Trends and Developments Concerning Washington Public Labor Contracts
By Jim Cline
A couple recent reports of the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council released this past week, shows some modest good news. The “Economic and Revenue Update” highlights include its finding that “Washington employment, income, and housing are doing as well or better than expected but exports are weakening.” It also reports State government revenues as slightly higher than forecasted “mainly due to higher-than-expected real estate excise tax receipts.” [Read more…]
By Jim Cline
The most recent batch of national economic reports from the past couple weeks, continue to reflect an economy that is recovering slowly. On balance, the news is positive. The economic indicators from earlier in the summer of a possible recession seem to be receding, replaced with more positive, albeit, not vibrant indicators.
One of the more hopeful signs is the resurgence of the housing market. The severely distressed housing market has contributed significantly to the depth of the recent recession and the slow recovery from it. Most economists agree that no full recovery will occur, until the housing market rebounds. The most recent housing sales report shows home sales rising and suggests that the large inventory of unsold properties is starting to clear.
By Jim Cline
The latest monthly report from the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council reports on some modest improvements. The Council’s August Report contains the following highlights:
