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

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Policy Today: Housing affordability in the Puget Sound

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

Policy Today: Dr. Rick Evans on using computer science to improve economics

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

Policy Today: Seattle's surprisingly robust manufacturing industry

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

Policy Today: McCleary Part 2 - Tax Revenues

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

Policy Today: McCleary Part 1 - Policy and Funding

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/

Policy Today: Manufacturing Tax Policy

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

Policy Today: State Revenue Forecasts & 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

Policy Today: Making Sense of Political, Economic Upheaval

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

Policy Today: A new capital gains tax for Washington state?

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

Policy Today: Comparing the House & Senate budget plans

When then-President Obama signed the bipartisan "Every Student Succeeds Act" into law in late 2015, it marked a significant change in federal education policy. The previous law, President George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind," had grown increasingly controversial for what critics on both the left and right called excessive federal overreach into local education policy. Today we're talking with Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute about his new book - "The Every Student Succeeds Act: What It Means for Schools, Systems and States" - which gives readers an overview of both the evolution of federal education policy and the new law. Click here for Rick's book on the Every Student Succeeds Act: https://www.amazon.com/Every-Student-Succeeds-Act-ESSA/dp/1682530124/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491318996&sr=8-1&keywords=the+every+student+succeeds+act Click here for Rick's page at AEI: http://www.aei.org/scholar/frederick-m-hess/

Policy Today: What the new federal education law means for states, with AEI's Rick Hess

In today's episode we discuss Washington state's less-than-stellar system for tax appeals, and how it could be improved. We recently wrote a report on making the state tax-appeals process more fair -- which could include the creation of a state tax court. Bipartisan legislation to do just that has been introduced in the state Legislature this year. To read our report click here: http://researchcouncil.org/files/docs/2017/02/taxappeals.pdf To read our blog post on tax court legislation click here: http://researchcouncil.org/2017/03/17/could-washington-get-a-tax-court

Policy Today: A more fair tax-appeals process for Washington state

We're delighted to welcome state Rep. Drew Stokesbary (R-Auburn) to the podcast. As soon as we saw all the "Arrested Development" gifs populating his Twitter feed we knew he'd be the perfect guest. We sat down at the state Capitol in Olympia to chat about him being a younger member of the Legislature, how he got into politics and government and his approach to working across the aisle. Other random topics of discussion: Kim Jon Un and Dick Cheney. Plus, Drew fits in a reference to "The Office" and we totally miss it. Check out Rep. Stokesbary's website here: http://drewstokesbary.houserepublicans.wa.gov/ You can find Drew on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/stokesbary

Common Ground: Rep. Drew Stokesbary

In this episode we discuss our recent Special Report, "Using Tax Policy to Promote Economic Vitality." Too often, adjustments to our state tax system are portrayed simply as "breaks" that give certain industries and/or companies special treatment. But as our report shows, these adjustments play a crucial role in keeping Washington competitive with other states for jobs and economic activity that could very easily go elsewhere. To read our Special Report, click here: https://researchcouncil.org/files/docs/2017/03/2017_tax_preferences_special_report_final.pdf

Policy Today: How Tax Policy Affects the Economy

We're pleased to welcome state Rep. Brian Blake (D-Aberdeen), who took time out of his busy schedule during the legislative session to join our podcast. Rep. Blake represents the 19th Legislative District on Washington's southwest coast, a district whose counties have traditionally voted Democratic in presidential elections but last year largely went for Donald Trump. Jobs and the economy are hugely important, as is the case for most of Washington's rural residents. We discuss the issues and concerns of Rep. Blake's constituents, what led many of them to vote the way they did, and what might be done to address their concerns and not only improve their well-being, but also make sure state policy takes into account the distinct nature of rural communities. You can visit Rep. Blake's website here: http://housedemocrats.wa.gov/legislators/brian-blake/

Common Ground: Rep. Brian Blake on Trump's appeal to traditional D voters in his district

The Washington Research Council produces four podcasts: Policy Today (an in-depth look at one public policy issue), Common Ground (searching for bipartisan consensus & solutions in a politically polarized world), InFocus (covering a variety of issues) and 90 Seconds (a quick summary of one topic). The Washington Research Council is the state’s premier business-supported research organization. We provide timely, credible economic research and policy analysis supporting economic vitality and private-sector job creation, and examine how public policy issues will affect business, government and the community. For more information go to researchcouncil.org.

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