickly draws criticism." The Senate's proposed all-cuts budget cuts significantly from education, children's health care, the Disability Lifeline and more. The Budget and Policy Center comments on the devastating impacts of these cuts and the need for a rational, balanced approach to the budget. (April 13, 2011)
Bloomberg Businessweek
"Washington and Oregon, Taxing Neighbors." Disparities between Oregon's income and property tax and Washington's sales tax come at a cost for both states. Remy Trupin notes that both states are unstable because they are each missing a major note of the best-case tax structure. (April 11 - April 17, 2011)
The Stranger
"The Solution: Close tax loopholes." Washington state gives more than $6.5 billion in tax breaks; however, Andy Nicholas notes that not all tax breaks are bad. (Mar. 23, 2011)
The Stranger
"The Problem Isn't Runaway Spending." Despite right-wing rhetoric, our state's budget problems are caused by falling tax revenue. Remy Trupin discusses our revenue crisis. (Mar. 23, 2011)
Publicola
"Some Answers." Remy Trupin's testimony at a public hearing for SB 5872 led to some specific answers regarding how much state budget investments now will save in the future. (Mar. 17, 2011)
Governing Magazine
"The Legislative Funding Flaw." When state legislatures pass new programs but don't fund them, they may do more harm than good. Remy Trupin discusses the Working Families Tax Rebate program. (Mar. 1, 2011)
Seattle Times
"Ill-advised budget cuts can be devastating to rebounding from recession." There's no correlation between this government belt-tightening and economic health. At least in the short term, cuts hurt demand and public-sector layoffs add to the ranks of the unemployed at a time when private-sector hiring remains slow. (Feb. 19, 2011)
Crosscut.com
"State tax breaks for businesses need scrutiny now." Tax breaks use revenues from all taxpayers to benefit favored economic groups. They involve expenditures similar to those for other state programs and thus should be given comparable scrutiny for need and effectiveness. This is especially important as their number and monetary costs have increased over the years. (Feb. 2, 2011)
Bloomberg News:
"Gregoire Dismantles Washington She Built in Rise to Governor From Clerk." Voters in November rejected an income tax and restrained the state’s ability to increase other levies. Gregoire, a lifelong state employee who was attorney general before becoming a two-term governor, says she now must slash health care, education and other programs to confront a projected $4.6 billion deficit. (Jan. 12, 2011)
Seattle Times:
"Op-Ed: State lawmakers should review whether tax breaks are still worthy:" THERE'S a lot of talk of reform as we enter a critical legislative session for the state. But for all the talk of the need for change, there's been scant talk of reforming one set of state policies that costs the state more than $6.5 billion a year. The state blindly keeps hundreds of special tax breaks on the books each year, for everything from face-lifts to Wall Street banks. (Jan. 7, 2011)
Stateline:
"As state budgets, payrolls shrink, so do ambitions:" These days, Gregoire would love to return to the status quo of old. Last month, she proposed another two-year budget that is notable not for the investments it makes, but for the spending cuts it requires, many of which reverse her priorities of just a few years ago. (Jan. 10, 2011)
Puget Sound Business Journal:
"Advocates take aim at tax breaks:" Alarmed by cuts in social services, a coalition of nonprofit groups has made eliminating special tax breaks for businesses its top goal for the legislative session that convenes Jan. 10 in Olympia. (Jan. 7, 2011)
