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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Olympia

Update: Taxes high here, sez Forbes, and SEIU wonders what happened to its initiative…

A quick wrap-up on a busy day:

-The Association of Washington Business points to a new report by Forbes magazine that ranks Washington 8th highest for tax burden:

Washington: Average tax burden per person: $2,553. Thanks to California, the West Coast has a reputation for heavily taxing businesses. Washington, however, likes to spread the burden around, making it the leading Western state for taxes. There are low property taxes in the state, and no personal income tax, but just try and buy something. Sales taxes--which come out to $2,181 per person--account for 85% of personal taxes paid.

-The Olympian's Adam Wilson writes about the fate of Initiative 1029, approved by voters last fall. The SEIU-backed ballot measure mandates more paid training for new home health care workers. Since the state pays for much of that care for low-income senior citizens and the disabled, the proposal arrived on Olympia's doorstep with a $30 milliion price tag.

Budget writers have included a little money in their budget proposals for the next two years, but nowhere near what SEIU and home care workers expected.

"They're not going to change the requirements, and they’re not going to pay for it. Our view … is it's a huge crisis, it's a huge train wreck," said Glickman. The new training standards would be in place, and there would be no avenue for workers to meet them, SEIU's Adam Glickman told Wilson.



Short takes and breaking news from the Washington Legislature and the state capital.