Democrats' plan: Furloughs, outsourcing, business tax cuts

►  In today's Olympian -- State to consider state employee furloughs -- Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown says lawmakers likely will look for immediate cuts before moving ahead with a revenue package, and that cuts to the state payroll could be part of that action. “Personally, I think furloughs might be a good way to go. It’s temporary. You save the jobs,” Brown said. She added that she wants a conversation with the WFSE leadership. “I would like to work with the federation and with state employees knowing that there are jobs on the line,” Brown said. “I would like to work with them on what they think are the least-worst options.”

►  From AP -- State legislators, governor talk reforms -- House Ways and Means Chairwoman Kelli Linville (D-Bellingham) says she was personally open to major reforms, including privatization of technology services, printing, and even the state monopoly on liquor sales: "At this point in time, in our economy, I think (liquor)'s something that the private sector can do as well or better than we do -- as long as we tax the heck out of it and regulate the heck out of it. We don't actually have to do the job."

►  At SeattlePI.com -- Should cash-strapped state outsource more work? -- Gov. Chris Gregoire's administration says that claims by business-funded think tanks that state government doesn't currently do extensive private contracting are false. But Rep. Ross Hunter (D-Medina) says the state should do more to save money and balance the budget. Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) agrees, recently writing that "I believe it is time for state government to consider outsourcing key aspects of the liquor business, for example, as well as some of its licensing, printing and technology functions."

►  In today's Kitsap Sun -- Gig Harbor's Kilmer leading job-creation efforts in Senate -- Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown says Sen. Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor) will take the lead on a host of bills designed to give tax breaks to businesses and offer other ideas to boost the economy.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Gregoire hopes help from feds can head off tax increases -- If more federal money comes, the governor says she may not have to seek new tax revenue and can instead erase the budget’s red ink by spending less, draining reserves.

►  In the (Aberdeen) Daily World -- Lawmakers offer thoughts on what could be tough session -- Local legislators offer a stark view of the budget and ideas on how to increase revenue. As for creating jobs, they say the focus will be on supporting local stable companies that offer lasting family-wage jobs. “We will break our necks to support you here,” says Sen. Jim Hargrove (D-Hoquiam). “We will listen to you more than we will listen to Boeing or Weyerhaeuser.”

►  In the Everett Herald -- 2010 marks economic crossroads for our state (John Burbank column) -- It is odd when a leading politician (Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, a Democrat) publicly declares that his state is not competitive, especially when that state, our Washington, is ranked by Forbes magazine as the second-best state for business. We achieved that ranking because our labor force is well educated, and more and more people are migrating to Washington. We are ranked No. 1 for future growth, thanks to “projected job, income and gross state product growth as well as business openings/closings and venture capital investments.” Yet Aaron Reardon suggests we embrace a race to the bottom, reducing wages and benefits while giving away more and more tax credits to global corporations. What's next? Slash our minimum wage? Charge parents for K-12 education?

Other legislative news:

►  In today's Yakima H-R -- Seniors sick of program cuts -- Proposed cuts to services scare local seniors who on Wednesday registered their displeasure with the austere state budget announced by Gov. Chris Gregoire. In Yakima County, the cuts would amount to $300,000 this year and would include eliminating a day program for developmentally disabled adults.

►  In today's tri-City Herald -- Possible cuts worry Tri-City seniors -- Local seniors are speaking out to prevent billions of dollars in services from being cut from the state budget later this year.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Bellevue attorney expected to fill Senate seat -- Officials expect Randy Gordon to be appointed to former state Sen. Fred Jarrett's seat after the Bellevue attorney won the support of most of the 41st District Democratic precinct-committee officers.

►  At HorsesAss -- 520 bridge project rife with opportunities (by Sen. Ed Murray) -- If we fail to come together as a region on this crucial project, I believe we will destroy the coalition that moved our transportation system forward and return to the defeats we suffered in years past.

Local news:

►  In today's Olympian -- Logs give boost to Port of Olympia -- The port's marine terminal had a banner year last year, with ship visits rising more than 600% compared with 2008, year-end data show. Preliminary data show the terminal generated $2.64 million in operating revenue, up from $1.62 million in 2008. Dockworker hours doubled in the same period, increasing to 29,806 hours from 14,248 hours.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Forecasters see Washington as among best in the West for 2010 -- The state gets generally good marks in the new Western Blue Chip economic forecast.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- County office's past sexual complaints come to light -- Long before he was fired for exposing himself on a golf course, Snohomish County’s former planning director and his staff were at the center of complaints about sexual harassment. Nothing happened.

►  In today's Bellingham Herald -- Worker dies in accident at Edaleen Dairy near Lynden -- Deputies were called to the dairy after a large, overhead door fell onto Nick L. Spoelstra, 30, killing him.

National news:

►  From the SF Bay-Guardian -- New year, same struggle for San Francisco hotel workers -- The workers’ contract at the 61 union-represented city hotels expired in August and now, five months later, owners and labor are still at odds over health care and retirement benefits. The union’s proposal would increase labor costs by 1.5% over a one-year period, something it says is essential to maintain the benefits for workers and their families they’ve fought to win in the past. But it has been summarily rejected by management, who cite economic hard times.

►  In today's Detroit News -- Labor Department unveils $100 million in green jobs training grants -- The grants, funded by the $787 billion stimulus, support training programs to help dislocated workers, veterans, women, African Americans and Latinos find jobs in green industries.

►  From AP -- Jobless claims data signal job gains are near -- The sharp drop in first-time claims in recent months as well as other signs of improvement have caused some economists to predict small job gains in December. If so, it would be the first net increase in jobs in two years.

►  At Huffington Post -- Who can you trust? Tom Daschle, Michael Chertoff, Barry McCaffrey, Robert Rubin or... an airline employee? (by Janine Wedel, author of Shadow Elite) -- Can we have the same faith in public experts to speak and operate in our interest as I had in the airline employee? There was a time when Americans could have more confidence in the objectivity of the experts who advised government and pronounced on issues of vital importance. Roles of influencers and powerbrokers were better defined and more stable, not unlike the airline employee whose unambiguous job was to help me and other passengers.