Here’s What You’d Pay to Build a Bigger Sound Transit Network

Seattle Times | Mike Lindblom | July 13

“Sound Transit says its fall ballot measure would cost a typical adult $14 per month in new taxes, which is a friendlier way of breaking down a yearly estimate of $169. Your own lifestyle, though, is surely anything but average. So how can a voter figure the personal cost for the mix of sales, vehicle and property taxes proposed in Sound Transit 3? Today we present our own tax calculator.”

See the calculator here

Take a Look inside the Half-Mile Tunnel Bertha Built

Puget Sound Business Journal | Emily Parkhurst | July 13

“Bertha tunneled right below the PSBJ office and we didn’t feel a thing. The famously troubled Seattle tunnel boring machine has gone about one-third of its total distance — 3,088 feet of the 1.7 mile project — and is currently stopped for scheduled maintenance. It tunneled under First Avenue and Columbia Street — PSBJ’s HQ — and is currently stopped 150 feet below Spring Street. Seattle Tunnel Partners, the group overseeing the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement project, took us on a tour of the completed section Wednesday.” Read more.

High Rate of Washington Community-College Grads Go On to Earn 4-Year Degree

Seattle Times | Katherine Long | July 12

“When it comes to using community college as a launchpad to a four-year degree, Washington is one of the top states in the nation. Washington ranks fifth among the states in the percentage of students who received an associate degree, then went on to get a bachelor’s degree, according to a recent study by National Student Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse, which compiles one of the most complete sets of college-completion data in the country, found that of the 14,183 students who received an associate degree in Washington in 2009-2010, 6,739 went on to earn a bachelor’s degree — about 47.5 percent…The national average is 41 percent.” Read more.

Seattle Region’s Population Growing at Historic Pace, Making Biggest Annual Gain in a Century

GeekWire | Monica Nickelsburg | July 11

“Seattle and its surrounding counties added 86,320 new residents between April 2015 and 2016, marking the region’s biggest population gain this century, fueled in large part by the region’s technology industry. In other words, an average of 236 people are moving to the Seattle area each day, according to a new report by The Puget Sound Regional Council , a growth management and planning organization. That number reflects natural increase (births minus deaths) and net migration (inbound minus outbound). By that metric, the Puget Sound area has likely already surpassed 4 million residents, possibly as early as the first week of June…The 2.2 percent increase in the Seattle area over the past year can largely be attributed to the region’s tech boom.” Read more.

Washington Will Be the First State with an Online Retirement Marketplace

Puget Sound Business Journal | Ashley Stewart | July 8

“Washington state will soon become the first in the nation to offer workers a mechanism to save for retirement – even if employers don’t. State lawmakers in 2015 passed a law to create a new Small Business Retirement Marketplace. Beginning Jan. 1, 2017, employees of small companies can set up retirement accounts through an online portal. The new marketplace will be similar to the Washington Health Exchange, which offers health insurance for people in the state.” Read more.