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July 2, 2009

 
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Extra! Extra! Did you read about this tax break?


Posted at 10:13 am by Neal Pattison

One good reason to read a daily newspaper is to stay informed about the public’s business – the projects, policies and tax decisions that are too wonky for most TV broadcasts or bloggers to bother with.

For instance, our state just cut business taxes by 40 percent for a troubled-yet-influential industry: Newspapers.

Did you know that?

Some people – including some Republican lawmakers – didn't like this tax cut.

First of all, it comes at a time when the state can’t afford to give away even one cent. And, they argue, it is at odds with the tax-and-spend positions they see on too many editorial pages.

There's no denying it is the kind of special-interest legislation that hard-nosed reporters glory in exposing.

I’m an editor, and I can’t read the minds of newspaper publishers and owners.
Their companies are, undeniably, faltering financially. And we feel that squeeze in our newsroom budgets.

So, they decided to stiffen their spines, swallow their pride and ask the Washington State Legislature for this special treatment.

Ironically, it’s readers like you who come to newspapers and newspaper websites for your information who will know about this tax break. The Herald’s Olympia correspondent Jerry Cornfield
blogged about it as it happened and included it in our published report on the Legislature’s final days.

And today, the Associated Press is making a story available to all regional papers concerning the issue.

I hope most papers carry the story. The AP tells us: “The Society of Professional Journalists and the National Conference of State Legislatures was not aware of any other state that has granted a similar tax break to the newspaper industry.”

In the newsroom, it's not our job to tell you whether the new tax rate for newspapers is good policy or bad policy – but we sure think you should be aware that your government made this decision.
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