Report: Home construction costs in Washington state climbing due to red tape
By Brett Davis
One of the largest home building associations in America has released a report detailing the rising costs of home construction in Washington state, blaming onerous government regulations for higher prices.
The Building Industry Association of Washington, in partnership with the Washington Center for Housing Studies, examined the costs associated with single-family homes and townhomes, focusing on bureaucratic impediments and market conditions.
Key findings from the “Cost of Constructing New Homes in Washington State (2024)” report, released on Monday, paint an expensive picture.
According to the report, the average cost to build a single-family detached home in the Evergreen State is $309 per square foot, with a median sales price of $690,701 for a 2,505-square-foot home. The cost
to build an average single-family home of a similar size in the U.S. is $428,215, according to the latest study from the National Association of Home Builders.
The report states that townhome construction averages $404 per square foot and has a median sales price of $592,195. The median cost to acquire raw land in key counties in Washington is $286,996 per lot.
Regulatory costs imposed by local, state, and federal governments account for 23.8% of the final home price, per the report, totaling an estimated $164,386 per new home.
“Washington families are struggling to afford homeownership due to rising construction costs and burdensome regulations,” BIAW
President Kent Arola said in a news release. “We need smart policies that encourage housing development while keeping costs manageable.”
The report calls for the passage of housing affordability bills currently being considered by the Legislature,
including Senate Bill 5184 to modernize parking regulations, House Bill 1096 to allow for administrative lot splitting to open up more buildable land, and Senate Bill 5729 to allow a licensed and insured design professional stamp to represent a complete permit application to speed up permit approval timelines.
BIAW’s report broadly reflects the general take of the private and public sectors regarding Washington’s housing challenge.
According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, there is a shortage of nearly 172,000 affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income renters in Washington.
In 2023, the Washington State Department of Commerce released its final housing needs projections, showing the state needs to add 1.1 million homes over the next two decades, and that more than half of them need to be affordable for the lowest-income residents.
Where are you playing small?
W
hen things don’t go our way, our first instinct is to find external conditions to blame. For example, we might say to ourselves, I can’t advance at work because of the corporate culture, the economy, or my boss’ personality.
Erica Browne Grivas Get Growing
In doing so we fail to consider a most impactful idea: that we are living within self-imposed limitations.
Why is this so important? First, because even if the culture, economy or your boss are factors in your professional success at your current role, those conditions are not under your control. Our self-beliefs are the strongest levers we have in shaping our perspective of the world, and while it may not feel like it much of the time, they are under our control.
Second, we tend to have a long-standing blind spot when it comes to self-reflection, so it would be foolish to ignore what influence our self-view may be playing in our life.
Our brains feed on past expectations to predict and respond efficiently to future situations. Conditional behavioral training techniques like Pavlov and his dogs use this mechanism to shape behavior. When the bell rings, it’s feeding time. When first training a trick or behavior, a dog may need treats and lots of repetition. Eventually, they need fewer triggers to elicit the behavior. As the behavior becomes reinforced, the trigger or signal can be phased from treats to a word or hand signal.
Our bodies are doing this unconsciously all the time. We create protective patterns to avoid pain. If your shoulder is stiff, you might change your posture, leaning to the opposite side. That’s not a problem for a week or so, but over months can cause muscle imbalances and injuries.
Playing tennis recently for the first time in a long while, I realized I was hanging back, not running for the ball, just in case I might tweak my tricky knee. It was casual hitting session, so I just let balls go by me. It made me wonder; what shots am I missing in other areas without realizing it?
As our nervous systems seek input from the environment about our safety, our body and brain respond – usually with one of our preset belief or behavior patterns. Some patterns are more obvious, like a positive association with chocolate and warm blankets, or getting tense before a test or a visit to the dentist. Yet many were laid down even in childhood, based on something a parent or teacher said, or a mistaken conclusion you drew, and your brain has been building on that ever since. Because this process is lightning fast, and unconscious, it’s nearly impossible to prevent before we have a limiting response.
The trick is in paying attention to the physical and mental chatter happening internally. For some, it’s easiest to scan your emotional register first – for others, thoughts or bodily sensations are clearer. The order doesn’t matter; they all work to increase your awareness of your emotional mechanics. Over time, you’ll notice your patterns such as, “When I’m anxious, my heart beats faster and I feel queasy.”
If negative thoughts arise, note them. Do you think you’re not ready/too old/unsuited for this job? If you are feeling upset, try distracting yourself with another activity that feels good.
If you are calm, try questioning those thoughts – are they really true? Are they serving you? The act of placing them in the spotlight, a little like ringing Pavlov’s bell, will help you be more aware the next time it happens.
The Center Square
The Building Industry Association of Washington, in partnership with the Washington Center for Housing Studies, examined the costs associated with single-family homes and townhomes, focusing on bureaucratic impediments and market conditions
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Sunday Services 11:00am – 12noon Pacific
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Savvy Senior: When to worry about your memory
Dear Savvy Senior, At age 70, I’ve become more and more forgetful lately and am concerned it may be an early sign of dementia. Are there any memory screening tools or services that you can recommend to help me gage my problem, without going to a neurologist?
DForgetful Frank
ear Frank,
Many older adults, like yourself, worry about memory lapses as they get older fearing it may be the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease or some other type of dementia. To get some insight on the seriousness of your problem, here are some tips and resources you can turn to.
WARNING SIGNS
As we grow older, some memory difficulties – such as forgetting names or misplacing items from time to time – are associated with normal aging. But the symptoms of dementia are much more than simple memory lapses.
While symptoms can vary greatly, people with dementia may have problems with short-term memory, keeping track of a purse or wallet, paying bills, planning and preparing meals, remembering appointments or traveling out of the neighborhood.
To help you recognize the
GRIVAS
From page 1
In the job example above, if you are older than your colleagues, what experience do you bring that is helpful? Is there some action you’d like to take to remedy the conditions? Perhaps a course in AI or social media strategies would help you feel better prepared.
Look around in areas of your life you’d like to improve and consider where you can play bigger. Try to have a “Why not?” attitude. In most cases, you have little to lose and much to gain. Even failing at something new increases your knowledge and readiness to try again.
Meditation is a way of pre-paving this process, by practicing quieting and noticing the internal dialogue, what Buddhists call the “monkey mind.” Even if you don’t make time for meditation, noticing your feelings, thoughts and emotions will fast-track your progress to the life you really want.
difference between typical age-related memory loss and a more serious problem, the Alzheimer’s Association provides a list of 10 warning signs that you can assess at 10signs.org. They also provide information including the signs and symptoms on other conditions that can cause dementia like vascular dementia, Lewy body
dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and others – see ALZ.org/dementia.
MEMORY SCREENING
A great resource and first step to help you get a handle on your memory problem is the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America,
which offers a National Memory Screening Program. This is a free, confidential, face-to-face memory screening done virtually in real-time that takes about 10 to 15 minutes to complete and consists of questions and/or tasks to evaluate your memory status. Once the screening is complete, the screener will review the results with you.
Available to everyone, these memory screenings are done daily Monday through Friday, and are given by doctors, nurse practitioners, psychologists, social workers or other healthcare professionals across the country.
A smart phone, computer, tablet or any other device with a webcam and Internet capability is all that’s
needed. Appointments can be requested online at ALZFDN.org/memoryscreening or by calling 866-232-8484. It’s also important to know that this screening is not a diagnosis of any particular condition but can indicate whether you should see your doctor for more extensive assessment.
SEE YOUR DOCTOR
If you find that you need further evaluation, make an appointment with your primary care doctor for a cognitive checkup and medical examination. Depending on what’s found, you may be referred to a geriatrician or neurologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease. Keep in mind that even if you are experiencing some memory problems, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have dementia. Many memory problems are brought on by other factors like stress, depression, thyroid disease, side effects of medications, sleep disorders, vitamin deficiencies and other medical conditions. And by treating these conditions he can reduce or eliminate the problem.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
SPU highlights Clean City accomplishments in 2024 impact report
by SPU Media
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) collected more than 4.1 million pounds of litter, illegally dumped items, and other waste from public streets and areas throughout Seattle last year, totaling 13.8 million pounds from 2022 to 2024, according to a new community impact report released last week.
In addition, more residents volunteered more hours for SPU’s Adopt a Street program, with donated time growing by 21% last year from 2023.
Also, SPU’s new All Hands Neighborhood Cleanup Series in 2024 brought together more than 350 volunteers across 10 cleanup events, totaling 1,600 residents who donated time to help remove more than 250,000 pounds of trash.
These are among key highlights in the Seattle Clean City Community Impact Report for 2024, which SPU issues each year as a report card for the public.
“This report underscores the power of our One Seattle values in action that is keeping Seattle clean and vibrant,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell.
“From dedicated city employees to community volunteers, the Seattle Clean City initiative represents the spirit of collaboration that defines our city. By removing millions of pounds of waste, engaging residents in cleanup efforts, and fostering innovative programs, we’re creating healthier, safer, and more thriving neighborhoods. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made together and remain committed to building a cleaner, brighter future for all Seattleites.”
SPU General Manager and CEO Andrew Lee said the accomplishments, data, and personal
stories in the report show that positive change can be achieved to serve the public. “All of this illustrates Seattle Public Utilities’ deep commitment to the environment and removing trash from public spaces and collaborating with residents,” Lee said. “I’m proud we’re doing this work. Keeping Seattle neighborhoods cleaner helps residents thrive. We welcome more residents and community organizations to join us in supporting Seattle’s diverse communities.”
Among 2024 highlights reported by the SPU Clean City Division:
4.1 million pounds of litter, illegally dumped items, and other waste removed citywide across six programs. This is a 12% decrease from 2023, thanks to community engagement and education, enforcement efforts, and collaboration with other City of Seattle departments. From 2022 to 2024, more than 13.8 million pounds of waste was removed.
More than 800,000 sharp objects (needles, syringes, and lancets) were safely collected in 23 disposal boxes across the city and properly removed from the community. Clean City staff responded to 99% of sharp object removal requests within 24 hours. From 2022 to 2024, more than 2 million sharp objects were removed.
28,865 volunteer hours from Seattle residents for the “Adopt a Street” neighborhood cleanup program, up from 16,103 volunteer hours in 2022. New volunteers, total cleanups, and pounds of waste collected grew by more than 20% from 2023. Volunteer hours in 2024 amounted to $1.1 million in donated time for Washington state, according to the Value of Volunteer Time report.
From 2022 to 2024, the program recorded more than 68,800 volunteer hours or more than $2.7 million in donated time.
More than 40 Litter Abatement Program (LAP) routes – which use contractor trucks and crews to proactively pick up litter, illegally dumped items, and other waste in neighborhoods especially in underserved areas in South Park, Beacon Hill, and Rainier Beach – collected more than 1.7 million pounds of trash in 2024. When this service started in 2016, there were only 8 routes. Since 2017, the program recorded nearly 10 million pounds of collected trash. Today, some routes have 8 hours of service to keep neighborhoods clean.
More community involvement through public use of the “Find It, Fix It” app to report trash for pickup, increasing by 21% in 2024 and resulting in nearly 57,000 service requests filed with Clean City. Read the Seattle Clean City Community Impact Report for full details.
The public can download “Find It, Fix it” on the App Store or Google Play to report litter, illegally dumped, and graffiti issues in neighborhoods. Every day, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) delivers essential, life-sustaining services while protecting public health and our environment to ensure healthy, thriving communities. Seattle Clean City, which is part of SPU, administers programs to protect the environment, maintain public space access, and improve community health. Seattle Clean City removes litter, illegal dumping, and other hazards swiftly and efficiently to keep Seattle clean and healthy. SPU works with Mayor Bruce Harrell and the Seattle City Council to implement its mission.
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Adding a tasty twist to traditional long-grain rice
By
Enjoy experimenting with different cuisines at the dinner table? This recipe for “Chicken and Vegetable Clay Pot Rice” from Andrea Nguyen’s “Into the Vietnamese Kitchen” (Ten Speed Press) allows home chefs to bring a taste of Vietnam into their homes.
CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE
CLAY POT RICE
Serves 3 or 4
■ ½ teaspoon salt
■ ¼ teaspoon white pepper
■ ½ teaspoon sugar
■ 2 teaspoons light (regular) soy sauce
■ 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
■ ¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
■ 5 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
■ 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
■ 2/3 cup chopped celery (pea-sized pieces)
■ 2/3 cup chopped carrot (pea-sized pieces)
■ 5 to 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted, trimmed and chopped into pea-sized pieces
■ ½ cup frozen peas, preferably petite peas, thawed
■ 2 cups long-grain rice
■ 2 2/3 cups chicken stock
1. In a bowl, stir together the salt, white pepper, sugar, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Add the chicken and use chopsticks to mix well. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the celery, carrot and mushrooms and continue to sauté for about 3 minutes, or until half cooked. Add the chicken and sauté gently for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat, stir in the peas and set the pan aside.
3. Rinse the rice and let it drain for 10 minutes in a sieve positioned over a bowl.
Bottoms up! Bill to study updating WA’s alcohol tax system moves ahead
By Brett Davis The Center Square
A bill to have the Legislature evaluate how to modernize Washington state’s alcohol tax system passed out of executive session in the Senate Way & Means Committee without recommendation on Thursday afternoon.
That means the bill now goes to the Rules Committee, where it can be pulled to the Senate floor for a vote at any time.
Substitute Senate Bill 5368 would require the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to conduct a study regarding alcohol taxation and fees in the state. It would also require the Department of Revenue and the Liquor and Cannabis Board to provide data for that study.
Meanwhile, bring the stock to a near simmer in a small saucepan and then cover to keep it hot.
4. In a heavy-bottomed 5-quart Dutch oven or similar pot, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over mediumhigh heat. Firmly shake the sieve, holding the rice to expel any water, and then add the rice to the pot. Stir constantly with a large spoon for about 3 minutes, or until the grains are opaque and feel light. Add the stock and expect dramatic boiling. Immediately give the rice and stock a big stir, then lower the heat to medium so the contents simmer and cover the pot. Put your ear by the pot and you will hear gentle bubbling.
5. During the next 5 minutes, encourage the grains to absorb the stock and cook evenly. To do this, periodically remove the lid, give the rice a big, quick stir, and then replace the lid. Stir the rice 3 times, usually about 30 seconds after the steam plumes begin shooting from under the lid. The rice will first swim in stock and then progressively become less easy to move. Small craters will form on the surface, too. When you stir the third time, the rice should stick a bit to the pan and most of the stock will have been absorbed.
6. Uncover and add the vegetables and chicken and any juices from the skillet, distributing them evenly over the rice. Replace the lid and continue cooking for 10 minutes longer. Uncover and stir the contents, scraping the bottom to combine all the ingredients. Replace the lid, remove from the heat and let the rice sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
7. Fluff the rice with chopsticks or a fork and then spoon it into 1 or 2 serving bowls or platters. If a little crust has formed on the bottom of the pot, scoop it out and serve the shards separately for anyone who enjoys the crisp, nutty taste.
The marketplace is different than it was in 2011 when a Costco-led campaign to privatize liquor sales in the state succeeded in passing Initiative 1183. This made Washington the first state in the nation to fully privatize liquor sales and distribution.
According to Andrea McNeely, executive director of the Association of Washington Spirits & Wine Distributors, the current alcohol taxation system is at odds with the modern marketplace.
While beer products are taxed at 26 cents per gallon, spirits are taxed at a rate of between $26 and $34 per gallon.
But because the current system taxes products based on the manufacturing process – brewed, distilled, fermented – rather than a product’s alcohol content, there is something of a mismatch in the marketplace. High-alcohol products not anticipated by the current system receive the lowest tax rate, while other established products are hit with a higher tax burden.
Washington’s alcohol tax system, which McNeely characterized as
By Spencer Pauley The Center Square
Seattle saw an increase in traffic-related deaths in 2024 despite street safety measures implemented as part of its program to reduce traffic injuries. However, the city’s transportation department is anticipating better results thanks to a new tax levy.
The Vision Zero program is the city's commitment to achieving zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries on its streets by 2030. The program includes redesigning streets to emphasize safety, predictability, multimodal mobility and the potential for taking into account human error.
Since Seattle launched its Vision Zero program in 2015, more than 1,850 people have been seriously injured and 253 people have been killed in traffic accidents.
out of date, has created an incentive to circumvent state laws regarding alcohol and taxes. She explained that companies are taking advantage of the ability to manufacture high-alcohol beer-based products that mimic spirits.
“We think that the market has changed very much in terms of the types of products and the alcohol content, whether they’re made with malt, wine or spirits,” McNeely told The Center Square earlier this week. “And so what we’d like to ask the state to do is find out what revenue is being generated in those various categories and how does that compare to other states where the taxation is in a different system.”
The Department of Revenue reported collecting more than $211 million in taxes on spirits in 2024. The Liquor and Cannabis Board reported collecting more than $197 million in fees on spirits, which are separate from taxes, last year. The state also collects taxes from beer and wine sales.
Not everyone in the alcohol industry, however, is on board with SSB 5368.
At a Wednesday public hearing before the Senate Way & Means Committee, Washington Brewers Guild Executive Director Daniel Olson rhetorically tore the bill apart.
“Right now our breweries are struggling,” he told the committee. “Closures are outpacing new openings. Beer sales are down. Our farmers in eastern Washington are planting less. This isn’t just a study bill. It lays the groundwork for liquor companies to push for massive tax breaks that will lead to higher tax rates for small independent breweries [that] are still recovering from the COVID shutdowns.”
He also noted, “Washington’s alcohol tax rates are nationally competitive. There is no need to spend taxpayer money on a study designed to favor out-of-state corporations over local businesses.”
According to the bill’s fiscal note, it would cost $148,000 in the 20252027 biennium.
The legislation requires the Washington State Institute for Public Policy's final report to be submitted to the relevant legislative committees by the end of the year.
According to data from the Seattle Department of Transportation, trafficrelated fatalities in Seattle increased from 27 in 2023 to 29 in 2024. The majority of victims were pedestrians and people on bicycles or motorcycles.
Serious injuries on Seattle streets did drop from more than 250 in 2023 to about 200 in 2024, according to data presented
to the Seattle Transportation Committee. Prior to 2023, the previous record for the most number of serious injuries was 241 in 2006.
SDOT Chief Transportation Safety Officer Venu Nemani said that the data is preliminary and could change.
Nemani noted that the department is starting strong in 2025 when it
comes to implementing traffic safety projects on time thanks to the city’s new transportation levy.
Seattle’s new eight-year, $1.55 billion levy dedicates $28.9 million to pedestrian safety projects in 2025, the second largest portion of levy funds for the year. The levy is expected to cost a median homeowner
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Long road ahead: Traffic fatalities up despite
Almost 90% of CCA-funded projects in Washington don’t reduce carbon emissions
By TJ Martinell The Center Square
The 2021 Climate Commitment Act enacted by the state Legislature places a cap on the amount of allowable carbon emissions and generates revenue through carbon auctions that are used to fund environmental projects throughout the state. However, almost 90% of project spending does not impact carbon emissions.
The Carbon Emissions Reduction Account is one of three accounts where CCA carbon auction revenue is deposited; the others are the Climate Investment Account and the Air Quality Health Disparities Improvement Account. Within those three accounts are four subaccounts. The revenue is held in those accounts until the money is appropriated by the state Legislature.
Although emitters directly pay into the carbon auctions, some organizations have argued that drivers are the ones who also pay at the pump in the form of increased gas prices.
While CCA’s direct effect is to have emitters either reduce their emissions to allowable levels or participate in the state’s carbon auctions, the state program also aims to achieve other environmental goals.
According to Ecology’s website, along with emission reductions they also include “a wide range of climate-related environmental goals and community benefits.”
For example, the CCA requires that at least 35% of auction revenue is invested in projects that “directly benefit vulnerable populations within overburdened
communities,” with the Environmental Justice Council offering project recommendations to the Legislature. Agencies that receive CCA funding must also report to the council progress made on environmental justice goals.
According to the latest report from the state Department of Ecology, during the 2024 fiscal year 37 state agencies received $3.2 billion, with $472.5 million spent, while the four quarterly auctions held by Ecology generated $1.3 billion.
CCA-funded projects
during that time frame are expected to reduce the state’s carbon emissions by 335,171 metric tons, roughly .3% of annual state emissions, albeit the Ecology report notes that the reductions are “over time.”
According to Ecology, the carbon emission reductions are calculated using agencyapproved tools, including some developed by the California Air Resources Board, that estimate the reductions “resulting over the lifetime of a project compared to a business-as-usual scenario where these investments
were not made.”
Nearly all the emission reductions are through transportation-related projects; more than half of all CCA spending in fiscal year 2024 was on transportation. However, Ecology’s report noted that just $53 million or 11% of total CCA spending went toward projects “with readily calculable emissions reductions,” while 63% of CCA spending was on projects concerning “vulnerable populations within the boundaries of overburdened communities.”
Todd Myers, vice president for research at the Washington Policy Center, wrote in an email to The Center Square that it’s “crazy” most spending doesn’t concern carbon emissions.
“The whole justification for the tax is to spend money on projects that reduce CO2 emissions,” he wrote. “Their own report indicates that isn't happening. Just an incredible amount of waste.”
He later said in an interview with The Center Square that “the money they spend didn’t add to CO2 reductions. It simply
KCLS launches seven new library card designs
King County Library System patrons can get a brand new library card featuring one of seven new designs from local artists at their local community library. The new cards were designed by seven artists from a wide array of backgrounds and styles, and will be available at KCLS’s 50 community library locations.
“A library card opens the door to everything KCLS has to offer, and I’m excited to have these new designs that reflect the community we serve, and spark inspiration for our patrons,” said Heidi Daniel, Executive Director. “From beautiful tile work, to an inspiring oil painting, the iconic Pacific Northwest salmon, and even a curious Sasquatch, we hope every patron can find a card they love.”
The seven new designs feature different scenes evocative of the Pacific Northwest and the King
County region. Bethany Fackrell’s Salish salmon honor the iconic and endemic fish species. barry johnson’s oil painting presents a world of wonder with a young reader. Stevie Shao’s northwest seabirds capture the wild spirit of the coastal areas.
Marisol Ortega’s tessellation tiles showcase inspiration from her Mexican-American background. Stacy Nguyen’s car-camping dogs bring a fun twist on a northwest tradition. Hernan Paganini’s colorful cuts share the feeling of exploring an unknown world. And Don Clark’s curious creature – the Pacific Northwest Sasquatch - is sharing its favorite book with a feathered friend.
WHAT THE ARTISTS ARE SAYING:
“The library played such a critical role in my life being able to grow up. So to be able to look at that young boy growing up in that
book, and then later on, be able to make that artwork that I get to share with other people is such an amazing feeling,” said Barry Johnson.
“It's really exciting to know that this library card is going to be passed down from another generation to maybe even another generation. And it really fills my heart. The library gave a lot to me when I was growing up, and then I'm giving back, and it's just it's a beautiful relationship,” said Bethany Fackrell.
“The library as a kid, for me, was special. Growing up, we didn't have a lot of means, and so being able to go to the library was a magical place. It was free. It was a special getaway where my imagination could run wild. It's an honor to have my art on a library card, just to know that kids are going to have this in their wallet,” said Don Clark of Invisible Creature.
prioritizes some methods of CO2 reduction over others," adding that "we would achieve those goals" without those projects.
An initiative on the November ballot would have repealed the CCA, but it was rejected by voters. When The Center Square reached out to the Department of Ecology for comment, an agency communications manager wrote in an email that Ecology does not have any control over how CCA funds are spent and all appropriations are done by the Legislature.
from local artists
“This library card just means a lot to me. I grew up not having a computer at home, so books were my life. I learned to read, and it was sort of my escapism too, from like art, and so I had a library card since I was little, I would make my parents take the library every day. And now that I have a family, my kids go to the library all the time, and we're really avid book readers, and it's really nice to give back to the community and know that everyone can kind of take a little piece of me around in their pocket,” said Marisol Ortega.
Art doesn't just have to be on a wall and frame. It can be something that you kind of carry with you in your bag, in your purse. Every day. Feels like full circle for me, because when I was younger, I've always wanted a library card. I didn't necessarily get to have one because my mom was afraid that I would lose it, so today as an
adult, being able to actually have my artwork on a library card is just like mind blowing,” said Stacy Ngueyn.
“I'm excited to be a part of this new rollout of library cards. I grew up going to the library, participating in the Summer Reading Program, and in high school would kill time at the library, just reading magazines and looking through books. So I'm really excited to be part of the library's legacy and contribute to art that’s part of every day,” said Stevie Shao.
“The book, to me, was always a landscape to explore unknown universes, so I tried to hold that emotion in my heart as a trigger whisper for this project. The library was always a place to disappear into other dimensions, like a womb. I can go there, be protected, nourish myself, and my aura can expand to the infinite endless possibilities of my own existence,” said Hernan Paganini.
Submitted
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Bill to merge three closed retirement systems, increase COLA passes WA Senate
By Carleen Johnson
The Center Square
On Monday, the Washington State Senate passed Substitute Senate Bill 5085, which merges three closed retirement systems and permanently increases cost-of-living increases for retired state workers.
According to a bill summary, it “merges the assets, liabilities, and membership of Law Enforcement Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement System Plan 1, Public Employees' Retirement System Plan 1 (PERS Plan 1), and the Teachers' Retirement System Plan 1 (TRS Plan 1) retirement systems into the new Legacy Retirement System.”
It also “Creates an annual cost of living adjustment to the retirement benefits of retirees in the PERS Plan 1 and TRS Plan 1, of up to 3 percent” and “Eliminates the remaining unfunded actuarial accrued liability and benefit improvement rates.”
In June 2000, LEOFF-1 reached a fully funded status, and contributions by the state, employers and employees were suspended.
“LEOFF Plan 1 is 149% funded with surplus assets of just over $2 billion,” according to the bill summary.
SSB 5085 merges LEOFF-1 with the TERS-1 and FERS-1 pension systems, using the surplus assets to ensure that all members receive benefits at least equal to their original plans and an ongoing COLA adjustment.
“Our pensions are healthy, and this bill uses the health of our pensions to accomplish a few major goals,” Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, the bill’s sponsor, said from the floor of the Senate. “This bill will provide a permanent COLA, a cost of living adjustment for members of PERS-1 and TERS-1, public servants who were teachers and public employees, most of whom are now retired and do not have a permanent COLA. This bill will make that happen.”
She went on to say, “This bill will also immediately buy down unfunded liability for the state, local governments and school districts.”
The bill summary states the unfunded liability as of 2023 for “PERS Plan 1 is 80 percent funded with a $2.1 billion unfunded liability with approximately 39,306 annuitants and 506 active members. TRS
TRAFFIC
From page 4
in Seattle $530 a year.
“Thanks to the levy commitment, we are starting construction on a lot of projects within the Vision Zero program,” Nemani said during Tuesday's transportation committee meeting.
Traffic projects in 2025 includes six new safety corridors, signs and markings upgrades, speed
Plan 1 is 86 percent funded with a $1.1 billion unfunded liability with approximately 28,556 annuitants and 81 active members.”
Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, spoke in opposition to the bill.
“There have been dozens of proposals over the last 15, maybe 20 years,” he said. “We’ve looked at the surplus in the LEOFF-1 pension and thought all the things we could do with that surplus.”
Braun suggested there are many proposals Republicans could get behind, but said he sees problems with SB 5085.
“We have a significant surplus in the LEOFF-1 system in large part because the state overinvested in the 90s. The net is we have this big surplus,” he explained. “With this bill, we would decide to take that surplus through a merger and pay for a permanent long-term COLA for PERS-1 and TERS-1. We should understand what this is. That’s a multi-billion-dollar decision to spend money in a year when we have a significant budget deficit.”
Democrats have largely settled on a projected operating budget shortfall of $12 billion over the next four years. Republicans point to information from nonpartisan legislative staff members that the shortfall is expected to be $6.7 billion.
Braun said a commitment to new spending is a bad idea with the state facing a shortfall.
“I just think that’s fundamentally wrong,” he said. “This is not the time to add new spending.”
Majority Leader Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, spoke in support of the bill just ahead of the final vote, noting that the measure seeks to put the state in new territory regarding public pension funding.
“Putting us for what I think is the first time in our state’s history in a position where every one of our public pension systems is fully funded,” he said. “This is an absolutely remarkable step forward for our state.”
The bill passed on a 28-21 vote, with two Democrats – Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, and Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek – joining Republicans in voting against the bill.
SSB 5085 now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
cushions, and narrow travel lanes, among others.
Over the levy’s eight-year life span, approximately $70 million will be allocated to Vision Zero initiatives.
This year, SDOT is shifting toward an established “Safe System Approach" to broaden the department’s focus. This Safe System Approach has been utilized internationally, including in Sweden, Norway and Australia.
There are six guiding principles as part of the Safe System Approach: death and serious injuries are unacceptable, humans make mistakes, humans are vulnerable, responsibility is shared, safety is proactive, and redundancy is crucial.
SDOT will consider these principles when implementing projects intended to reduce traffic deaths.
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