Economic Development

Senate Democrats go on the road

Senate Democrats know economic development is crucial to every region of our diverse state. That’s why the Senate Economic Development, Trade & Management (EDTM) Committee is holding work sessions across Washington during the legislative interim to see how different communities use a variety of programs to spur economic development at the local level.

In August, Chair Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup, and Vice Chair Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, took the EDTM Committee to the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla for a review of programs that develop an educated and skilled work force by linking education with industry-specific training.

In Richland, the committee toured the new Bioproducts, Science and Engineering Laboratory (BSEL) at the Washington State University (WSU) Tri-Cities campus, as well as the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), run by Battelle Corporation on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy. These presentations and tours highlighted the BSEL/PNNL partnership, the potential for commercialization of bioproducts through research, and how equipment and capabilities at private companies like Battelle can offer enhanced educational and research opportunities to students at WSU.

The committee also visited nearby Walla Walla Community College for a work session focused on Economic Development/Workforce Development and Export Assistance. The session included presentations by the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and the Department of Community, Trade & Economic Development (CTED) focused on the coordination of state economic development efforts, explanations of how a CTED Wine Cluster Grant has influenced the Walla Walla economy, and how export assistance has focused on enhancing the state's role in promoting exports by rural manufacturers.

During the course of the next few months, the EDTM Committee plans to visit other economic development projects around Washington, including:

• a tour of the Sustainable Energy & Economic Development (SEED) project in Kitsap County to assess the economic development potential of building a world-class high-technology business park for renewable energy businesses;
• a work session in Seattle to learn about the future of health sciences research on economic development at South Lake Union;
• a work session and tour of the Spokane Intercollegiate Research & Technology Initiative (SIRTI) to learn about how this economic development agency is to accelerating the development and growth of technology companies in the Inland Northwest; and
• a tour of the Shock Physics Laboratory at WSU-Pullman to see how government-funded applied-science labs can solve problems for private businesses, and consider the potential for some of the researchers to branch off and become entrepreneurs who establish spin-off businesses of their own.

Washington’s role in aerospace leadership

Senate Democrats recognize the value of the aerospace industry to Washington’s economy. Although our state hosts a widely diversified array of businesses and employers, we still lead the world in aerospace development and manufacturing.

In August, Sen. Chris Marr, D-Spokane, was the featured speaker at the Aerospace Leadership Breakfast in Spokane, sponsored by the Futures Alliance (AFA), Greater Spokane Incorporated and Spokane International Airport.

Marr emphasized how the aerospace industry continues to provide high pay and good benefits to Washington workers, pumps millions of dollars a year into our state economy, and accounts for a major portion of our state’s export of manufactured goods; he also outlined the role Washington plays in providing the well-educated and highly skilled work force necessary to sustain the aerospace industry.

Making Washington better for business

According to Forbes.com's second annual Top States for Business report, our state is rapidly becoming an even better place to do business.

Washington's numbers are up across the board looking at both recent improvements and projections into the future, and being the only state to finish in the top five in three main categories - labor, regulatory environment and growth - helped catapult us from 12th to fifth place in just one year!

Helping business succeed

One of the many things Senate Democrats have focused on to improve the business climate in Washington is promoting growth through microenterprise development.

By passing legislation such as Senate Bills 5613, 5652, and 5653 we’re helping small start-up companies of one to five employees by providing them with training and technical assistance. As those businesses succeed and grow, they spur further economic activity among their suppliers, vendor and customers – and that helps Washington’s economy stay healthy and strong.

We’ve also helped new business succeed by passing legislation to support new techniques such as Innovation Partnership Zones, in which researchers, training facilities and companies work together to develop the products that will drive the economy of the future, and by helping to fund them with the Local Infrastructure Financing Tools (LIFT) necessary to support economic growth.

A level playing field

A recent national study by the Internal Revenue Service identifies $350 billion nationally in lost revenue from unpaid or under-reported taxes - $290 billion of which is in the construction industry.

Honest businesses have a tough time competing with people who don't pay taxes, don't pay fair wages, and don't protect workers – so the Legislature passed Senate Bill 5926 to begin a crackdown on businesses that seek an unfair advantage by participating in the underground economy.

Working for workers

A healthy economy also relies on workers having a safe work environment where they can earn paychecks and benefits that support their families. That’s why Senate Democrats have worked to ensure employees in Washington continue to have access to vocational training, insurance, disability benefits, and job security that they and their families count on.

Apprenticeships are a valuable way for students to learn job skills, and our state has long used apprentices enrolled in state-approved training programs to participate in state public works projects. During the 2007 session, we extended requirements for using apprentices to public works contracts awarded by school districts, providing additional opportunities for apprentices to get the kind of valuable on-the-job training employers desire.

To ensure injured workers have access to vocational rehabilitation, we passed Senate Bill 5920, which provides injured workers with improved access to retraining, and requires, for the sake of efficiency, each worker’s individual plan be completed and submitted to the Department of Labor and Industries within 90 days.

Photo credits:
cover photo: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
viticulture photos: Walla Walla Community College