Should We Legislate Price Equity?

Tue., Jan. 14, 1997

Doug Floyd Interactive Editor

If state Sen. Pat Thibaudeau gets her way, the Washington Legislature will act this year to equalize the prices men and women pay for services such as haircuts and dry cleaning.

The Democratic legislator from Seattle said a study has shown some businesses routinely charge women more than men for identical services.

Consequently, if legislation Thibaudeau plans to introduce gets serious consideration, the Legislature will have to decide whether this is the kind of inequity that is better solved by state law regulating price policies or by consumers making informed choices about the businesses they patronize.

Assume you’re a lawmaker. How do you vote on this one?

No charges have been filed

As “The Graduate,” Dustin Hoffman got all the career and financial-planning advice he’d need in one word - “plastics.”

Now, some bankruptcy attorneys are using the same word to explain a surge of personal financial disasters which are landing in bankruptcy courts. Plastics - that is, credit cards - are being handed out so furiously by banks that they are luring consumers into reckless levels of debt.

Is that an excuse? What, if anything, should be done about this?

Nothing succeeds like success

What happens to local programs when one-time federal grants that were used to start them are gone?

That’s up to the voters, says Allan LeTourneau of Spokane.

“If the federal grant to hire extra police is successful in reducing crime and winning the war against gangs,” LeTourneau said, “voters will approve funding to retain them.

“The same can be said for the federal grant to fight domestic violence. If it turns into another bureaucratic failure, there will be no support for it. If it is a successful program, it will qualify for support on its merits.

“The eyes of taxes are upon you.”

A different grass-burning issue

Time’s running out if you want to submit comments about the legalization of hemp, aka marijuana, for use in a “Perspective” page feature on Jan. 26. This Friday is the deadline.

Attention, navel-contemplators

Here’s fodder for the philosophically inclined:

Looking back on the 20th century, which current phenomenon represents the more startling change in American society - personal computers or diaper-changing stations in public men’s rooms?

, DataTimes MEMO: “Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.

“Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.

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