Economics

Center on Wealth & Poverty

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Seattle waterfront and skyline at dusk with gold light
Image Credit: Crin - Adobe Stock

King County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan: Your Taxpayer Dollars Wasted

On June 11, King County Executive Dow Constantine dropped the 735-page 2025 King County Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP) onto the desks of the King County Council members. SCAP shows that wasting taxpayer dollars on useless plans filled with what our neighbors to the north call “bafflegab” is alive and well. Read More ›
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Homeless Man Wearing a Sleeping Bag
Image Credit: Ryan - Adobe Stock

Reforms to Involuntary Commitment Law Can Save Lives

In its 2026 state budget, New York is putting a concerted effort behind addressing severe mental illness by expanding its involuntary hospitalization law and increasing the number of psychiatric beds. Washington state would do well to follow New York’s example. Read More ›
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US dollar bills floating in front of the Capitol building, creating a metaphorical image about politics, money, and power.
Image Credit: VK Studio - Adobe Stock

After Countries Go Broke

R211T Inaugural
Governor Kathy Hochul and MTA Chair & CEO Janno Lieber unveil and take an inaugural ride on the first R211T subway along the C line from the 207 St Yard on Thursday, Feb 1, 2024. (Marc A. Hermann / MTA)
Image by Metropolitan Transportation Authority from United States of America at Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:R211T_Inaugural_Event_(53503185140).jpg

New York Governor is Right to Invest in Mental Illness Treatment

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A stack of gold coins with stock market graphs in the background on a digital screen
Image Credit: WINGGOD - Adobe Stock

Gold Stablecoins Coming Soon

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The Toxic Patterns that Keep People on the Streets

We Heart Seattle’s “Recovery First” Model is Working Seattle voters say the homeless drug crisis remains a top three issue. But the Harrell administration is still engaged in a game of Whack-a-Mole and has failed to find long-term solutions. That’s because they’re not addressing the drivers of this humanitarian disaster which include drug addiction, mental illness, and broken relationships. Instead, Read More ›

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Solar panels and wind power generation equipment
Image Credit: hrui - Adobe Stock

Donnelly: Study Sobering Look at Cost of Electrification

Oregon’s and Washington’s legislatures have passed electrification mandates, with deadlines for net-zero emissions by 2040 in Oregon and 2030 in Washington, and for carbon-free emissions by 2040 in Oregon and 2045 in Washington. But what will these mandates cost? Until now, we haven’t known. Read More ›
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Ken Peterson Talks with Brandi Kruse About “What Does It Cost?” Documentary

In April, Ken Peterson appeared on [un]Divided’s Sundays with Subscribers, hosted by Brandi Kruse. In this teaser, Peterson and Kruse discuss the land mass that wind and solar would require in the Pacific Northwest and the infinitesimal effects net zero energy policies will have on global climate. Watch “What Does It Cost?” below: