In an 8-1 ruling, the Washington Supreme Court is allowing Sound Transit to keep collecting a 0.3 percent car-tab tax until 2028 when it pays off $350 million in bonds secured by the tax. In 2002, voters approved Initiative 776, which struck down the tax, but Sound Transit challenged the initiative in court and kept collecting the tax in the urban parts of Pierce, King and Snohomish counties

 

AWB is now accepting applications for awards to recognize the invaluable contribution manufacturing makes to the economy of our state and the quality of life for our citizens. If your company (or another manufacturer you know or do business with) has made great strides this past year to improve its performance, we invite you to enter the AWB Manufacturer of the Year Awards Program. The awards will be presented at AWB’s Legislative Luncheon/Reception on Feb. 7.All nominations must be received by Jan. 15. Learn more at www.awb.org/services/awards/csaawards.asp. Contact AWB’s Mike Hudson at (360) 943-1600 or MikeH@awb.org.

 

AWB’s Legislative Day is packed full of activities with the governor speaking at lunch and capped off by our traditional reception. Don’t miss it. See www.awb.org/events/legreception.asp. Contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello at (360) 943-1600 or JenniferC@awb.org.

 

Gov. Gregoire wants nearly $200 million to help students who are struggling with math and science. Her proposal includes smaller middle school and high school math and science classes, recruiting hundreds of new math and science teachers, offering master teachers up to $10,000 in annual pay bonuses, and expanding tutoring and other help for struggling students. She also wants to beef up local districts' curriculum to "world-class" standards and then design achievement tests accordingly. The cost, $197 million, would come out of the state's budget reserves in the next two years. The state spends about $13.8 billion on the kindergarten through 12th grade system every two years. The state has 1 million pupils.

 

 The Puget Sound Partnership’s final recommendations will be made public Dec. 13 or 14. Visit http://www.pugetsoundpartnership.org/ for more information. Contact AWB’s Grant Nelson at GrantN@awb.org or Chris McCabe at ChrisM@awb.org or at (360) 943-1600.

 

L&I Offering Workshops for Business
L&I is offering free 90-minute workshops on accident prevention for Small Business and Workers’ Compensation 101 in Vancouver (Dec. 12) and Tacoma (Dec. 19). Visit www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/TrainTools/Workshops/Available/default.asp.

 

 AWB’s Environmental Affairs Council will meet Dec. 14, 9 a.m. – noon to discuss with the Dept. of Ecology its request legislation for next session, its capital and operating budgets and the final Puget Sound Partnership recommendations. Visit www.ecy.wa.gov/services/fs/07-09budget.htm. Contact Grant Nelson at (360) 943-1600 or GrantN@awb.org.

 

 AWB’s Education Committee will meet Dec. 14. Contact AWB’s Mellani McAleenan at (360) 943-1600 or MellaniM@awb.org.

 

L&I Meeting With Business Community – Dec. 15
Judy Schurke, interim L&I director, will meet with the business community on Dec. 15, 1-2:30 p.m. at L&I headquarters in Tumwater. For directions, visit http://lni.wa.gov/Main/ContactInfo/OfficeLocations/default.asp.

 

Better Workplace Awards – Send Nominations by Jan. 5
AWB’s Better Workplace Awards honor companies with exemplary records in workplace safety, job training and advancement programs, and innovative benefit/compensation programs. Submit nominations by Jan. 5 to www.awb.org/services/awards/bwa/index.asp. Contact Jennifer Costello at (360) 943-1600 or JenniferC@awb.org.

 

Washington Business Weekly – On the Air and Online at http://www.awb.org/
Listen Thursday on Tacoma’s KLAY-AM 1180, 11a.m.-12 noon, and on Spokane’s KSBN-AM 1230, 5-6 p.m.

 

Emergency Planning & Disaster Management – Is Your Business Prepared?
Attend our one-day seminar on January 31 and learn to prepare and apply a survival plan for any type of disaster. For more information, please visit www.awb.org/events/seminars/emergencyplanning.asp. Contact Jennifer Costello at (360) 943-1600 or JenniferC@awb.org.

 

Great Values With AWB’s Freight Program - SAVE 67 Percent or More On Your Next Freight Bill
You may now rollover your current discounts with some of the nation's best service freight carriers in the AWB freight program and receive a minimum 67 percent discount directly off these carriers' base rates for all LTL shipments. See www.awb.org/services/freightsavings.asp. Contact Jennifer Costello at (360) 943-1600 or JenniferC@awb.org.