If Howard Schultz is sounding like a fiscal conservative, maybe Olympia should check the mirror instead of raising taxes again.
Even Howard Schultz Is Telling Washington Democrats to Stop Killing the Economy
Former Starbucks CEO and one-time Democratic presidential candidate Howard Schultz is sounding the alarm over Washington Democrats’ tax-and-spend agenda, warning that the state is becoming less friendly to the entrepreneurs and businesses that built its economy.
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Schultz pointed to Kent-based rocket startup Stoke Space as an example of what Washington should be fighting to protect—not suffocating with higher taxes and anti-business policies. The company, located near one of Starbucks’ roasting plants, represents the kind of innovation and high-paying jobs Washington once attracted. Schultz warned that the state risks becoming better at growing tax burdens than growing businesses.
That message is especially notable because it is coming from a lifelong Democrat, not a conservative critic. Schultz argued that Washington used to be a place where entrepreneurs were welcomed because leaders understood that businesses create jobs, expand the tax base, and fund public services. Now, he says, that reputation is slipping away thanks to policies that punish employers and investors.
Schultz also criticized Washington’s education system, arguing that the state is failing to prepare students for the manufacturing, aerospace, and technology jobs it claims to want. He pointed to low postsecondary credential rates among graduates and argued that economic growth requires more than another government program—it requires a workforce prepared for the future.
The warning comes as Gov. Bob Ferguson and Washington Democrats continue pushing higher taxes, including the state’s controversial 9.9% income tax on high earners, while insisting those policies will somehow make the state more competitive. Schultz clearly isn’t buying it.
Even one of the Democratic Party’s own former presidential contenders is now saying what businesses, families, and taxpayers have been warning for years: Washington cannot tax, regulate, and lecture its way to prosperity. Read more at the Wall Street Journal.
Spokane Transit Wants 20 More Years of Tax Dollars
In a new piece, the Washington Policy Center’s Charles Prestrud rightfully questions whether Spokane Transit’s latest tax request is really about necessity—or simply about keeping the money flowing. While Spokane Transit deserves credit for being more responsible than many other transit agencies in Washington, voters should take a hard look before approving Proposition One, a plan to extend a 0.2% sales tax for another 20 years.
Unlike other transit agencies that push for permanent tax increases with no expiration date, Spokane Transit is at least giving voters a chance to weigh in. But that does not mean taxpayers should automatically approve another two decades of higher costs. Prestrud points out that since the last tax increase in 2016, Spokane Transit has expanded service by 35%, while ridership has grown only about 6%. Meanwhile, inflation-adjusted operating costs per passenger have climbed by 34%, with bus service now costing nearly $200 per hour while generating only a fraction of that amount in fare revenue.
The biggest question may be why Spokane Transit needs more money at all. The agency ended 2024 with more than $300 million in reserves—roughly three times its annual operating expenses. Before asking taxpayers for another 20-year commitment, Spokane Transit should explain why existing resources and its substantial surplus cannot maintain current services.
Prestrud also raises a critical point about timing. The current tax does not expire until the end of 2028, meaning there is no immediate need to rush voters into a decision. Waiting would give the public a clearer picture of the economy, federal transportation funding, fuel costs, electric bus feasibility, and emerging technologies that could dramatically change how people get around.
Spokane Transit may be one of Washington’s better-run transit agencies, but that is exactly why voters should expect more accountability—not less. Taxpayers deserve to know what they are buying, whether the spending will actually improve efficiency, and why another 20-year tax commitment is necessary before approving yet another permanent expansion of government revenue. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.
King County Finally Admits Taxpayer Money Doesn't Spend Itself
King County officials are finally taking steps to investigate waste, fraud, and abuse in county programs after an audit uncovered questionable spending practices inside the Department of Community and Human Services, which oversees more than $1 billion in taxpayer-funded programs.
The audit found potential fraud, including altered or forged documents, unauthorized budget changes, and payments made without consistent expense reporting. Apparently, when government hands out billions of dollars, asking recipients to prove where the money went is considered an innovative concept.
In response, the King County Metropolitan Council approved the creation of a new Inspector General Division with the power to investigate misconduct, issue subpoenas, and recover misspent taxpayer funds. The office will also create a fraud hotline, standardize oversight requirements, and require agencies to report suspected financial misconduct.
Council members are celebrating the move as a major step toward accountability—but taxpayers may wonder why it took a fraud investigation to convince King County that basic financial oversight was necessary in the first place. The new office will cost roughly $600,000 to launch, a small price if it prevents more taxpayer dollars from disappearing into the county’s massive bureaucracy.
For years, Democrats have championed ever-growing government programs and bigger budgets. Now, even King County is admitting that without proper oversight, those programs can become an open invitation for waste and abuse. Better late than never—but taxpayers are still waiting to see if accountability becomes a permanent policy or just another government promise. Read more at Center Square.
Washington Democrats’ Convention Takes a Hard Left Turn
In a scathing analysis, State Rep. Jim Walsh, also chairman of the Washington State Republican Party, argues that Washington Democrats’ 2025 state convention revealed the growing influence of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) activists and a party increasingly shaped by its far-left wing.
Walsh writes that the Spokane convention showcased a Democratic Party struggling to balance its traditional leadership with a more radical base. With Gov. Bob Ferguson absent, other top Democrats attempted to rally delegates but, according to Walsh, failed to connect with a convention increasingly energized by progressive activists demanding more extreme positions.
The biggest flashpoints came over the party’s updated platform, which Walsh describes as reading more like a campus activist manifesto than a governing agenda. Delegates approved language supporting the study and implementation of reparations, despite Washington having no history as a slave state, and adopted language criticizing Israel that has drawn accusations from Jewish leaders of excusing or rationalizing antisemitism.
Walsh argues that the platform battles show a growing divide between Washington Democrats’ activist base and more moderate voters. He points to the influence of DSA members at the convention, including efforts to condemn Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez for supporting legislation related to gender ideology in schools.
The final platform passed overwhelmingly, with delegates approving the document by a 662-95 vote. Walsh concludes that Washington Democrats are increasingly being pulled toward Seattle-style progressive politics, leaving the party to defend positions that could alienate voters outside its activist base. Read more at Seattle Red.