DAILY NEWS
Sleazy campaigns, Boeing breaks, GOP plans…
Thursday, October 23, 2014
ELECTION
► In today’s News Tribune — Sleazy campaign ads reflect poorly on candidates (editorial) — In the 28th District, a mystery group called the Good Government Leadership Council has sent out one sleazy flier after another to slam Democratic Senate candidate Tami Green with laughably misleading claims. This “council” is a political committee funded mostly by Republicans who want to elect Sen. Steve O’Ban and retain control of the state Senate… In the 26th District, Republican House candidate Michelle Caldier has made outrageous claims against Rep. Larry Seaquist, the Democratic incumbent. Her flier includes a badly doctored photo purporting to show the widely respected Seaquist as some kind of voyeur and implying that she’s being stalked and harassed. We thought Caldier was a better candidate than this; we were mistaken. Voters should not reward her sleaziness with their support.
► In today’s Bellingham Herald — PDC filings: Sen. Ericksen continues to take dozens of lobbyist meals — After topping a list of legislators who received free meals, drinks and golf games from lobbyists last year, Whatcom County Sen. Doug Ericksen has accepted at least 50 meals and other goods from lobbyists in 2014, according to reports submitted to the state. Ericksen responds: “I think the people of Whatcom County understand I’m fighting to keep jobs and keep taxes low… (you know, over dinner).”
► From KPLU — Why do unions want to run child care teacher training in Seattle? — Seattle Prop. 1A calls for a quicker path to a minimum wage of $15 an hour for child care teachers and would set a city policy that states no family should have to spend more than 10 percent of the household income on child care. One other provision that’s drawn less attention is a plan to set up a system of training in which the unions would play a bigger role.
STATE GOVERNMENT
► From KUOW — Struggling to bring health care to rural Washington — Community health centers have been busier than usual. They’re seeing more patients, many of them newly insured. The centers, which provide care for mostly low income families, are meeting the demand by branching out to remote, underserved communities. But the challenge now is finding enough providers to staff these clinics. Sea Mar Community Health Center’s clinic in Yelm has only been open since February. But the clinic sees more than 40 patients a day, and there’s no doctor yet on staff.
BOEING
► In the P.S. Business Journal — McNerney expresses confidence and doubt in the future of Boeing’s 747 — With the venerable four-engine jet down to just 42 orders, only 15 of them for freighters, rumors have been flying about a possible rate slowdown from the current 1.5 aircraft monthly to something even slower. But McNerney said not.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Why is this listed under Boeing news? (Thanks for asking.) ALEC Exposed reports that The Boeing Co. remains a member of this climate change-denying, union-busting corporate bill mill.
LOCAL
► In the Seattle Times — Contractors worry about qualified worker shortage — A new AGC report says 83 percent of respondents said they were having at least some trouble finding qualified craft workers as the industry recovers. The situation in one area is somewhat more serious in Washington, where 38% of respondents said they were having a “hard time filling some key professional and craft worker positions.” Nationally, the number was 29%.
► In today’s Peninsula Daily News — Port Angeles’ deal with firefighters’ union likely to be model — Proposed 2015 wage increases for the city’s employees will be modeled after a 2% wage hike unanimously approved Tuesday by the City Council for 21 fire department personnel who are members of IAFF Local 656.
► In today’s Bellingham Herald — Whatcom County’s 2015 budget includes 18 new hires — Instead of imposing the layoffs and unpaid days off of a few years ago, Executive Jack Louws proposed adding 18 positions in 2015. Louws released his 2015-16 budget last week. The new hires, if approved by the County Council, would bring the number of county employees to about 827, the same as in 2011.
► In today’s Columbian — Washougal job-creation projects eyed — A new community development entity in Clark County is asking the U.S. Treasury for the right to sell tax credits to raise as much as $30 million in investment capital to finance the construction of job-creating projects in Washougal.
NATIONAL
► In The Hill — Angst grows over Obama’s plans for action on immigration — Angst over President Obama’s post-election plans on immigration is growing amid revelations that the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service has issued a procurement request for as many as 34 million work permits and green cards.
► In today’s Oregonian — Congress investigates Jimmy John’s non-compete clause — Members of Congress plan to ask the Labor Department and the Federal Trade Commission to look into the use of non-compete agreements by the sandwich chain.
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.