NEWS ROUNDUP
Bipartisan jobs plan, CLC’s big boost for veterans, Invest in America…
STATE LEGISLATURE
► In today’s Bellingham Herald — Port of Bellingham approves $17 million airport expansion— The expansion of the Bellingham International Airport terminal building will enter its next phase in March, with the start of construction on a 60,000-square-foot section that will include a modern baggage claim area. The the port’s project engineer said the lowest of six bidders was about 15% below estimates.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Another reason why state legislators should pass the Jobs Bill: With contractors desperate for work, bids are consistently coming in below estimate. It’s a buyers’ market and now is the time to get the most bang for taxpayers’ bucks while investing in our state’s infrastructure to spur private-sector economic growth. Frontload jobs now!
LOCAL
► In today’s Tri-City Herald — Columbian Basin Veterans Coalition gets more than $1 million donation from labor council — The Southeastern Washington Central Labor Council has decided it is time to get out of the housing business. It had owned a low-income, multifamily housing development in Pasco for more years than council President Dennis Tillett can remember. But the council came to the conclusion it was time to focus on other things. That decision ended up leading to a more than $1 million windfall for the Columbia Basin Veterans Coalition. “We just want to pay back to the community in a way that would benefit people,” Tillett said. “There are a lot of veterans in union organizations. We think it’s a very worthy cause to help them get some more transition houses.”
► In today’s Seattle Times — Reardon spurns request to take leave amid probe on spending — The Snohomish County Council called on Executive Aaron Reardon to take a leave of absence, escalating a political crisis for Reardon as the State Patrol continues its months-long investigation into his spending.
► In today’s Seattle Times — Poll finds Inslee, McKenna tied
EDITOR’S NOTE — OK, I made up the second half of that quote. But I’m pretty sure that’s what he was thinking.
NATIONAL
► At Politico — Payroll tax cut signed into law— The legislation also extended benefits for the long-term unemployed that average about $300 a week, though Obama and Democratic allies compromised over an initial demand for 99 more weeks. Those benefits will be paid for by auctioning broadcast frequencies and requiring newly hired federal workers to contribute more to their pensions.
ALSO at the Stand on Feb. 17 — AFL-CIO opposes UI-payroll tax deal that ‘blames’ the wrong people
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► In today’s LA Times — Ed Asner, Valerie Harper, others sue to block SAG-AFTRA merger — The suit alleges that the SAG board breached its fiduciary duties to conduct an actuarial impact study detailing the effects of the proposed merger on health and pension benefits of SAG members.
► In today’s NY Times — Mine superintendent charged in 2010 disaster — Industry observers say the charges against him are an indication that prosecutors are getting closer to the executives who ran the company, Massey Energy.
► In today’s NY Times — For teachers, shame is not the solution (by Bill Gates) — Publicly ranking teachers by name will not help them get better at their jobs or improve student learning.
TODAY’S MUST-READ
In our “winner take all politics,” wealth dominates political process. Political power for the top 1% and top 0.1% has grown in direct proportion to their share of wealth. Near the close of the gilded age, William McKinley’s campaign manager said, “There are two things that matter in politics. The first is money. I can’t remember the second.”
Our top 1% do well, but the rest of us are headed for a Lesser America. Ask any struggling small business owner the Henry Ford question, “Which would you rather have, lower wages or prosperous customers?” They want prosperous customers!
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 9 a.m. These links are functional at the date of posting, but sometimes expire.