As the Covid-19 pandemic passes the one-year mark, it is natural to look for light at the end of the tunnel. That could be premature if the data we see on our screens is to be believed. But not all the news is bad.
British historian Thomas Macaulay famously said, “The best government is one that desires to make the people happy and knows how to make them happy.”That standard is clearly not what people are experiencing in Washington state.For years, leaders in state government have been increasing the tax burden and imposing ever-tighter...
Washington state is facing a precarious fiscal future.The Columbia Basin Badger Club will discuss a carbon tax plan that is working its way through the 2021 Legislature at its monthly gathering, which will be held Feb. 18 via Zoom.The challenge: Unemployment remains high and the latest revenue forecast projects a...
Central Washington is one of the most agriculturally rich and diverse regions in the United States.Since coming to Congress, I have had the honor of representing our agricultural producers, advocating for strong trade agreements and market protection measures, and securing the tools and resources our state needs to remain at...
A windstorm swept through Washington last month, causing damage on both sides of the state. More than a half-million people lost power across the Puget Sound region when high winds ripped through after several days of rain, toppling trees in the waterlogged ground.In the Spokane region, at least two people...
You likely noticed changes to the front page of your Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business this month. We wanted to usher in the new year with a new look and feel as we celebrate the start of our publication’s 20th year.
Ten months after the arrival of the coronavirus in Washington, the Legislature convened on Jan. 11 for a new session amid a pandemic that will shape every aspect of the session, from the way lawmakers conduct business (over computer screens instead of beneath the Capitol dome) to the issues they...
Now that vaccines are available, we hope our lives will return to the way they were before the coronavirus pandemic blanketed the globe.That is not likely to occur.Last March our booming economy was clobbered by Covid-19. A worldwide pandemic ensued.There was no vaccine to counter it and even though vaccines...
In a pandemic and pretty much in life, people are dealing with grief at some level every single day. Death, divorce, loss of a job, and lately, the death of the life as we once knew it pre-Covid.Recently, I ran into the mom of my son’s elementary school friend who...
Before the Legislature arrives for the 2021 session, some businesses in Washington will be facing the very real prospect of a 500% tax increase.That is on day one, before lawmakers even begin to talk about passing new taxes like an income tax, a capital gains tax or a tax on...
