Latest news with #BillLucia
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
County official tapped to be WA's next health secretary
The Washington state Department of Health in Tumwater on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard) Washington has a new health secretary starting next month. Dennis Worsham will take over the Department of Health after serving as head of the Snohomish County Health Department since January 2023. Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Monday that he'd appointed Worsham to the job. He starts July 7. Worsham was the county health department's first director after its shift from a separate health district to being integrated with county government. He started his career there in the 1990s. At that time, Worsham, who is openly gay, was tasked with managing the response to sexually transmitted diseases like HIV. Before becoming director, he worked for other agencies. He served as a regional health officer for King County, deputy state secretary of health in the mid-2010s, and interim director of the Seattle and King County public health department. Worsham has a bachelor's degree in health services administration from Eastern Washington University. 'His decades of experience and broad skillset will help chart a new vision for public health in Washington state,' Ferguson said in a statement. Worsham, who grew up in Othello, in Adams County, said 'it is critical that we continue to build a system that earns the trust of communities and strives for every person to have equitable access to the care and resources they need to thrive.' 'Public health is not just about addressing illness and injury — it's about preventing them,' he continued. 'It's about preparing for the unexpected, addressing root causes of health inequities, and investing in systems that protect people before a crisis begins.' The health department oversees everything from drinking water safety and the state's response to the opioid crisis to communicable disease outbreaks. It took on a higher profile as the state navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. Worsham is taking over for Jessica Todorovich, a previous chief of staff at the agency, who has served as its acting director since January. The last permanent health secretary was Dr. Umair Shah, who took over in late 2020 during the pandemic and stepped down in January to 'spend time with family while exploring what is next on my horizon.' Shah has since founded Rickshaw Enterprises, a consulting firm focused on improving health outcomes. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Next stop for Washington housing: More construction near transit
An apartment building under construction in Olympia, Washington in January 2025. (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard) Noticed apartment buildings cropping up next to bus and light rail stations? More could be on the way. Gov. Bob Ferguson on Tuesday signed House Bill 1491 into law, setting new state requirements for mixed-income housing development near transit and incentivizing this kind of construction. So-called 'transit-oriented development' allows for more dense housing, which Washington desperately needs, while also potentially reducing pollution as more people use buses and rail to commute instead of driving. 'This bill can help Washington meet its housing and environmental goals,' Ferguson said. 'I actually live very close to a light rail station and so I have some familiarity with this and how important it is.' The first cities eyed for development around transit are Vancouver and Spokane, the governor said. 'By 2029, we expect to see new zoning around 100 rail stations and more than 200 bus stations in the Puget Sound area,' Ferguson added. Incentivizing transit-oriented development was one of the top priorities included in Lt. Gov. Denny Heck's Housing Action Plan, developed during Ferguson's transition to the governor's office. Not only that, the report said no other policy would result in more homes than this one. Last year, a similar bill passed the House before stalling in the Senate. This year's measure requires Washington cities to allow housing development in what are called bus and rail 'station areas.' This includes places within a half-mile of a light rail station, commuter rail stop in a large city or a western Washington trolley system, like Seattle's Streetcar. It also covers areas within a quarter-mile of bus rapid transit stops. In these locations, the bill sets guidelines for how dense the housing must be. Developers would get to fit even more building square footage on their lots if they build affordable housing or so-called workforce housing intended for people earning low and moderate incomes. The bill also requires 10% of units to be considered affordable and 20% set aside for workforce housing for the next 50 years. The legislation defines affordable as not costing more than 30% of the income for renters who make up 60% of the county's median income or homeowners who make 80% of the median. Developers who meet the requirements would get a 20-year multifamily property tax exemption. And they'd get half off local impact fees meant to help pay for transportation projects to accommodate the population growth. Cities also can't require off-street parking, except spots dedicated for people with disabilities or delivery drivers. Under the legislation, the state Department of Commerce also needs to set up a new grant program to help cities build infrastructure to provide utilities and other services. The bill passed the Legislature along mostly party lines. Though supportive of the general concept, some Republicans objected to the affordability component, which they thought would drive developers away from building housing near transit. The legislation takes effect in late July. But implementation of the new requirements wouldn't come until 2029 for cities that updated their comprehensive plans last year. Cities that next revise their plans later than 2024 must follow the new rules within six months of updating. The piece of legislation is one of many Ferguson has signed in his first year to remove barriers to additional housing, including for condominiums. He also signed a bill last week to ease parking requirements that can pose a costly obstacle to development. It's the top issue he heard on the campaign trail last year, he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Decision on investing WA Cares tax dollars in stock market goes to ballot
Washington voters will consider amending the state constitution to change how payroll taxes collected for the state's long-term care program are invested. (Bill Lucia / Washington State Standard) Voters in Washington will be asked this fall to let the state make stock market investments with payroll taxes collected for its long-term care program. The Legislature has put a measure on the Nov. 4 ballot to amend the state constitution to allow assets of the program, known as WA Cares Fund, to be handled similarly to pension and retirement accounts. Any earnings would be plowed back into the program. The state constitution generally bars investing public money in the stock of private companies. That means state and local governments are limited to fixed-income securities like government bonds and certificates of deposit that are less risky. Senate Joint Resolution 8201, which passed by margins of 42-7 in the Senate and 86-9 in the House, would add the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust account to the list of funds exempt from that prohibition alongside the state's pension and retirement funds. Voters defeated a similar measure in 2020 by a margin of 54.4% to 45.6%. It passed in only three counties — Jefferson, King, and Whatcom. CONTACT US Much has changed. For one thing, the program was new, collections of payroll tax hadn't started and distribution of benefits was years away. Since mid-2023, a 0.58% tax has been applied on the paychecks of most workers in Washington. Beginning in July 2026, those who qualify can begin accessing the program's benefit, a lifetime amount of $36,500 — a sum that is set to rise in future years to account for inflation. As of Dec. 31, 2024, the long-term care account had total assets of $1.64 billion, which are invested by the Washington State Investment Board in line with current guidelines for public money. Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, the sponsor of the measure in 2020 and this year's too, said the political environment is much different than five years ago. Then, public opposition to the year-old program was strong and the pandemic stirred uncertainty about the stability of the stock market. In November, voters defeated an initiative to make WA Cares participation voluntary rather than mandatory for workers, a move that would have effectively ended the program. Braun said that is an indication of a broader endorsement of the program. He said supporters of the 2020 measure didn't do a good enough job communicating that the Washington State Investment Board could produce higher earnings on WA Cares Fund assets that would translate into lower premiums and more benefits. The state investment board uses a long-term, diversified investment strategy. There is a 7% return assumed on dollars invested through the state's pension accounts, a level set by the Pension Funding Council in 2023. 'We'll give them another chance and see what they think,' Braun said of voters. Sen. Bob Hasegawa, D-Seattle, has been a steadfast opponent. He co-wrote the voter pamphlet argument against the measure in 2020 with Mike Padden, a Republican senator from Spokane Valley who retired from the Legislature last year. Hasegawa said then that he didn't want the long-term stability of the trust fund 'gambled on by Wall Street.' His position hasn't changed. 'Look at what's happened to the stock market,' he said in April. It would be smarter to invest the money in municipal bonds to support public works projects of the local government, he said. Supporters have formed a coalition, We Care For WA Cares, to make the case that the change will lead to larger investment earnings and greater fiscal stability. Coalition members include the Washington State Nurses Association, Washington Health Care Association, AARP Washington and SEIU 775, a union that represents caregivers. 'We are thrilled to see state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle working together to strengthen WA Cares,' said Cathy Knight, state director for the Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WA House advances gas tax increase, $3.2B transportation revenue package
Traffic on Interstate 5 near Olympia. (Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard) Washington House Democrats late Thursday approved a multibillion-dollar transportation revenue package anchored by a 6-cent increase to the state's gas tax, the first hike in nearly a decade. The increase would bring the state's per-gallon gas tax from 49.4 cents to 55.4 cents, then raise it by 2% each year to account for inflation. At the same time, the state tax on diesel would go up three cents in July and another three cents two years later. That six cents would also get a 2% boost each year after that. The gas tax hike, which would go into effect in July, is expected to raise $1.4 billion over the next six years. The diesel tax would net upward of $160 million over that time, estimates show. In total, lawmakers are banking on the package to bring in $3.2 billion over the next six years. Senate Bill 5801 contains numerous other tax and fee boosts. There's an increase in the passenger vehicle weight fee. There's a bump in the added sales tax for vehicles from 0.3% to 0.5%. There are $3 increases in the fees for titles and registrations. There's a new 8% tax on the portion of the selling price of vehicles above $100,000. There's a 10% tax on the amount of non-commercial aircraft sales above $500,000. There's a temporary increase in the rental car tax from 5.9% to 11.9% before moving down to 9.9% in 2027. There's an increase in the tire replacement fee from $1 to $5. There's a $1 increase every three years in fees for new IDs and driver's licenses. And there's an added charge for ferry riders paying with credit cards, as well as a 50-cent increase to the capital vessel surcharge on each fare. House Transportation Committee Chair Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, said the 'dire' transportation budget situation warrants the potpourri of taxes. Lawmakers have warned of a $1 billion shortfall over the next two-year budget cycle, ballooning to $8 billion over the next six years. They point to skyrocketing construction costs, flagging gas tax revenue and the looming multibillion-dollar question of how to address the court-ordered removal of culverts blocking fish migration. 'My constituents don't want to pay more, but they want to drive on roads that are well maintained,' said Rep. Julia Reed, D-Seattle. 'They want to ride on ferries that function and run on time. They want to see their streets served by modes of transportation that allow them to get out of their cars once in a while, and allow their children to move around more freely.' Republicans say the medley of taxes, on top of separate levies to pay for the operating budget, is too much for working-class residents to bear. Rep. Andrew Barkis, the leading Republican voice in the House on transportation issues, said in floor debate that he recognizes revenue is needed to improve Washington's infrastructure. But 'it comes to a point where we're putting this on the backs of Washingtonians with an ever-increasing burden of taxation,' said Barkis, of Olympia. On the House floor, Democrats rejected Republican proposals to get rid of the increases to the gas and diesel taxes, rental car tax, vehicle sales tax and tire replacement fee. Democrats did choose to ax a controversial $1-per-attendee tax on sporting events, concerts and more at large venues. To make up for the lost revenue, they added another increase to the fee on heavier passenger vehicles. They also elected to require the state Department of Transportation to conduct an analysis before imposing tolls across the entire State Route 520 corridor, not just the floating bridge, as is currently the case. When the Senate approved its initial $3 billion revenue framework last month, four Republicans joined most Democrats in support. On Thursday night, the new version in the House passed 51-47 without any Republican votes and eight Democrats in opposition. Senate Bill 5801 now goes to the Senate to agree with the changes made in the House before sending it to Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson's desk by Sunday's scheduled close of the legislative session. The chamber plans to take it up later Friday. Ferguson has not publicly weighed in on the proposed gas tax increase. 'We'll see when that comes to me,' Ferguson told reporters Friday, noting he was expecting a briefing from his budget director on the plan's latest version. How exactly the additional money will be spent remains to be seen. Lawmakers finished negotiating late Wednesday on their funding plan, expected to total upward of $15 billion. They plan to release their agreed proposal Saturday morning. Also on Thursday, the House approved transferring 0.1% of proceeds from the state sales tax from the operating budget to transportation starting in the 2027-29 biennium. This would shift hundreds of millions of dollars toward transportation. The Senate on Friday also passed the bill, Senate Bill 5802, so it's headed to the governor.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Democrats in Washington Legislature reveal sweeping new tax plan
The Washington state Capitol on Nov. 11, 2024. (Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard) Democratic lawmakers in Washington are beginning to lay out the buffet of tax increases they want to use to fill most of a $16 billion state budget shortfall. There are hikes in business and capital gains taxes, new sales taxes on services and greater property tax collections by the state and local governments. Other selections include an increase in a surcharge on technology companies, an expanded tax on nicotine products, and a mandate for some large businesses to make a one-time pre-payment of sales tax owed to the state. Major financial institutions will pay a little more, too. And there's a surcharge on corporations with more than $250 million in annual revenue that starts Jan. 1, 2026, and lasts four years. Among those exempted from that surcharge is Boeing. A pivotal question now is whether Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson endorses the slate of tax measures. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Last month, House and Senate Democrats rolled out separate packages to raise up to $21 billion. But Ferguson threw cold water on their desire to tax those with more than $50 million, a pillar in both approaches. The governor said this proposal was 'untested, difficult to implement, and most importantly, for purposes of adopting a sustainable budget, will face an immediate challenge in court.' That sent legislators searching for new options. They came up with a whole bunch. They also discarded a payroll tax modeled on Seattle's JumpStart tax that would have been levied on companies with large payrolls and highly-paid employees. This was another central plank in their earlier tax plans. The new approach still relies on many of the state's corporate and banking giants to pay more. It also still targets wealthier individual taxpayers with the addition of a second tier of the state's capital gains tax, which took effect in 2022 and has been upheld in court. Washington imposes a 7% tax on gains over $270,000 from the sale or exchange of long-term assets like stocks, bonds and business interests. Senate Bill 5813 and House Bill 2082 call for a new 9.9% tax on gains greater than $1 million, an idea Senate Democrats discussed in December. This would bring in an additional $280 million for the budget, $560 million over four years. The Senate Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on several bills at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. This is a developing story
