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Inflation climbs 7.9%, highest level since 1982.
March 10, 2022Inflation continues to pose a risk to recovery, a threat to household budgets, and further reason to heed the pessimistic state revenue forecast. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, The Consumer…Read more
House and Senate budget leaders reconcile their differences; operating budget compromise lifts spending 24.3%.
March 10, 2022On the last day of the regular session, lawmakers will vote on a compromise supplemental operating budget that takes biennial spending up nearly 25% higher than the previous biennium. The Washington R…Read more
Compromise transportation budget nixes exported fuels tax, replaces it with transfers from other funds.
March 9, 2022Negotiators have agreed to a transportation budget, about $17 billion over 16 years. The Washington Research Council provides some detail: The transportation package that was proposed in February woul…Read more
New report: 11.3 million open jobs nationally at the end of January; 0.6 unemployed people for each opening.
March 9, 2022The search for employees continues apace. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 11.3 million open jobs at the end of January. The number of job openings was little changed at 11…Read more
Coming soon: Votes on budgets as Legislature heads toward end of session Thursday
March 9, 2022To make tomorrow's scheduled adjournment, lawmakers need to roll out an operating budget deal today. At The Washington Observer, Paul Queary explains, Today’s the day the big budget compromises get ro…Read more
New county unemployment numbers show wide variation in state
March 8, 2022The state Employment Security Department has release county unemployment figures for January (not seasonally adjusted). As the map above shows, unemployment rates remain significantly lower in the urb…Read more
