Helping working families a good deal for everyone
Seattle Times, March 3, 2008
By Sue Donaldson and Gary Locke
With tax reform among the hot topics in Olympia, Washington's
Legislature can give a needed boost to the state's economy and help
workers in one easy stroke. It's called the Working Families Credit, and it's designed to help struggling low-wage earners make ends meet.
Proposal gives low-wage workers in Washington a tax-break
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 14, 2008
By Sue Donaldson and Michele Radosevich
While lawmakers in "the other Washington" have put the finishing
touches on an economic stimulus package that will provide checks from
the federal government to many nationwide, here in Washington state,
discussions are taking place on how to reduce the regressivity of our
tax structure and its disproportionate effect on low-wage individuals
and their families.
Helping Children of Girls in Detention
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, August 29, 2007
By Claire McHugh, Kelly Angell and Alice Ostdiek
The United States incarcerates more women than any other country. And,
according to a recent report of the National Council on Crime and
Delinquency, the proportion of girls to boys in custody is steadily
rising in the juvenile justice system. Due to the steadily increasing number of girl offenders (accounting for
30 percent of juvenile arrests in Washington state in 2004, an increase
of 10 percent since 2000), the juvenile justice system regularly comes
into contact with teens who are pregnant or already parents. It's a
problem, but it's also a valuable opportunity.
The Value of Early Education
Seattle Times, March 29, 2007
By Diana Stone, Christopher Anderson and Ruth Lipscomb
What is the most basic obligation of our state? According to our
constitution, the state's "paramount duty" is to provide an education
to all of its children. A coalition of school district officials, union
leaders and civic activists recently filed suit against Washington
state, claiming it has failed in that duty and must increase spending
on "basic education."
Tax Credits Unclaimed by City's Low -Income Workers
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 8, 2007
by Jan Drago and Diana Stone
Many Washingtonians work full time and still struggle to afford basic necessities. Washington Appleseed's Keeping Afloat project is working directly with employers and enlisting their help in reaching eligible low-income employees to increase participation in a variety of benefits and services designed to help them make ends meet.
Parents Key to Kids' Education
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 5, 2006
by Adie Simmons and Kelly Warner-King
If educators and policymakers want to make real progress toward meeting the state's challenging achievement goals, it's critical they actively engage parents as partners. Appleseed's report It Takes a Parent demonstrates the importance of parental engagement in educational policy.
Transportation: A Reformist Agenda
Seattle Times, February 28, 2005
by Sue Donaldson and Deb Eddy
A connection needs to be made between reform of transportation governance structures and successful funding of transportation. Clarity of responsibility and political accountability for transportation planning and financing is required to improve public trust.
Job 1 for New Governor: Review Election
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 22, 2004
by Sue Donaldson
Regardless of who becomes our governor, one of her or his first acts should be to appoint a blue-ribbon commission to review this election and make recommendations to the Legislature for practical, immediate reforms. No one wants future elections to rely so heavily on the involvement of the courts and lawyers.
