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...
Most retirees, or those nearing retirement, can count on one hand the number of times they’ve heard a financial advisor say, “Don’t forget to spend your money.” While it makes for a great column hook, it’s not quite what I’m advocating.Our profession is rightly focused on ensuring clients don’t outlive...
The Tri-Cities have long been a youngster among state metro areas.With an estimated median age of 34.5 in 2019, the two counties sport the youngest population of all, except for Yakima County. Among counties, Franklin County currently claims the title of youngest, with an estimated median age in 2019 at...
One of the biggest areas that is often overlooked in an estate plan are the seemingly innocuous beneficiary designations tied to assets, like retirement accounts and life insurance.The beneficiary designation seems of limited importance – you just put down the names of the people who get the retirement account at...
With Washington now in another lockdown to reduce Covid-19 cases, I’m hearing questions from landlords and commercial building owners who want to take this time to make the indoor air safe for when they bring employees and customers back inside.Meanwhile health care, biotech, production and manufacturing businesses have remained open...
By Virginia ThomasSpokane Journal of BusinessThe luxury-home market is especially hot in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene market due to what some agents say is a convergence of factors.They include a relatively low cost of living in the Inland Northwest, perceived safety from Covid-19 in more rural areas, an increase in remote...
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...
