Severance vote might occur at union meeting

Teamsters Local 378 has rented space at Washington Middle School on Sunday for a union meeting that is likely to include a vote on a severance agreement with Miller Brewing Co.

Representatives from the Teamsters and Miller reached a tentative agreement on the severance packages Tuesday.

The deal must be approved by a majority of the rank-and-file Teamsters.

Miller announced Jan. 9 that it would close the Tumwater brewery by July 1, eliminating about 400 jobs at the plant. The bulk of the workers are Teamsters.

Anna Hastings, who is in charge of facility rentals for the Olympia School District, said the Teamsters will pay $20 an hour to rent the space. She said that fee applies to any organization that rents school space from the district.

ECONOMY

Revised reading of GDP shows high rate of growth

WASHINGTON -- The economy grew at a 1.4 percent rate in the final quarter of last year -- twice as fast as the government first estimated. While the performance is still considered below par, it showed that the recovery didn't stumble as badly as previously thought.

The revised reading on gross domestic product, reported by the Commerce Department on Friday, is based on more complete data and marked a stronger showing than the miserable 0.7 percent growth rate that was reported for the fourth quarter of 2002 a month ago.

GDP measures the total value of goods and services produced within the United States and is considered the best barometer of the economy's health.

The major factors in the upward revision were stronger investment by businesses in building up stockpiles of unsold goods and a slight boost to consumer spending, the main force keeping the economy going.

AEROSPACE

Boeing Co. mulls sale of transportation unit

SEATTLE -- The Boeing Co. is considering whether to sell the unit that hauls airplane wing parts, packages and people from one Boeing site to another.

The unit, called Boeing's Licensed Transportation and Traffic Management group, employs about 500 people -- two-thirds of whom are in Washington state.

The unit is part of Boeing's Shared Services division, which handles transportation, telecommunications, travel and other companywide needs for Chicago-based Boeing, and which is trying to figure out how best to provide those services at lower costs in the continuing economic downturn, said Boeing spokeswoman Bev Clark.

The company is talking with several potential buyers, Clark said, and notified workers earlier this month of the possibility. "A decision is probably only weeks away," she said.

TAXES

Children provide valuable tax credit to parents

Uncle Sam is willing to help foot the bill for kids. The child tax credit is worth up to $600 for each eligible youngster. To qualify for 2002 tax returns, a child must be claimed as your dependent, be under 17 at the end of 2002 and be a U.S. citizen or resident. Also, he or she must be your son or daughter, adopted child, stepchild, foster child or grandchild.

You can claim the full credit if your modified adjusted gross income doesn't exceed:

- $110,000 if you're married and filing jointly.

- $55,000 for married taxpayers filing separately.

- $75,000 for everyone else.

The total credit (for all kids) falls by $50 for each $1,000 or partial amount above those limits. For details, see IRS Publication 972.

Olympian staff, news services