August 07, 2008

AWB Statewide Candidate Video Series

This year, AWB is proud to launch our statewide candidate video series as part of our Elections 08 Web Site.

In this series, we will ask candidates for statewide office three questions related to the position and how their approach to each question might impact Washington's economy and business climate. You can read the questions, watch the videos and then evaluate how the candidates responded. Here are the questions we posed to the candidates for governor:

  1. A combination of market forces and public policies have driven prices up in recent years, eroding what had historically been a competitive advantage for energy-intensive industries in our state, including our major manufacturers. Climate change proposals aimed at curbing greenhouse gases will likely further increase energy costs, particularly as Initiative 937 does not count our clean, abundant hydro power as renewable for the purpose of meeting the initiative's limits. Additionally, limits on vehicle miles traveled will be particularly burdensome for commuting employees and employers with significant travel commitments.

    How will you work to achieve established climate change objectives without jeopardizing the competitive position of Washington industry?


  2. Spurred in part by the Boeing 787 competition, the 2003 Legislature recognized that high unemployment insurance costs threatened many businesses here. A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers came together to pass comprehensive unemployment insurance (UI) reform that addressed the issues of tax equity, misconduct and voluntary quits. The federal government subsequently ruled that the system does not conform to federal guidelines. Further, the state Supreme Court recently nullified the voluntary quits language.

    How will you, as governor, work with business to reinstate these essential reforms in a way that brings us into federal conformance without increasing UI costs for employers?


  3. A strong housing market coupled with peak construction spending fueled extraordinary state revenue growth over the past four years, during which time state spending rose significantly. Now, revenue growth has slowed and the nonpartisan Senate Ways and Means Committee projects that maintenance-level spending commitments will exceed available revenues by some $2.7 billion. Although the numbers will vary, it’s very likely that the next governor will face serious budget challenges.

    How will you, as governor, address the shortfall? Specifically, do you believe the budget can be balanced without tax increases?

The first candidate video is from Gov. Chris Gregoire. Next Thursday, we'll hear from gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi.

June 06, 2008

A Policy Summit Preview: Larry Sabato's Predictions

Larry Sabato, who will be speaking at this year's Policy Summit (September 24-26), got nice reviews at Capitol Comments, the Council of State Governments blog.

May 28, 2008

2008 AWB Session Review and Voting Record

We've just posted the 2008 Legislative Review and Voting Record to our website. AWB members will soon receive them with the May/June issue of Washington Business, which is in the mail now. Take a minute to review how your legislators voted on business issues in 2007 and 2008.

In the Senate, Republican Senators Jim Honeyford and Linda Parlette scored 100 percent in 2008.

Top ranking House members with 2008 scores of 96 percent were Republican Representatives Larry Crouse, Joel Kretz and Lynn Schindler.

Gov. Chris Gregoire received a 2008 score of 29 percent.

March 17, 2008

AWB Website Makeover

We've given our web site a new look and hope you'll stop by for a visit.

February 27, 2008

AWB Special Presentation: Representitive Cathy McMorris Rogers

Don Brunell (President of AWB) and Gary Chandler (Vice President of Governmental Affairs for AWB) sit down with U.S. Representitive Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-Washington.) They discuss several of the hot topics including education, climate change, and water.

For more information about this, check out our website at www.awb.org.

To download: Click Here



February 18, 2008

Brunell Q&A in The News Tribune

In today's edition of The News Tribune, there's an excellent question-and-answer conversation between AWB president Don Brunell and TNT business writer John Gillie.

In a few paragraphs, the story identifies AWB's major competitiveness concerns, both in the current legislative session and in the months ahead.

February 12, 2008

AWB's Candidate Endorsement Process

After Saturday's presidential caucuses and the attendant hoopla, it's timely to look ahead to the rest of this political year. As a member-centered organization, AWB has developed a systematic process that gives our members the maximum opportunity to participate in the process for endorsing legislative and statewide candidates this fall.

Don Brunell recently reminded members of our procedures.

It is important for you to know that we have a procedure for endorsing candidates for the Legislature and statewide office. We do not endorse in federal races for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

You will have your opportunity to provide your input at our Regional Board meetings around the state early next September. Your recommendations will be considered by the Board when it meets at the Policy Summit on September 26 to decide our endorsements for legislative races and statewide offices. We also will be publishing our legislative voting record and plan a series of podcasts (video or audio recordings available on our Web site) with those who file for the statewide offices.

The schedule for regional board meetings is here. A memo to the AWB board providing more details on the process is here .

January 30, 2008

Tooting our own horn...

Last week's lobby lunch podcast was a huge sucess, with more than 400 downloads as of this morning. I would like to thank y'all for making this such a success! (If you haven't listen to it, click here)

A few things:

- Don't forget to listen to the Olympia Business Review where we look over some of the hot issues of this legislative session. To listen to our latest episode, click here.

- I am currently working on a flash player to embed with our podcasts so those of you who use web browsers that do not support windows media player (such as Firefox) or Mac users can stream the podcast too. This will be coming soon.

- We want to hear from you! What do you think of our podcasts? Is there a topic you want covered? Is there an elected official or legislators who you want to see on? Let me know by sending me  an old fashioned email at danb@awb.org.

Again, thanks for listening!

December 24, 2007

Merry Christmas ... Happy New Year

It's Christmas Eve and I realized I'd forgotten to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. And to say that I'll be taking a blog break through the new year.

November 28, 2007

AWB Chairman Brad Carlson in The Columbian

This short article on Brad Carlson in the Columbian gives deserved recognition to this year's chairman of the board. Brad's always quick to point out the value of teamwork, as this quote demonstrates.

"It's amazing when you've got a voice there representing 6,500 business how effective they can be and how the Legislature and governor listen," Carlson said.

Carlson and the association want to make sure legislators hear the importance of keeping Washington competitive in today's global market. High on their list of things to watch is the crafting of a sustainable state budget, one that puts money away for the lean times. The membership also wants to see that infrastructure and education needs for the state are maintained.

Well said. Well done.