Washington Research Council

Buying an affordable home is a serious challenge for people throughout the Puget Sound region. Joining us to discuss the impediments to increasing the housing supply is Nick Harper, Senior Director of Strategy & Policy for the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. Here's a statistic from Nick that really highlights the problem: Over the last five years on average, the city of Seattle has grown by 50 people a day, 35 jobs a day, but only 11 living units a day. And that imbalance can be extrapolated to the whole Puget Sound region.

You can read our Special Report on the state's Growth Management Act, which covers problems with housing affordability, here: https://researchcouncil.org/files/docs/2016/07/wrc_gma_report_july_6_2016_final_for_web.pdf

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Rick Evans of the University of Chicago, an expert on open source macroeconomics, which aims to use the power of computational modeling to enhance economic research and public policy analysis. It's a fascinating discussion on a groundbreaking new field.

To learn more about Dr. Evans, visit his website here: https://sites.google.com/site/rickecon/

For information about the University of Chicago's new Becker Friedman Institute Open Source Macroeconomics Laboratory, click here: http://bfi.uchicago.edu/osm

Today we're talking with the Manufacturing Industrial Council's Executive Director, Dave Gering, about the manufacturing industry - and manufacturing jobs - in Seattle. Dave talks about the 106,000 industrial jobs in the city, and what the industry is doing to educate students with the skills they need to find employment. With many open positions and employers having to import skilled workers from out of state, there are plenty of job opportunities in this robust sector of the local economy.

You can also read our Special Report on manufacturing, the first in a series, here: https://researchcouncil.org/files/docs/2017/09/manufacturingjobspart1final.pdf

Today's episode covers the new tax revenues in the recently passed K-12 education funding law, which the State of Washington hopes will fulfill its obligations in the Supreme Court's McCleary ruling.

You can read our Special Report on the McCleary legislation here: https://researchcouncil.org/2017/08/17/new-special-report-has-the-state-finally-closed-the-book-on-mccleary

Today we're discussing the K-12 education funding bill passed by the state Legislature, in response to the state Supreme Court's McCleary ruling on basic education. In this episode we cover funding and policy changes; in the next episode we'll cover tax revenues.

To read our Special Report on the McCleary bill, click here: https://researchcouncil.org/2017/08/17/new-special-report-has-the-state-finally-closed-the-book-on-mccleary

Today we're discussing the manufacturing tax relief bill recently vetoed by Gov. Inslee.

You can read our Seattle Times op-ed on the manufacturing tax here: http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/lower-taxes-to-boost-manufacturing-jobs/

In today's podcast we talk about state revenue forecasts and how they affect the state budget.

The only constant in politics and economics today is change. From establishment-busting elections to upheaval in the workforce, the world is a much different place than it was just a few decades ago. Today's guest, Ian Toner, analyzes these changes for a living. Mr. Toner serves as Chief Investment Officer at Verus Investments, which offers research-driven advice to its clients (who include educational and charitable organizations, corporate, multi-employer and public defined benefit plans, hospitals and insurance providers) on more than $330 billion in assets. Mr. Toner, who will be the Guest Speaker at our upcoming Annual Dinner in Bellevue this May 23, gives his thoughts on the recent American and French elections, Brexit, the future of trade agreements, and more.

For more information on our Annual Dinner, where Mr. Toner will be Guest Speaker, click here: https://researchcouncil.org/2017/04/05/wrc-annual-dinner-may-23-in-bellevue

With proposals for implementing a state capital gains tax making the rounds in the Legislature, we discuss what a capital gains tax is, what the proposals are, and how they would affect Washington state.

Click here for our recent analysis of the capital gains tax proposals: http://researchcouncil.org/2017/03/31/new-special-report-proposals-for-a-state-capital-gains-tax

Today we're discussing the differences between the state House and state Senate budget plans in the Washington Legislature. We've got a handy new Policy Brief with a bar graph and chart comparing the two. With a scheduled April 23 adjournment date looming, and the House proposing $1.5 Billion more in tax revenues than the Senate, it seems unlikely lawmakers will complete their business in the regular session; a "special" session appears likely.

To read our policy brief comparing the House and Senate budget plans, click here: http://researchcouncil.org/files/docs/2017/04/opsidebyside.pdf