News
Sound Transit may push some projects out to 2052 amid $34. 5 B funding gap
5+ hour, 54+ min ago (744+ words) (The Center Square) - Sitting $34. 5 billion over budget, Sound Transit officials say they are committed to delivering the full voter-approved ST3 plan, despite talks of punting several projects down the road. Voters approved ST3 in 2016, launching a 25-year regional transit expansion initially pegged…...
U. S. deficit projected to hit $2 trillion, double fiscal target
2+ hour, 18+ min ago (551+ words) (The Center Square) " The federal government is projected to post a $2 trillion deficit in fiscal year 2026, double the 3% of GDP target that has bipartisan support in Congress, according to Treasury's quarterly refunding documents. The $2 trillion figure in fiscal year 2026 is…...
Wisconsin sees 65 counties with unemployment rate drop in March
1+ day, 5+ hour ago (231+ words) (The Center Square) " Wisconsin saw an unemployment rate drop in 65 of its 72 counties in March with all 13 metropolitan areas and 30 of the largest 35 cities in the state seeing unemployment drops as well. That comes as the overall state unemployment rate…...
Tax hikes alone won't fully address US debt, report finds
2+ day, 4+ hour ago (584+ words) (The Center Square) " No tax proposal before Congress would be sufficient on its own to put the federal debt on a sustainable long-term path, according to a new report from the Tax Foundation that finds spending on programs such as…...
Spokane County may face service-level cuts to balance $25 M deficit before 2027
2+ day, 2+ hour ago (552+ words) (The Center Square) - Spokane County is now facing a $25 million general fund deficit ahead of next year, as projections continue to sour." The gap follows $20 million deficits that the Board of County Commissioners balanced heading into2025 and2026 with significant cuts, fee increases…...
Louisiana gas prices approach key $4 psychological point
2+ day, 2+ hour ago (583+ words) (The Center Square) - Gasoline prices are soaring in Louisiana, rising 19. 3 cents a gallon over the last week to an average of $3. 92 on Tuesday, as geopolitical tensions and Gulf Coast refinery maintenance squeeze fuel supplies across the state from Lake Charles…...
Chicago loses 2, 100 restaurant jobs as industry fights mandated wage hikes | Illinois | thecentersquare. com
3+ day, 7+ hour ago (467+ words) (The Center Square) " As Chicago's efforts to phase out sub-minimum wages are proposed nationwide, a restaurant industry advocate says the city's mandate has led to job losses and empty storefronts. According to U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Chicago's restaurant industry…...
Everyday Economics: Inflation squeezes household spending
4+ day, 6+ hour ago (466+ words) (The Center Square) " The Fed held rates where they were " 3. 5% to 3. 75% " and nobody was surprised. What actually mattered was the friction inside the room. Three FOMC members dissented, and not over some technical disagreement. They wanted the committee to stop…...
U. S. debt tops 100% of GDP, 'deeply troubling' for economy, national security
5+ day, 11+ hour ago (494+ words) Illustration: Kate Guenther / The Center Square (The Center Square) " The U. S. national debt is now larger than the entire American economy and is only set to keep growing, further exacerbating the affordability crisis and risking national security. Out of the $39 trillion…...
Exploding gas prices could impact other consumer goods
6+ day, 9+ hour ago (377+ words) (The Center Square) "Gas prices approached the $5 mark in some Ohio locations this week, threatening to raise the cost of consumer goods across the board. Spikes catalyzed by the ongoing war in Iran have placed Ohio's average gas price at…...