As the Legislature considers whether to renew $74 million worth of tax breaks for rural companies and high-tech research, critics say the state's poor need that money more than, say, Microsoft.

To underscore their point, Washington Citizen Action and the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations put together a list of alternative ways to spend $74 million. The cash could:

-Hire 1,300 teachers at an average salary of $44,954, or
-Pay for job training for 17,390 welfare recipients, or
-Provide basic health coverage for 31,000 poor people.

Proponents of the tax breaks argue that they're necessary for a strong economy, particularly in rural areas. Prosperous, growing companies, they say, provide both jobs and more taxes to support social service programs.

Stay tuned...

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