Archives for April 2018

Housing For All Coalition applauds big business tax legislation as landmark step to addressing homelessness crisis

April 25, 2018 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

Proposed legislation released today would raise $75 million per year for low-income housing, shelter, and services through a tax on Seattle’s largest businesses. Councilmembers Lisa Herbold, Lorena González, Mike O’Brien, and Teresa Mosqueda are co-sponsors of the bill.

This groundbreaking legislation emerges after months of advocacy and movement-building by the Housing For All Coalition and allies, begun during last fall’s budget process. It represents a huge victory for houseless activists, community-based organizations, and people in every neighborhood of Seattle who have come together to urge an effective and compassionate response to our city’s homelessness state of emergency.

The proposed legislation cleaves closely to the recommendations of the Progressive Revenue Task Force in some respects, while departing in others. The $20 million exemption threshold – double the $10 million recommended by the task force – would restrict the new tax to only the very largest businesses. Under this proposal, only approximately 500 of the highest-grossing businesses in Seattle will pay anything at all.

A fee proposed by the task force to apply to businesses below the exemption threshold was also dropped. “From the beginning, we at Real Change opposed the ‘skin in the game’ fee on small businesses,” said Tiffani McCoy, lead organizer at Real Change. “The idea of everyone having skin in the game is a nice one, but we know that Washington State is the most regressive state for taxes, with Seattle being the most regressive city in the state. We desperately need new, sustainable, dedicated revenue to build up our affordable housing stock, and this revenue should come from those most able to contribute like Amazon and the biggest businesses.”

The Housing For All Coalition enthusiastically endorses the main points of the legislation, especially the dedication of 75% of new revenue to housing. “It alleviates the homelessness crisis by providing housing, dignity and a future,” said Garrett Smith, a resident of SHARE/WHEEL’s Tent City 5.

“For too long our city and county have been trying to end homelessness without truly reckoning with the affordable housing shortage” said Katie Wilson, general secretary of the Transit Riders Union. “All the navigation teams and navigations centers in the world aren’t going to help people out of homelessness if there is no affordable, accessible housing for them to move into. Right now there just isn’t.”

“I live in a Tiny House at Nickelsville’s Georgetown Village,” said Andrew Constantino. “It probably saved my life, and gave me a chance to support the Employee Hour Tax Campaign too. The legislation proposed today is another good step in the struggle, and I support it. Once it’s passed we’re putting our focus on making sure all $75 million dollars goes where it’s needed.”

“Being able to provide affordable housing in the city is a win on many fronts,” said Rebecca Monteleone, Chair of the Sierra Club Seattle Group. “When more people can live in a dense city where it’s easier to bike, walk, and take transit, it’s a win for the climate. A city that pushes people with fewer resources out of the city is not only terribly unjust, it’s also bad for the environment.”

While strongly supporting the proposed legislation, the Housing For All Coalition acknowledges that this is only a first step, given the magnitude of the “housing gap” and the need for shelter and services to keep people stable and safe until housing is available. Creating sufficient housing to end the homelessness crisis is a massive infrastructure project, calling for investments in the hundreds of millions of dollars per year over a sustained period. Members of Housing For All intend to push the City to pursue other progressive revenue options to find at least another $75 million per year, as recommended by the task force.
As the big business tax legislation moves through committee and on to the full council, the Housing For All Coalition will consider supporting amendments to improve it, while fighting against any attempts to weaken or undermine it.
“This movement has been clear from day one that it wanted to tax big business to fund affordable housing and services. We should celebrate this victory, but we will need to stay active and engaged in this fight until the ink is dry to make sure there are no last minute changes that would undermine our work,” said Emily McArthur from Socialist Alternative.
A full council vote is expected on May 14^th.

Sacramento native Leon Brown, an outfielder who played for he New York Mets in 1976, is not receiving a pension from Major League Baseball (MLB).

April 25, 2018 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

Brown, who attended Grant Union High School and later California State University in Sacramento, appeared in 64 games during his career. Used primarily as a pinch runner and defensive replacement, he came up to the plate 70 times, collected 15 hits, including three doubles, scored 11 runs and drove in another two.

So why is the 69-year-old being left out in the cold?

Brown and 640 other retirees do not receive MLB pensions because of a change in the vesting requirements that occurred over the 1980 Memorial Day Weekend. The union was offered the opportunity to give its members the following deal: one game day of service credit to buy into the league’s umbrella health insurance plan, and 43 game days of service for a pension, which is currently worth as much as $220,000.

The problem for these pre-1980 players was that the union forgot to request retroactive coverage for all the men like Brown who, after hanging up his spikes, drove a FedEx truck for nearly three decades and worked for a construction company, according to biographer Rory Costello, of the Society of American Baseball Research.

In April 2011, the league and union tried to remedy the problem by giving men like Brown $625 for each 43 game days of service they accrued on an active MLB roster, up to $10,000. But when the man passes, the payment passes with him.

So none of Mr. Brown’s loved ones, such as his wife, Deana, or either of his two children – son Channing or daughter Deonne — will receive that payment when he dies. These men are also not eligible to buy into the league’s umbrella health insurance plan.

You’d think the suits who run the national pastime would be above this sort of thing. After all, the league recently announced that its revenue was up 325 percent from 1992, and that it has made $500 million since 2015. What’s more, the average value of each of the 30 clubs is up 19 percent from 2016, to $1.54 billion.

But even though Forbes recently reported that the current players’ pension and welfare fund is valued at $2.7 billion, MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark has never commented about these non-vested retirees, many of whom are filing for bankruptcy at advanced ages, having banks foreclose on their homes and are so sickly and poor that they cannot afford adequate health care coverage.

Unions are supposed to help hard working women and men in this country get a fair shake in life. But the so-called MLBPA labor leader doesn’t seem to want to help anyone but himself — Clark receives a MLB pension AND an annual salary of more than $2.1 million, including benefits, for being the head of the union.

In my opinion, Brown and all the other men are being shortchanged by a sport that can afford to do more for them. Just increase the bone that is being thrown these men to $10,000 a year. Are MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and Clark suggesting they can’t afford to pay these men more? Given the economics of the sport, $6.41 million is chump change.

It’s about time Manfred and Clark did the right thing.

Douglas J. Gladstone (@GLADSTONEWRITER) is the author of “A Bitter Cup of Coffee: How MLB & the Players’ Association Threw 874 Retirees a Curve.” His website is www.gladstonewriter.com.

44th Seattle International Film Festival Opening Night Film + Gala to Celebrate ‘The Bookshop’

April 25, 2018 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

Festival Spotlight – A Countdown to SIFF 2018

44th Seattle International Film Festival
Opening Night Film + Gala to Celebrate ‘The Bookshop’

SIFF is excited to shine its spotlight on the 44th annual Seattle International Film Festival’s Opening Night film and gala celebrating Isabel Coixet’s The Bookshop on Thursday, May 17, 2018. The 2018 Festival, the longest and most highly attended film festival in North America, runs May 17 through June 10 at venues in Seattle and surrounding cities.

Written and directed by the acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Isabel Coixet (Learning to Drive, Elegy) and based on the bestselling novel by Penelope Fitzgerald, the film stars Emily Mortimer (Mary Poppins Returns, The Newsroom), Bill Nighy (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Love Actually) and Patricia Clarkson (House of Cards, The Maze Runner). The film played as a Special Gala selection at the 2018 Berlin Film Festival and was the winner of three Goya Awards in Spain, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The Bookshop is Coixet’s follow-up to the indie hit Learning to Drive and is set in a seaside village in England where a grieving widow (Mortimer) pursues her lifelong dream of opening a bookshop. As she introduces the townsfolk to the world’s best literature and stirs a cultural awakening, her efforts are ruthlessly opposed by a powerful local (Clarkson) causing a reclusive resident (Nighy) to join the fight to keep the bookshop open.

“The raw and delicate relationship between tradition and change comes head to head between the two woman characters,” said SIFF Artistic Director Beth Barrett. “It’s a gem of a film with incredible performances from the lead actresses, and a celebration of women who persist.”

SIFF’s Opening Night Red Carpet and screening takes place at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall at Seattle Center with a celebratory party to follow at Fisher Pavilion.

Tickets for the Opening Night Gala of SIFF 2018 are available online at SIFF.net and in person at SIFF Cinema locations (Film Center, Uptown, Egyptian). Opening Night access ranges from the festive, see-it-all Film + Party Ticket to the exclusive VIP Red Carpet Experience.

The complete Festival lineup will be announced on May 3, 2018. Individual ticket sales begin Wednesday, May 2 with special advance access to SIFF members, and Thursday, May 3 to the general public with the official SIFF 2018 Box Office open. Purchases can be made online or in person.

The 44th annual Seattle International Film Festival Opening Night is presented in part by: Alaska Airlines – the Official Airline of SIFF, Brotherton Cadillac Buick GMC in Renton – the Official Automotive Sponsor of SIFF, Wells Fargo Commercial and Private Banking, and Red Element Studios.

Additional support for Opening Night comes from AV Factory, Hollywood Lights, Music Man, Butler Valet, The Capital Grille, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, Rosichelli Design, Triumph Expo & Events, Agave Cocina & Tequilas, Capitol Cider, Dilettante Chocolates, Full Tilt Ice Cream, Krave Jerky & barkTHINS, Pel’Meni Dumpling Tzar, RN74, Savor Catering, Sweet Iron Waffles, Swift and Savory, Big Gin, Chloe Wine Collection, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Sparkle Donkey Tequila, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Trail’s End Whiskey.

About SIFF
Founded in 1976, SIFF creates experiences that bring people together to discover extraordinary films from around the world with the Seattle International Film Festival, SIFF Cinema, and SIFF Education. Recognized as one of the top film festivals in North America, the Seattle International Film Festival is the longest, most highly attended film festival in the United States, reaching more than 145,000 annually. The 25-day festival is renowned for its wide-ranging and eclectic programming, presenting over 400 features, short films, and documentaries from over 80 countries each year. SIFF Cinema exhibits premiere theatrical engagements, repertory, classic, and revival film showings 363 days a year on five screens at the SIFF Cinema Uptown, SIFF Cinema Egyptian, and SIFF Film Center, reaching more than 175,000 attendees annually. SIFF Education offers educational programs for all audiences serving more than 10,000 students and youth in the community with free programs each year.

4 Ways To Crush The Debt That’s Been Crushing You

April 25, 2018 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

Debt continues to be a crushing burden for many Americans. From credit cards to auto loans, mortgages, student loans and medical bills, a high percentage of the nation’s households have one or more of those types of debt.

According to a NerdWallet debt analysis in 2017, the average American household carrying credit card debt owed a balance of $15,654. The average balance for a household with auto loans was $27,669; it was $46,597 for a student loan; and $173,995 for the average remaining on a mortgage.

“Debt is that great financial enemy we’d all love to defeat,” says Garrett Gunderson, founder/chief wealth architect of Wealth Factory and co-author of 5 Day Weekend: Freedom to Make Your Life and Work Rich with Purpose (www.5dayweekend.com) with entrepreneur Nik Halik. “People struggle to get out of debt because they don’t have a wise and coherent strategy to pay debt down.”

Getting out from under a mountain of debt can be a challenge, but Halik says a consistent plan founded upon discipline can open a path toward financial freedom. He and Gunderson give a four-step strategy for paying down debt:

Build savings first. Trying to make higher payments in order to reduce your debt is admirable, but that doesn’t make sense without having adequate savings for emergencies. “You need to have at least three months of income, ideally six, in a liquid savings account to create a safety cushion,” Gunderson says. “If you have no cash reserves, what happens when you experience an unexpected cash-flow crunch?”
Restructure your loans. Minimizing your payments and maximizing your cash flow are the main goals. “You can restructure your loans by rolling short-term, high-interest loans into long-term, low-interest, tax-deductible loans,” Halik says. “If you have enough home equity, you can refinance your mortgage, which can be a tax-deductible loan, and roll as many of your non-deductible loans into it as possible.”
Attack one loan at a time. Although most financial advisors suggest paying off your loans with the highest interest rates first, Gunderson advises to ignore the interest rate and use a technique developed by him and his team called the Cash Flow Index. “Divide the loan balance by the minimum monthly payment,” Gunderson says. “That gives you the Cash Flow Index for each loan. A low cash flow index of between 0 and 50 is a priority to pay off, because the idea is to free up more monthly cash.”
Be cautious about locking money in an asset. Halik says paying extra on your mortgage can make sense when you’re financially stable, but other times it’s just locking money into a hard-to-access equity. “A good rule is to only put extra money into debt where your minimum payment goes down as your balance goes down, such as your credit card,” Halik says.

“The big picture purpose in paying off debt is to free up cash that you can then use to

invest in passive income vehicles,” Gunderson says. “The best place to start is to

maximize the efficiency of your existing resources. You may discover, as most people

do, that you actually have a lot more to work with than you think.”

Property taxes due for first half of 2018

April 25, 2018 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

Property taxes due for first half of 2018

Property owners in King County have until Monday, April 30 to pay the first half of their 2018 property taxes. After that date, interest charges and penalties will be added to the tax bill.

To make the process easier, King County provides several ways for taxpayers to pay their taxes quickly and conveniently. Tax payments can be made:

Online using King County’s convenient, secure online eCommerce system. Taxpayers may pay accounts with a credit card or an electronic debit from a checking account.

By mail if postmarked no later than April 30, 2018. Taxpayers should include their tax statement and write the property tax account number on their check or money order. Cash should not be sent through the mail.

At King County Community Service Centers if paid by check for the exact amount due. Taxpayers can find the address, phone number, and operating hours of the center in their area by visiting kingcounty.gov/CSC.

In person at Treasury Operations, sixth floor of the King County Administration Building, 500 Fourth Ave. in Seattle. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Friday, April 27, and Monday, April 30, Treasury Operations will be open until 5 p.m.

The online option provides immediate payment confirmation for current year or delinquent year(s) property tax bills. To pay online or view property tax information, taxpayers can visit kingcounty.gov/propertytax.

For questions about missing tax statements or other tax payment information, visit kingcounty.gov/propertytax, contact King County Treasury Operations by email at propertytax.customerservice@kingcounty.gov, or contact a customer service specialist at 206-263-2890.

Information on senior citizen exemption and deferral programs can be obtained from the King County Assessor’s Office at exemptions.assessments@kingcounty.gov or 206-296-3920.