Author: Marcy Bowers

Poverty Action is excited announce that Adriana Lasso-Harrier has joined the Poverty Action team as our new communications coordinator. In that role she will implement media and communications strategies to help advance the narrative about poverty in Washington and work closely with community members to uphold their stories. Before joining Poverty Action, Adriana worked at Solid Ground … Continue reading Welcome to the team Adriana

Throughout the 2018 legislative session, the Governor, House of Representatives, and Senate will each propose a supplemental budget. Although the legislature passed an operating budget for the 2017-2019 biennium during the last legislative session, the supplemental budget is necessary because of emergent priorities and unanticipated costs that have arisen since the passage of the operating … Continue reading Check out our analysis of the Governor’s Budget

Registration is now closed for our 13th Annual Day of Action in Olympia! You are welcome to join us on MLK Day, but we are no longer able to guarantee legislative appointments or accommodations.  This Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, join Poverty Action members from across the state as we make our voices heard and … Continue reading MLK Day Lobby Day Registration is Now Closed!

On Thursday, October 5, the CPFP released their long-awaited rules to curb payday lending abuses. Below is a copy of our press release. Advocates Applaud the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for Their Release Of Rules That Disrupt Abusive Payday Lending Business Model  WASHINGTON—Taking a step toward dismantling debt traps, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) … Continue reading CFPB Releases Final Payday Lending Rule!

Finalized just in time to avert a partial state government shut-down, negotiators from the House and Senate reached a deal on our state's biennial budget. Their work was cut out for them this year between the need to meet the McCleary mandate and the challenges of a divided government. We were pleased overall by our … Continue reading We have a state budget!

This time last year, the national Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), our country’s main regulator of banks and lenders, was releasing a strong proposal to rein in payday lenders. And now the CFPB is fighting for its life. Wow – so much has changed in a year! On June 8, the US House passed the Financial CHOICE … Continue reading Defend the CFPB. Oppose the Financial CHOICE Act.

Throughout the legislative session, the Governor, House of Representatives, and Senate each propose a budget to fund the state’s priorities for the 2017-2019 biennium. After each branch of government introduces a budget proposal, the House Appropriations committee and Senate Ways & Means committee hold hearings on these proposals, each chamber passes their budget, and ultimately … Continue reading Check out our side-by-side analysis of the budget proposals

Check out the recent post our own Lara Sim co-wrote with Elena Hernandez from Budget & Policy Center! "Kids do better when their parents do better. So policymakers should look for ways to leverage and enhance the tools we have to ensure that they are improving outcomes for the entire family. A great place to … Continue reading Invest in TANF to Help Strengthen Families

Dear community partners, Please consider signing onto our letter to lawmakers encouraging them to oppose a bill that would increase predatory lending and debt settlement in our state. Right now in Olympia, payday lenders are again attempting to skirt Washington’s consumer protections, this time by creating a new financial product.  HB 1922/SB 5899 are bills that … Continue reading Oppose High Cost Small Loans (Payday lending) and Debt Settlement bills!

The rumors are true. After nearly 20 years with Solid Ground, Tony Lee is officially retiring! For nearly three decades, the last 19 years as Advocacy Director at Solid Ground, Tony has been our state’s leading lobbyist on issues impacting low-income people and families. In his role at Solid Ground, Tony helped found Poverty Action, playing an essential … Continue reading It’s really true. Tony Lee is retiring…sort of!