This blog is designed to give readers a glimpse of our editorial-page operation and how we make our decisions. We’ll let you know who we’re meeting with, what they’re telling us, what events and issues we’re looking at. We’ll also pass on information and observations that may not make our print editions. In addition to the editorial board members who post on this blog, the board includes Publisher David Zeeck, Executive Editor Karen Peterson and Managing Editor Dale Phelps.
Editorial board bloggers
Editorial page editor Patrick O’Callahan oversees the online and printed opinion sections of The News Tribune. He came to The News Tribune in 1987 and has worked at Washington newspapers since 1979. E-mail him at patrick.ocallahan@thenewstribune.com
Editorial writer Cheryl Tucker, in addition to writing commentary, manages the daily production of the editorial and op-ed pages and edits letters to the editor. She began her journalism career in 1974 at a Virginia newspaper and came to The News Tribune in 1978. E-mail her at cheryl.tucker@thenewstribune.com.
Editorial writer Kim Bradford manages the online opinion section of The News Tribune and writes commentary. She joined The News Tribune in 2005 after working 11 years at newspapers in Washington and Maryland. E-mail her at kim.bradford@thenewstribune.com.
Guest bloggers
Editor emeritus David Seago retired from The News Tribune in 2008 after 41 years at The News Tribune. E-mail him at sds99@harbornet.com.
Richard Davis’ column on state politics frequently runs in the print edition of The News Tribune. He was president of the Washington Research Council, a statewide think tank, from 1986 through 2006. Currently, as a principal with The Simeon Partnership, Inc. he coordinates the activities of the Washington Alliance for a Competitive Economy, a business coalition founded by the Research Council, the Association of Washington Business and the Washington Roundtable.
Karen Irwin of University Place, a mother of four, has been a frequent contributor to The News Tribune's print editions. She has also written for Seattle's Child, Puget Sound Parent, the Tacoma Weekly, the Fayetteville Observer Times and the political blog Right Meets Left. She graduated from California Lutheran University with a degree in English literature and is currently working toward a history degree.
Michael Allen, professor of history at the University of Washington Tacoma, was born and raised in Ellensburg. He served with the U.S. Marines in Vietnam from 1969-70. He has written five books, including the prize-winning "Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus' Great Discovery to the War on Terror," "Rodeo Cowboys in the North American Imagination" and "Western Rivermen, 1763-1861: Ohio and Mississippi Boatmen and the Myth of the Alligator Horse." Allen lives in Tacoma and Ellensburg and has three children.
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The business magazine Forbes Inc. handed Gov. Chris Gregoire a gift-wrapped campaign coup Thursday when it ranked Washington third in its latest annual ranking of “Best States for Business.”
The gov’s campaign cheekily took advantage by issuing a “correction” apologizing for a TV campaign ad, based on Forbes’ 2007 rankings, that only claims a fifth-best rating for Washington. The TV ad will be amended, her minions assured us.
But some folks always see the glass as half-empty. The free-market Washington Policy Center countered today with a blog post by Carl Gipson trying to take some of the luster off the new Forbes ranking.
“Here we go again,” Gipson complains. He acknowledges that Forbes is “a relatively reliable periodical of everything business and finance.” But, Gipson insists, “There's enough information out there among other reputable sources that should temper the celebratory champagne popping.” He continues:
During this political season we are going to hear a lot of talk about where Washington ranks in business friendliness, and people are going to argue over which ranking system takes into account the correct parameters, etc. My worry is that we will get caught up in ranking the rankings, instead of having a civilized discussion about how to improve the business climate regardless of how other, out-of-state media outlets and institutes think we are doing.
But for those of you who are interested in what some of those other institutions and media outlets are saying, here's a brief rundown. (Go to Gipson's blog for the links):
- Washington tied for 18th by CNBC
- Washington ranked 38th in Economic Freedom in North America by the Frasier Institute
- Washington ranked 31st in Economic Outlook Rank by ALEC
- Washington ranked 11th in 2008 State Business Tax Climate Index by the Tax Foundation
- Washington ranked 4th in Small Business Survival Index 2007 by the SBE Council
- Washington ranked 15th in highest cost of doing business by the Milken Institute
- Washington ranked 7th by the Beacon Hill Institute
Here are the rankings Gregoire’s campaign likes to tout:
Now Washington state has been ranked:
• Third best state to do business – Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/30/virginia-georgia-utah-biz-cz_kb_0731beststates_table.html)
• Fourth best state for starting a business – Fortune Small Business (http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/fsb/0711/gallery.Top10BestStates.fsb/4.html)
• Top three best managed states – Pew Institute (http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/gpp_report_card.aspx)
Third greenest in “America’s Greenest States” – Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/2007/10/16/environment-energy-vermont-biz-beltway-cx_bw_mm_1017greenstates_2.html
Bottom line: The governor doesn’t really have much to do with the relatively healthy condition of the state’s economy. For that, more credit is due to Boeing and Microsoft, the University of Washington’s powerful research machine, the ports of Tacoma and Seattle, the state’s strong agricultural sector and the natural blessings that make Washington a nice place to live.
Washington’s regulatory climate for business isn’t onerous. But Republicans and business allies always want less regulation, and Democrats and their labor friends always favor more.
Virginia and Utah, by the way, were the states rated first and second by Forbes.
