Ahead of the Start of Negotiations on Republican Tax Plan, Senators Murray and Cantwell Demand Open & Transparent Process
Press release issued 12/ 8/ 17(Washington, D.C.) – In a new letter, Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Senate health committee, and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, today joined Senate Democrats who will serve as conferees on the committee to negotiate the GOP’s tax bill to urge their fellow Republican conferees to conduct the conference in an open and transparent manner. The Senators said transparency has been missing from the legislative process thus far, as neither the House Ways and Means Committee nor the Senate Finance Committee have held any public hearings regarding the bills that were ultimately reported out and debated in their respective chambers. The Senators said a bill that would have such an enormous impact on the American economy deserves to see the light of day. The Senators therefore demanded the conference conduct at least three open public meetings, that all members on the committee be given a full opportunity to offer amendments and to secure roll call votes on all amendments, and that a final conference report, including analyses from tax experts at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), be approved and made public.
In addition to Senators Murray and Cantwell, the Democrats who penned this letter include Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Tom Carper (D-DE).
A copy of their letter appears below:
Dear Fellow Conferees,
We write to you regarding our upcoming negotiations and work on H.R. 1, the reconciliation vehicle for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We request that the conference be conducted with a level of transparency and consideration commensurate with the enormous scope and implications of this bill, which has been missing from the legislative process thus far. Specifically, there should be several public conference meetings held in the open, with meaningful opportunity for public input and with the benefit of a complete analysis by Congress's nonpartisan budget experts.
Foremost, it is critical that this process and all negotiations be done publicly, in full view of the American people. Neither the Ways and Means Committee nor the Finance Committee held any public hearings regarding the bills that were ultimately reported out and debated in their respective chambers. Debating these crucial topics out in the open - rather than behind closed doors - would allow the American people the ability to stay informed about changes to the tax code that will have a significant impact on many facets of their lives. Specifically, we request that the conference conduct at least three open public meetings, and that all members of the conference be given a full opportunity at such meetings to offer amendments and to secure roll call votes on all amendments, as well as on final approval of the conference report. It would be outrageous if legislation of this magnitude is again put together in secret, without the public's knowledge or input.
We also believe that before the conference report is finalized, conferees and the public should have a complete analysis of the proposed language from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). Such an analysis should include a standard score, so we understand the costs of its provisions and their impact on the budget deficit. It also should evaluate the legislation's macroeconomic effects, so we know whether there is any truth to claims that the legislation "pays for itself." Additionally, since the Congressional Budget Office already estimated that this legislation would result in tens of millions of patients losing health care coverage and substantial premium increases, the conference should also wait for an analysis of its impact on the health care system. Finally, the analysis should include a complete description of the bill's distributional effects, including an analysis that illustrates what percentage of taxpayers will see a tax increase or tax decrease and the magnitude of the change. It is essential that members have a full and non-partisan understanding of the legislation being presented, before any member is compelled to vote on a conference report.
Last week, the Senate passed a bill rife with hand-written edits in the margins in the middle of the night. Predictably, this rush to passage produced mistakes amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars that conferees will now have to fix and may have led to new loopholes ripe for exploitation. Americans cannot risk their financial futures and our economy to such haphazard and slapdash legislating.
We know that many of us disagree about the merits of policies that would lead to tax increases on the middle class, tax breaks for large corporations and the very wealthy, and the despoiling of a pristine wilderness refuge. But we should all agree that changes of this scale should be done the right way, with a full opportunity for open, public dialogue, and complete information from non-partisan analysts about the bill's effects.
Cantwell, DelBene to FCC Chairman: “Abandon Your Ill-Conceived & Rash Plan to Dismantle the Strong and Robust Net Neutrality Rules”
Press release issued 12/ 9/ 17Seattle, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commissioner Ajit Pai urging him to do his job and drop his misguided attempt at repealing net neutrality rules.
“Undoing the existing strong net neutrality rules will harm our economy and is the exact opposite of the FCC’s mission to protect the public interest and promote access to networks,” said Sen. Cantwell and Rep. DelBene. “The FCC’s proper stewardship of our communications networks is more important than ever for continued job growth stemming from the booming internet economy.”
Sen. Cantwell and Rep. DelBene are particularly concerned about how Washington’s economy will be affected if Pai follows through on his goals to shackle the free and open internet. A quarter of a million jobs and 13% of the state’s economy are dependent on a robust, vibrant Internet economy.
Over 400,000 Washingtonians, recognizing the importance of net neutrality to Washington state’s economy, have filed comments with the FCC concerning the plan.
“Weakening the internet economy will be particularly harmful to the economy of Washington state. On behalf of all Washingtonians and consumers and innovators that rely on toll free access to a free and open internet, we strongly urge you to make the right decision and stand up for the consumers you committed to protect when you took your oath of office,” the members of Congress continued.
Sen. Cantwell and Rep. DelBene issued their appeal with tech leaders at Seattle’s Galvanize, a Seattle coworking space featuring a mix of entrepreneurs, programmers, data scientists, and others who thrive on the free and open internet.
Net neutrality protections make sure we have an open and free internet and prohibit cable companies and service providers from slowing down or blocking content, applications or websites.
The full letter to Chairman Pai is below.
Dear Chairman Pai:
We write to urge you to abandon your ill-conceived and rash plan to dismantle the strong and robust net neutrality rules that have fueled the growth of our $1 trillion internet economy. The internet economy is now over 7% of US GDP and employs almost 7 million people.
Moreover, the internet economy has grown faster than any other sector in the U.S., having boosted employment while many other industries in the U.S. were shedding jobs in the last economic downturn. It is undisputed that our strong, robust open internet drove this tremendous economic growth.
The mission of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is to promote the use and deployment of communications in the public interest, and the job of the FCC Chairman is to make sure that mission is being carried out. Undoing the existing strong net neutrality rules will harm our economy and is the exact opposite of the FCC’s mission to protect the public interest and promote access to networks.
Weakening the internet economy will be particularly harmful to the economy of Washington state. The internet economy is responsible for 13% of Washington state’s economic output. A quarter of a million jobs in Washington state depend on the continued good health and vibrancy of our internet economy.
The “App Economy,” which consists of everybody who makes money and has a job thanks to mobile apps powered by an open internet, is another example of the power of the internet economy made possible by the existing net neutrality rules. Today, 1.7 million Americans have jobs because of the App Economy. Nearly 92,000 of those jobs are in Washington state.
The FCC’s proper stewardship of our communications networks is more important than ever for continued job growth stemming from the booming internet economy.
On behalf of all Washingtonians and the consumers and innovators who rely on toll free access to a free and open internet, we strongly urge you to make the right decision and stand up for the consumers you committed to protect when you took your oath of office.
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CFPB Drama Underscores Need for Greater Accountability
Blog posting from the US Chamber of Commerce---THOMAS J. DONOHUEPresident and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
A legal battle broke out over control of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) late last month. Upon resigning, former Director Richard Cordray attempted to install his own successor, while President Trump named Mick Mulvaney acting director to oversee the agency until a permanent director is nominated and confirmed by the Senate. Confusion, chaos, and legal challenges ensued.
The D.C. District Court weighed in and was right to confirm the legitimacy of Director Mulvaney, though the litigation is ongoing. The Federal Vacancies Reform Act clearly states that the president has the power to install an interim director who has been Senate confirmed for another position. Even the CFPB’s own general counsel—who was hired by former Director Cordray—indicated she “advised all bureau personnel to act consistently with the understanding that Director Mulvaney is the Acting Director of the CFPB.”
Although we were pleased with the initial legal outcome, this is not how good government is supposed to work. The drama has been a paralyzing distraction, preventing the bureau from focusing on what really matters: consumer protection and economic growth. And it could have been prevented if the agency, created under Dodd-Frank, had been structured to maximize accountability, transparency, and certainty. But it wasn’t.
The Chamber has long argued that the CFPB’s structure does not allow for appropriate checks and balances. The succession battle makes it clear that this agency should be led by a bipartisan commission—not a single, all-powerful director who isn’t subject to congressional oversight or funding authority—consistent with other banking and consumer protection agencies.
Businesses need transparency and consistency from government to thrive, create jobs, and build innovative new products and services. Until now, the CFPB has failed to provide it. For the past six years, the financial marketplace has been starved for clear rules of the road. Instead of delineating clear standards, the bureau has played in the gray area of regulating through enforcement.
With new leadership set to take the reins of the CFPB, an important opportunity exists to strengthen the agency. It should embrace transparent, narrowly tailored rules based on robust economic analysis. It should promote consumer choice of financial products and services. And it should coordinate with other regulators to streamline processes and minimize burdens.
In the meantime, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce looks forward to working with acting Director Mulvaney to move beyond the chaos and help bring certainty, transparency, and accountability to the CFPB and its work.
The Alternative Minimum Tax Bombshell, Part 2: The Critics Strike Back
Earlier this week, the U.S. Chamber wrote about the last minute, unpleasant surprise the Senate inserted into its tax reform bill – the return of the alternative minimum tax (AMT). We noted the harm it imposes as well as the threat to America’s tax competitiveness its reappearance brings.In effect, for many companies the AMT would become the primary tax system while the “regular” income tax would become the backstop system. No policy justification exists for reintroducing the AMT, which has been on most analysts “bad policy” list for many years. The Senate brought the AMT back from the dead for one simple reason – they were short of money. Oddly enough, much the same reason the individual AMT in its current form was adopted in the 1986 tax reform act.
Quite a few people agreed with our criticisms of retaining the AMT. The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, The Hill, The Washington Post, the Washington Examiner, the Financial Times, Business Insider, and The Washington Times all took notice, as did the rest of the business community in loud and in no uncertain terms. Like us, they had quite a lot to say about the adverse impacts of this stealth tax.----US Chamber of Commerce blog post dated 12/ 8/ 17 (read more)
Small Business Tax Reform is Imperative to Economic Growth
When I founded my small business, Cuisine Unlimited Catering & Special Events, in Salt Lake City, Utah, I wasn’t thinking about economic growth and tax rates. I just wanted to serve my local customers and the community.Fast forward 37 years, and my passion for the business prompted my involvement in our local chamber of commerce and then my work with the U.S. Chamber. Now, as chair of its Small Business Council, I am paying close attention to the tax reform advancing through Congress on behalf of the millions of businesses represented by the U.S. Chamber. ---From the US Chamber of Commerce read full article here
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Department of Commerce Named Third Best Place to Work in Government – Work Force Focused on Promoting Economic Agenda
Press release issued 12/ 7/ 17The U.S. Department of Commerce was named the third best place to work in the federal government among large agencies in a survey released by the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit, non-partisan organization.
This ranking, which represents a 1.3 percentage point increase in index score from 2016 to 2017, makes clear that the Agency's work force is focused on promoting job creation and economic growth by ensuring fair and secure trade, providing the data necessary to support commerce, and fostering innovation by setting standards and conducting foundational research and development.
“This year the Department achieved its highest score since this survey began in 2003,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “Every employee here is dedicating themselves to not only public service, but also to promoting the United States economic agenda for the American worker.”
The Best Places to Work rankings are based on responses from nearly 700,000 federal workers, as well as data from the Office of Personnel Management’s annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, which was administered May through June 2017 to permanent executive branch employees. Additional employee survey data from 10 agencies, including the intelligence community, are included in the results. This is the 12th edition of the Best Places to Work rankings, which began in 2003.
US DEPT. OF LABOR: STATEMENT BY U.S. SECRETARY OF LABOR ACOSTA ON NOVEMBER JOBS REPORT
Press release issued 12/ 8/ 17WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement on the November 2017 Employment Situation report:
“November’s jobs report shows steady growth fueled by optimism about the pro-growth, pro-jobs policies being advanced by President Trump’s Administration. Last month, the American economy added 228,000 jobs. Since January, the economy has added 1.7 million jobs.
“The unemployment rate remains at a 17-year low of 4.1%. The unemployment rate in manufacturing dropped to 2.6%, the lowest ever recorded. The unemployment rate among Hispanics dropped to 4.7%, the lowest ever recorded. The unemployment rate for individuals with less than a high school diploma dropped to 5.2%, also the lowest ever recorded. While the unemployment rate remains low, wage growth at 2.5% is below expectations. Stronger wage growth will put more dollars in the pockets of working Americans.
“For two consecutive quarters, GDP growth topped 3%. Consumer confidence is at a 17-year high1. Since Election Day, November 2016, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has moved from 18,000-plus to over 24,000, an increase of more than 30%. This economic growth has increased the value of Americans’ 401(k) and retirement accounts.
“Job creation, wage growth, and retirement savings drive prosperity and financial security. Strong growth in all is necessary.”
THE FED: Federal Reserve Board announces final plans for the production of three new reference rates based on overnight repurchase agreement (repo) transactions secured by Treasury securities
Press release issued 12/ 8/ 17The Federal Reserve Board on Friday announced final plans for the production of three new reference rates based on overnight repurchase agreement (repo) transactions secured by Treasury securities. The three reference rates will be produced by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY), in cooperation with the U.S. Office of Financial Research.
The Federal Reserve Board had previously sought public comment on the proposed production of these rates. In response to comments received, the FRBNY has adjusted its expected daily publication time and now plans to publish the rates no later than 8 a.m. ET. As previously indicated by the FRBNY, publication of the rates is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2018. The attached Federal Register Notice also clarifies details related to the governance and calculation of the rates.
As in the original proposal, each rate will be calculated as a volume-weighted median of transacted rates. The most comprehensive of the rates, the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), will be a broad measure of overnight Treasury financing transactions and was selected by the Alternative Reference Rates Committee as its recommended alternative to U.S. dollar LIBOR. SOFR will include triparty repo data from Bank of New York Mellon (BNYM) and cleared bilateral and GCF Repo data from the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC).
Another rate, the Triparty General Collateral Rate (TGCR) will be based solely on triparty repo data from BNYM. The final rate, the Broad General Collateral Rate (BGCR) will be based on the triparty repo data from BNYM and GCF Repo data from DTCC.
The three interest rates will be constructed to reflect the cost of short-term secured borrowing in highly liquid and robust markets. Because these rates are based on transactions secured by Treasury securities, they are essentially risk-free rates, providing a valuable benchmark for market participants to use in financial transactions.
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IRS: IRS Statement - Secure Access
Press release issued 12/ 8/ 17IRS Statement
The Internal Revenue Service today announced that taxpayers may resume creating new accounts for Get Transcript Online and certain other online tools that are protected by Secure Access authentication. Taxpayers also may use their IRS2Go app to access their accounts by using a new “Security” feature. This “Security” feature will allow the app to generate a unique security code without being connected to the internet. Taxpayers must perform a one-time registration process for the app while connected to the Web.
Use of Secure Access to create new accounts was suspended recently as the IRS transitioned to a new identity-proofing vendor, Experian. Existing users were not affected. The transition has been completed and all Secure Access protected tools will be available to new users starting Dec. 10.
Secure Access helps protect online tools in two ways: it has a more rigorous identity-proofing process which helps ensure the users are who they say they are, and it requires returning users to use a two-factor access process by entering their credentials (username and password) plus a security code sent as a text message to their mobile phone or a security code generated by the new IRS2Go app feature. This two-factor authentication process meets required federal standards for protecting information.
e-Services
The IRS also will extend Secure Access protections to e-Services, which is a suite of online tools for tax professionals, including electronic filing, transcript delivery systems and taxpayer identification number matching. Because these are all sensitive tools and because tax professionals increasingly are targeted by cybercriminals, Secure Access will strengthen protections for e-Services and for taxpayer data.
This means all e-Services users who do not currently have a Secure Access account must re-register using the more rigorous Secure Access process starting Dec. 10. e-Services users may learn more at Important Update about Your e-Services Account.
Tax professionals also will have the option of using the IRS2Go “Security” feature, which will help those who lack internet access.
Treasury Releases Analysis of Revenue Estimates Associated with Administration Economic Policies
Press release issued 12/ 11/ 17Washington – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today released a summary analysis from the Office of Tax Policy (OTP) of the expected tax receipts associated with the Administration’s economic growth initiatives. Among the key findings is that $1.8 trillion of additional revenue would be generated over 10 years based upon expected growth.
“We are pleased to release an analysis demonstrating the revenue impact of the Administration’s economic agenda. The Administration has been focused on tax reform and broader economic policies to stimulate growth, which will generate significant long-term revenue for the government,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.
The work done by OTP has been critical to Treasury’s contributions to The Unified Framework released in September 2017. We appreciate that OTP has been also providing important technical assistance to the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee as tax reform has proceeded.
FTC Obtains Court Order Banning Debt Collectors from Debt Collection Business
Press release issued 12/ 6/ 17Three defendants who allegedly posed as lawyers and falsely threatened to sue people or have them arrested for failing to pay on debts they did not owe are banned from the debt collection business under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.
The settlement resolves an FTC complaint filed in July 2017, alleging that the defendants told consumers they were attorneys or calling from a law firm and that a lawsuit or criminal action had been filed or soon would be filed against them. The FTC also alleged that, to coerce some people into paying the phantom debts, the defendants threatened them with prison time or claimed police would come to their house to arrest them. The court halted the operation and froze its assets pending litigation.
Under the settlement order, Hardco Holding Group LLC, S&H Financial Group Inc. and Daryl M. Hall (all doing business as Alliance Law Group) are banned from participating in debt collection activities, buying or selling consumer or commercial debt, and trading in consumer information related to a debt. They are also prohibited from making misrepresentations about any product or service, profiting from consumers’ personal information obtained from any debt collection activities, and failing to dispose of consumers’ information properly.
The order imposes a $702,059 judgment that will be partially suspended upon the surrender of certain assets. The full judgment will become due immediately if the defendants are found to have misrepresented their financial condition. Litigation continues against the remaining defendant, Dequan M. Sicard.
The Commission vote approving the proposed stipulated order was 2-0. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division entered the order on December 5, 2017.
NOTE: Stipulated final orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.
The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about consumer topics and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357). Like the FTC on Facebook (link is external), follow us on Twitter (link is external), read our blogs and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.
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WASH. COMMERCE: Gov. Inslee to kick off year-long Washington Maritime BLUE effort
Press release issued 12/ 8/ 17The Blue Economy is taking off around the world: Norway’s ships are humming to electric engines, Germany’s ports are paving the future of efficiency and automation, and Port of Los Angeles/Long beach is constructing the world’s first zero emission terminal.
Washington state will be next. Our state will be home to the nation’s most sustainable maritime industry by 2050.
On December 12, Governor Jay Inslee will kick off a year-long Washington Maritime BLUE effort to develop a strategy and potential pilot projects that could range from electrification of the Washington State Ferries, to emission reduction initiatives at port facilities, to development of an inclusive, diverse workforce. Leading this effort will be a 20-member Governor’s Maritime Innovation Advisory Council –composed of business, government, ports, research, labor, Tribal and environmental leaders.
Inslee awards $6.4 million to 11 communities to create apprenticeship and career connections for 29,000 youth
Press release from the ESD dated 12/ 8/ 17Grants support the governor’s Career Connect Washington initiative
Job shadowing, internships and apprenticeships are just a few of the career connections that will become available to 29,000 students thanks to $6.4 million in new Career Connect Washington grant funding.
The awardees expect to create 29,000 new career connected learning experiences in 11 communities from now through September 2019. These include STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning experiences, job shadows at local employers, career planning, and over 4,800 new internships, pre-apprenticeships, and registered apprenticeships.
“A four-year degree isn’t the only path to a fulfilling career,” Gov. Jay Inslee said. “Business leaders have told us they are looking for talent in everything from information technology to health care. And that’s what this initiative is all about: connecting students to great employers and high-quality job training.”
The initiative expands registered apprenticeship programs and puts a new focus on youth registered apprenticeships. The awardees expect to move over 1,400 young people, plus more than 400 adults, into new apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships in fields such as advanced manufacturing, health care, agricultural irrigation systems, building trades, IT and maritime manufacturing.
“This is the most critical commitment to apprenticeships for young people and adults the state has made in almost a decade, and we hope to see more in the future,” said Lynn Strickland, Executive Director of the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC).
Local workforce development councils and STEM networks led local application teams, which brought businesses together with schools, apprenticeships, community and technical colleges, and local youth organizations to connect youth with local employers.
The grants support the Career Connect Washington initiative Inslee launched May 31 at the Governor’s Summit on Career Connected Learning, which attracted more than 1,200 participants from 27 sites around the state. The initiative’s goal is to connect 100,000 students during the next five years with employer internships, registered apprenticeships, and other career connected learning to prepare them for high-demand jobs.
“It’s all about jobs, and Career Connect Washington means thousands of young people getting good jobs, living rewarding lives, and not going through the difficulties of unemployment,” said Tim Probst, Director of Workforce Initiatives for the Washington State Employment Security Department.
Inslee’s Career Connect Washington Task Force includes representation from employers, labor, and the public sector. It is co-chaired by Brad Smith, president of Microsoft, and Perry England, chair of the Workforce Board and a vice president at MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions. Several task force members were part of Inslee’s recent apprenticeship study mission to Switzerland.
“Washington is committed to expanding career connected learning and youth registered apprenticeships. These opportunities change lives for young people and make our economy grow,” England said. “The Career Connect Washington proposals showed a commitment to these goals and a level of local partnership that is unprecedented in this state.”
This $6.4 million in federal funds is the second investment in Career Connect Washington, following a $1 million investment by JP Morgan Chase in May.
Representatives from business, labor, apprenticeship programs, the Office of the Governor, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Employment Security Department, Washington STEM, the Department of Labor and Industries, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and the state Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board developed the grant criteria and made recommendations on funding to the governor.
The Office of the Governor awarded the grants as follows:
$1.3 million to Career Connect Seattle-King County
Career Connect Seattle-King County focuses on providing relevant experiences across the continuum of career awareness, exploration, preparation and training for all youth, with an emphasis on underrepresented populations. The proposal partners with Highline and Seattle Public Schools, along with Open Doors sites, while engaging business and expanding apprenticeship pathways for youth and adults across the aerospace, culinary, allied health and construction sectors.
Career Connect Northwest will deliver sequenced career learning experiences and expanded apprenticeship opportunities to nearly 900 young adults, including mentorship opportunities, informational interviews, job shadows and structured work based activity. The project will expand existing career connected learning programs such as the Washington Apprenticeship Vocation Training Tour. The project will expand five existing apprenticeships while creating two new apprenticeship programs, resulting in 45 new apprenticeship opportunities annually.
$854,547 to Career Connect North Central (Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties)
Career Connect North Central addresses the challenges of a large rural region by creating career connect teams in the region’s three labor market subareas of health care, manufacturing and computer science. Using lessons learned from the Wenatchee Learns Connect initiative, which has garnered statewide acclaim, the Workforce Development Council, Apple STEM Network, business champions, local employers, partner agencies, school districts and post-secondary institutions will create high-quality career connected learning experiences for youth and new apprenticeship opportunities.
Career Connect Tacoma-Pierce County will collaborate with WorkForce Central, Bates and Clover Park Technical Colleges, sheet metal and carpenters labor organizations, AJAC, Associated General Contractors Educational Foundation, the Construction Center of Excellence, ResCare Workforce Services, and the Tacoma STEAM Network (science, technology, engineering, art and math). The group will provide youth and young adults with a multitude of experiences that include career connected learning opportunities, sector training in growth occupations, and apprenticeships. The project focuses on creating new registered apprenticeship programs as well as expanding youth and young adult enrollment into existing apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.
$831,984 to Career Connect South Central (Kittitas, Klickitat, Skamania and Yakima counties)
Career Connect South Central partners with STEM champions from local business and industry, education, government, apprenticeship-sponsoring organizations, and community organizations to provide equitable access to high-quality career connected learning experiences to rural and underserved youth. Through internships, expanded and newly developed apprenticeship programs, job shadows, career exploration events, networking opportunities and the development of interest-driven career plans, participating youth will seamlessly enter high-demand STEM jobs in Washington.
$740,000 to Career Connect Southwest (Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties)
This grant will activate the region’s rich expertise in career connected learning by continuing work done through YouthWorks to dramatically increase internships and work-based learning opportunities for youth. These strong partnerships will continue to build long-lasting registered apprenticeships in the high-growth and in-demand field of health care through partnerships with Peace Health, Rebound Orthopedics, Kaiser Permanente and Great Rivers Behavioral Health. Career Connect Southwest will expand the AJAC registered apprenticeship program in rural Cowlitz County through partnerships with Lower Columbia College and Millennium Bulk Terminals.
$263,303 to Career Connect Eastern Washington (Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens and Walla Walla counties)
Career Connect Eastern Washington will provide students in Ferry, Pend Oreille and Stevens counties with 90-hour internships in natural resources, including in forestry and water and soil conservation. Students matched with a mentor will develop and conduct FieldSTEM investigations, present their career plan and project to various community groups, and then lead additional youth FieldSTEM investigations. This regional will work with employers to convert forest products internships into registered apprenticeships – youth or adult – and will work with additional partners to convert existing apprenticeships into youth registered apprenticeships.
$150,000 each to Career Connect Olympic Peninsula (Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap counties), Career Connect Pacific Mountain (Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties), Career Connect Snohomish County, and Career Connect Spokane County
These regional teams will continue to refine their local design with a strong focus on identifying employers willing to expand or launch registered apprenticeships for youth and adults, internships and pre-application slots.
Career Connect Olympic Peninsula media contacts: Elizabeth Court, Director, Olympic Consortium, 360-337-4767 or Kareen Borders, West Sound STEM Network Director, borders@skschools.org, 360-874-7059
Career Connect Pacific Mountain media contacts: Julie Baxter, Strategic Initiatives Navigator, Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council (WDC), 360-570-4273 or Wes Pruitt, Capital STEAM Network Director, wespruittis@gmail.com, 360-584-2428
Career Connect Snohomish media contacts: Erin Monroe, Chief Executive Officer, Workforce Snohomish, 425-921-3423 or Kandace Barnes, Snohomish STEM Network Director, kandaceb@snohomishSTEM.org, 206-755-7417
Career Connect Spokane media contacts: Mark Mattke, Chief Executive Officer, Spokane Area WDC, 509-533-8470 or Meg Lindsay, Spokane STEM Network Director, mlindsay@greaterspokane.org, 509-321-3611
New Unemployment Tax Rates Released
Press release issued 12/ 7/ 1781 percent of employers will have the same tax rate or lower
OLYMPIA – The Employment Security Department has issued 2018 tax rate notices to employers and updated our website with all the new information.
Tax rates in all 40 rate classes remained the same as in 2017, ranging from 0.10 to 5.7 percent (not counting delinquency taxes). About 81 percent of employers will move into a lower rate class or stay the same in 2018.
Highlights
25 percent of Washington employers will have a lower tax rate in 2018, 56 percent will remain the same, and 19 percent will move to a higher rate class.
The average tax rate will decrease from an estimated 1.21 percent in 2017 to an estimated 1.10 percent in 2018. The average total tax paid per employee will decline by $15 to $215 per year.
About 41 percent of all taxable employers are in rate class 1, taxed at 0.10 percent. Ninety percent of employers in rate class 1 have five or fewer employees.
The experience rated portion of the 2018 unemployment tax (paid by rate classes 2 and higher) will be based on benefit payouts from July 2013 through June 2017.
Unemployment tax collections are estimated to decrease from $1.06 billion in 2017 to about $952 million in 2018.
Employers will pay unemployment taxes on the first $47,300 of each employee’s earnings in 2018. For an employee earning $47,300 or more, the total tax for the year will range from $61 (employers in rate class 1) to $2,706 (rate class 40).
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Daily Bible Verse: Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14 NKJV
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