News

What's Happening in Washington State?

Basic Income News:

Tacoma guaranteed income program to accept applications in early summer: Who can applyThe project will give 100 families $500 a month for a year. Applicants will have to meet specific income criteria to apply.

Opinion | Seattle once gave people free money. Should we try it again?A 1970s experiment made cash payments to thousands of Seattle residents. It could happen again.

Basic Income Organizations:

Puget Sound

The United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, Seattle Indian Health Board, Cowlitz Behavioral Health, Native American Women’s Dialogue on Infant Mortality, and Pacific Islander Health Board are designing a 3-year pilot supported by Perigee Fund. It is a program that supports pregnant families within the Puget Sound urban Indian and Pacific Islander communities. Learn more about their wrap-around services https://www.unitedindians.org/, and Perigee Fund’s interests perigeefund.org/grants/guaranteed-basic-income-in-washington-state-design-phase/ and perigeefund.org/

[Closed] Guaranteed Basic Income in Washington State: Design Phase - Perigee FundOverview Early experiences matter, and a child’s earliest relationships with caregivers – starting prenatally – profoundly shape child development and caregiver wellbeing. Infant and early childhood mental health is a field with the goal of supporting attuned, positive, and safe early parent-child relationships. Reducing parent stress is one way to support this goal. Boosting the […]

Guaranteed Income Initiative | United Way of Pierce County A guaranteed income is a monthly, cash payment given directly to individuals. It is unconditional, with no strings attached and no work requirements. A guaranteed income is meant to supplement, rather than replace, the existing social safety net. Tacoma’s guaranteed income demonstration, called GRIT (Growing Resilience In Tacoma), is the natural evolution of work already being undertaken in our community to dismantle poverty.

Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan have joined Mayors for a Guaranteed Income! Click below to learn more:

Mayors for a Guaranteed Income

Ranked Choice Voting News:

The Ranked-Choice Voting Local Options Bill, now known as SHB 1156, is currently in the House of Representatives! While session is paused until 2022, you can still contact your legislators in support of ranked-choice voting! The local options bill has 27 cosponsors and bipartisan support. Here are the successes to date:

Over 1,500 Washingtonians signed in to support the bill for both of its first hearings.

On February 11th, the bill passed the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee with a bipartisan, 5-2 vote.

On February 18th, the bill passed the House Appropriations Committee with a bipartisan, 22-11 vote.

On March 9th, the House reached a “cutoff date” for the bill, and progress on local options will be paused until January of 2022.

To succeed, we need everyone to contact their representatives and make sure they will vote for the bill. You can click on the image below to comment on the bill. Your comments will be sent to your local representatives.

Why Are Seattle Democracy Voucher Users Funding Opposing Campaigns?Seattle’s unique Democracy Voucher program provides registered voters with four $25 vouchers to donate to eligible candidates. The program has successfully flooded city elections with small, public…

Ranked-choice voting: Too progressive for WA or not progressive enough?Months after the 2020 election, lawmakers are considering a slew of election-related proposals.

Could ranked choice voting make elections more equitable? Washington may find out

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/politics-government/election/article249166715.html

I like Ike, but Mike’s OK; ranked-choice voting gets a look

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/northwest/i-like-ike-but-mikes-ok-ranked-choice-voting-gets-a-look/?

Ranked Choice Voting Organizations:

FairVote Washington is a non-partisan, non-profit, volunteer-driven champion of electoral reforms like Ranked Choice Voting that give voters greater choice, a stronger voice, and a more civil, representative democracy that works for all Americans.