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Tag: Recession

‘Fragile’ recovery underway, but big deficit looms

‘Fragile’ recovery underway, but big deficit looms

Washington’s economy, pummeled by the nation’s worst recession in decades, is on the mend, slowly.  But employers will continue to shed jobs throughout the year before they are able to start hiring again next year, and a fresh report from the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council shows tax collections are still lagging. The bottom line for Governor Gregoire and the Legislature: A daunting $1.2 billion budget gap – and maybe more – is staring them in the face this winter. 

NBC’s ‘Today’: Libraries now more than ever

NBC’s ‘Today’: Libraries now more than ever

Months ago, we started tracking how people across Washington are relying on libraries more than ever during this deep recession.  That theme was picked up by NBC’s “Today Show” on Thursday with a segment called “Beyond books: Libraries lend a hand during recession.” The special report says 68 percent of Americans have a library card today, the highest percentage in many years.  Some of the key points: Some people who lost their job can’t afford to buy a new computer,…

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Reports: Rosier days coming

Reports: Rosier days coming

We’ve been tracking the economic and revenue forecasts for you during this blankety-blank recession, cringing as it created a monster budget gap for governments everywhere and cost a lot of fine folks their jobs. Now the news is getting better: the “bottoming out” of the Great Recession is getting closer and Washington could be one of first to see daylight. The state’s economists, led by Arun Raha at the state Forecast Council, say in a fresh report, “We believe the recession will officially end sometime in the third quarter…

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