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2008 Policy Agenda:
act
now to sustain prosperity and build for the future
Overview
It is becoming
increasingly clear that Washington state will not completely escape
the national economic slowdown. To
sustain today’s prosperity, and make this a better state for the
next generation, policymakers must act now to improve state fiscal
sustainability, maintain an equitable balance in employer and
employee relations, provide every student with the opportunity to
pursue postsecondary education, and build a transportation
infrastructure that promotes mobility, safety and economic
development. Without a steadfast commitment to advance these issues
and enhance state competitiveness, the prosperity our citizens have
worked so hard to create will be undermined.
Highest priority for the legislative
session:
Enact a
supplemental budget that reduces bow wave.
The state has enjoyed strong economic growth in recent years. The
corresponding rise in state revenues has created a projected budget
surplus of $1.5 billion for the current biennium. However,
shortfalls totaling more than $1 billion in key accounts are
concerning. A significant deficit projection for the next biennium
is even more troubling. The most important step lawmakers can take
in 2008 is to approve a supplemental budget that reduces bow wave
and better positions the state for the next economic downturn.
Additional priorities for 2008:
Do not enact
legislation that makes it more difficult for Washington’s employers
to compete.
Independent studies consistently conclude that Washington is an
expensive place to do business relative to other states and
nations. It is critical that policymakers do not exacerbate this
problem. The Roundtable opposes legislation that will increase the
cost of doing business or make Washington state less attractive to
current and prospective employers. For example, any proposal that
limits employer communication on labor issues would send a chilling
message to employers.
An equitable balance must exist between employer and labor interests
if there is any hope of growing the job base in our state.
Provide every
student with the opportunity to pursue postsecondary education and
family wage work.
Students have limited opportunities for family-wage work without
some form of education after high school. The high school diploma
should be updated to certify that, at a minimum, students are ready
for post-high school education or training without remediation. In
addition, no student – regardless of race or income – should be
denied the chance to apply to a four-year college. This means all
students should have access to a high school curriculum aligned with
the state’s minimum college admissions requirements. Achieving
these goals will require the state to unify and accelerate
recruitment, training and compensation strategies to address the
shortage of qualified math and science teachers. Lastly, the
diploma must signify that a high school graduate can read, write,
compute and reason. The legislature absolutely must maintain its
commitment to the state’s basic graduation requirements in reading
and writing.
Enact a state transportation planning
and investment strategy that reforms governance in the Central Puget
Sound region and allows for innovative financing.
Nearly a decade ago the Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation
estimated that Washington’s crumbling transportation infrastructure
drains $2 billion from the state economy each year. Progress has
been made; however, no clear plan or financing structure exists to
address the enormous backlog of projects that remains. Lawmakers
must develop a transportation planning and investment strategy that
reforms regional governance and allows for innovative financing
options, such as public-private partnerships. The Roundtable urges
approval of legislation based on the recommendations put forward by
the Regional Transportation Commission. |
