Articles by Guest Contributor
Will Washington’s new capital gains tax affect you?
On May 4, Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law a new capital gains tax set to take effect Jan. 1, 2022. This law likely will not impact most people (as explained below). But, for some (the lucky?) the impact could be worth attempting to mitigate through planning. The key to this new law is not…
Columbia Basin Badgers seize a ‘Tiger by the Tail’ in June 17 trade forum
The United States and China are engaged in what appears to many experts to be a battle for supremacy between the world’s two most powerful economies, perhaps with India as the prize. The Columbia Basin Badger Club’s June Forum: “Tiger by the Tail: U.S.-China relations” will offer the perspective of someone who is on the…
Hydropower will anchor Washington’s energy future
Although New Zealand and Washington are located a half a world apart, they have lots in common – beautiful seashores, majestic mountains, clear streams and lakes, and vibrant salmon and trout fisheries. Both are struggling to rid their air sheds of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases coming from the burning of carbon fuels (coal,…
Manufacturing in the greater
Tri-Cities is solid but hardly diversified
Unique among nearly all Eastern Washington population centers, the greater Tri-City manufacturing sector doesn’t land in the top five sectors. By headcount, it usually ranks fifth in Eastern Washington. Should we be worried? Perhaps. Perhaps not. One reason for the difference from neighboring economies lies in the presence a large sector known as Administrative &…
Manufacturing, technology sectors provide solid foundation beyond pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has shown us how easy it is to take things for granted. Family barbecues, baseball games and kids going to school are just a few examples. As some of our old way of life comes back, it’s worth noting another thing that’s easy to take for granted: Washington’s strong manufacturing and technology…
Manufacturing shortages show there are no safe harbors
The past year and a half has not failed to provide society with various crash courses on industry and science. During March and April 2020, our first lesson was on the unreliability of lean supply chains during the Great Toilet Paper Shortage. It seems appropriate that we have now come full circle with a lesson…
How to talk to vaccine-hesitant workers
By National Association of Manufacturers Now that all American adults are eligible for vaccination and largely have easy access to vaccines, it’s even more important to convince those still on the fence about getting their shots. To help manufacturers convince their hesitating employees, The Manufacturing Institute has partnered with the Center for Public Interest Communications…
Let’s rethink natural gas bans
Sometimes being first isn’t good. Such is the case with legislation making Washington the only state to ban natural gas in new homes and commercial buildings. Thankfully, the legislators ended their session in Olympia and left that bad idea on the table. However, it is destined to come back next year. The issue is complicated…
Badger Club takes on the tough issues to drive civil discourse
Was there really a federal internment camp in Benton County during the second World War? (No, but there was a federal prison camp near Horn Rapids. It housed federal prisoners who were sent to harvest the orchards and other crops left when residents were ordered out to make room for the Manhattan Project.) Would a…
U.S. leads in emissions reduction,
clean energy innovation
The Biden Administration’s approach to energy is the last thing America needs – especially when the United States is already leading the world in emissions reductions. President Biden is forcing our nation to adopt global standards the rest of the world is already failing to meet while eliminating opportunities for hard-working Americans. Sadly, his proposals…
