The 2025 legislative session delivered a masterclass in self-inflicted economic pain. After racking up a jaw-dropping $16 billion budget shortfall—no pandemic, no recession, just garden-variety fiscal incompetence—Washington Democrats sprang into action by reaching for the only tool they know how to use: tax hikes.

From sales to services, storage units to software, they didn’t miss a single opportunity to grab a little more from families and businesses alike. Small business? Middle class? Retirees? All fair game when the government is short on cash and long on ideas for spending yours.

The hits keep coming:

• Sales tax: Up to 10.5% in some cities. Because nothing says “stimulus” like punishing consumption.
• Fuel taxes: Already highest in the nation—now bolstered by the state’s climate law, adding up to ~95¢ per gallon. Filling your tank now feels like applying for a mortgage.
• Paid Family Leave: Now a 0.92% payroll deduction. Hope you weren’t saving for a vacation—you’re already paying for someone else’s.
• Capital gains tax: Jumping from 7% to 9.9% for big investors, because punishing success is always in style.
• Estate tax: Max rate now 35%. Die rich in Washington, and your money gets reincarnated as government programs.
• Digital services tax expansion: Because why wouldn’t we tax things that create jobs and drive innovation?
• Advanced computing surcharge: Microsoft and Amazon now face a 7.5% surcharge—until 2029. Let’s see how long before they start hiring from Texas.

Even better, SB 5814 adds sales tax to professional services like IT support and ad agencies—because nothing helps the economy quite like taxing the people trying to keep it running.

And let’s not forget the B&O tax on gross receipts, meaning even unprofitable businesses owe the state. New for 2025: storage units now taxed at 1.75%, because apparently storing your own stuff is a luxury item.

The Washington Policy Center estimates the average Washingtonian making $75K a year will fork over $24,681 in total taxes in 2025—federal, state, and local combined. That’s nearly 33% of your income. And remember, there’s no state income tax. Yet. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.

If you ever wondered what it looks like when Washington state’s top law enforcement office moonlights as a private law firm’s in-house legal team, look no further. Internal emails just exposed the cozy coordination between the Washington Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and the ever-political law firm Perkins Coie—yes, that Perkins Coie—on a federal lawsuit targeting Trump.

Perkins filed suit after Trump dared to cancel their federal contracts and revoke their security clearance. The next day, the AGO rode in with a so-called “amicus” brief supporting the firm. One small problem: Perkins Coie holds ten active state contracts with the AGO. But sure, let’s pretend the AG’s office was just a neutral third party.

Emails show AGO staff begging for input like giddy interns: “What claims will you make?” “Can we see your drafts?” “How can we be helpful?” One AGO official even gushed it was a “badge of honor” to be a Perkins alum. Must be nice when public office doubles as a fan club.

Meanwhile, Deputy Solicitor General Emma Grunberg was busy swapping drafts and plotting strategy with the firm, even suggesting they delay a hearing to improve odds of winning. Totally normal behavior for a so-called independent party, right?

To keep all this under wraps, emails were slapped with “common interest privilege” labels—until legal pressure forced them public. And in case you thought this had real consequences, the state ethics board, overseen by an AGO insider, quickly tossed the complaint in the trash.

Gun dealers and conservative legal groups say they get ignored when asking for legal clarity. But if you’re a Democratic mega-firm like Perkins Coie? The red carpet rolls out—funded, of course, by taxpayers.

The AGO’s response? Nothing to see here, folks. Everything’s fine. Ethical concerns? “As absurd as the Earth being flat.” Spoken like a government that truly believes it answers to no one.

At this point, the AGO might as well hang a “Perkins Coie Help Desk” sign outside its offices. Read more at KVI.

Just when you thought Seattle’s sanctuary city nonsense couldn’t get more absurd, ICE now says it can’t even notify local law enforcement about pending operations—because the minute they do, someone leaks the info to the media. Yes, really.

ICE Seattle Field Director Cammilla Wamsley told The Jason Rantz Show that when her agents are trying to arrest criminal illegal immigrants—you know, rapists, kidnappers, violent felons—they alert local agencies to prevent chaos or “blue on blue” incidents. But in places like Seattle and Spokane, the second they try to coordinate, someone blows the whistle to the press.

The leaks are so bad and so consistent that ICE now withholds detailed info until the last second—or skips coordination altogether. In other words, they’re being forced to operate with one hand tied behind their back because local officials might care more about protecting headlines than protecting the public.

And don’t think this is just accidental. ICE suspects the leaks are intentional, designed to interfere with enforcement. So now, instead of quietly arresting violent offenders in controlled situations, ICE has to track them down in neighborhoods or workplaces—endangering everyone involved.

Why? Because of Washington’s “Keep Washington Working Act,” the feel-good sanctuary law that actually means law enforcement can’t work with ICE unless the Chief of Police signs off. Guess how often that happens? Try never.

Meanwhile, Seattle PD shrugs and says their hands are tied. Even sheriffs in central Washington—who want to cooperate—are forced to stay silent to avoid breaking state law. So instead of stopping dangerous criminals before they cause harm, local agencies are busy virtue-signaling their way through press conferences.

Case in point: one of ICE’s recent arrests involved a convicted rapist and kidnapper ordered deported two years ago. How many more are out there while Seattle leadership insists on playing politics?

In Wamsley’s words, ICE has had the same mission since 1954, and they’re not about to stop now—no matter how much local Democrats try to trip them up along the way. Read more at KTTH.

Have you subscribed to the new Shift WA podcast yet? Subscribe now and don’t miss out on a single critical discussion!

Please consider making a contribution to ensure Shift continues to provide daily updates on the shenanigans of the liberal establishment. If you’d rather mail a check, you can send it to: Shift WA | PO Box 956 | Cle Elum, WA 98922

Forward this to a friend.  It helps us grow our community and serve you better.

You can also follow SHIFTWA on social media by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

If you feel we missed something that should be covered, email us at [email protected].