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Education Data
For a number of years we’ve been working on improving the collection of data about education. This has been painful – there are 17 different data systems across K-12, plus different systems in each of the higher ed silos and no data collection at all in early learning. We’re trying to make sure we understand…
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Conservation NW – People who do real work
Tricie and I spent last weekend in the Okanogan looking at the work of the local land trust and of Conservation NW, the umbrella organization that is working to protect a corridor between the Rockies and the Cascades. It’s an amazing place. Here are a couple of pictures from the trip – one mine, two…
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Tax Evasion for Dummies, the video
During the session this year I did a number of presentations of a slideshow on how people evade taxes in Washington and the key points of a bill that would limit the ability for some of these scams to work. Eventually I recorded the show so that other people could see it. This is my…
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Town Hall Meeting Tonight – Tuesday May 18, 2010
We sent this notice out 2 weeks ago, but I wanted to re-post it today so that you can change all of your plans to come. We intend to have an interchange with constituents on budgets, education, transportation and any other topic that comes up. We’d love to see you. Washington State Legislature Sen. Rodney…
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What’s candy?
This year the Legislature extended the sales tax to candy. Earlier this week the Dept. of Revenue released a list of products that will be taxed. The list also identifies similar items that don’t fall under the definition of “candy” so that retailers can easily re-program their cash registers. Of course, this provided lots of…
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WA “Economic Nexus” bill dinged by Tax Foundation
The Tax Foundation, one of my personal favorite conservative tax research organizations, wrote about a new law passed this year by the Legislature. The bill attempts to level the playing field between in-state and out-of-state companies by taxing them the same for business they do inside Washington. The Tax Foundation objects. They’re wrong.
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Town Hall May 18 – 6pm Bellevue City Hall
Washington State Legislature Sen. Rodney Tom, Rep. Ross Hunter and Rep. Deb Eddy 48th Legislative District CALENDAR ANNOUNCEMENT Eastside residents invited to May 18 town hall with local legislators May 5, 2010 State Sen. Rodney Tom (D-Bellevue) and Reps. Ross Hunter (D-Medina) and Deb Eddy (D-Kirkland) invite Eastside residents to a Town Hall on Tuesday,…
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America on Display
I spent the better part of the week in DC. I’m Washington’s representative to the “Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement” Governing Board. This is a group of states working to simplify their sales tax systems to make it easier for national businesses to comply with sales taxes in all the states, not just their…
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WSDOT announces preferred alternative for SR 520 floating bridge project
Last week WSDOT announced the preferred alternative for the 520 bridge. This is one of the magic steps in the 520 design/contruuction process and is a major milestone. It’s not perfect, but it’s vastly better than no bridge at all. In general I’m pleased with it – we get most of what we wanted. I’ve…