Washington Democrats, led by Gov. Bob Ferguson, are celebrating their shiny new 9.9% income tax on high earners—complete with a victory lap and “we did it” moment—while conveniently ignoring the century-old constitutional roadblock standing directly in their way.

Now comes the predictable sequel: a lawsuit. The Citizen Action Defense Fund, backed by former AG Rob McKenna, is gearing up to challenge the tax, arguing Democrats bulldozed clear legal precedent that says income is property—and can’t be taxed like this without strict limits. In other words, the “historic win” might just be historically unconstitutional.

Democrats insist the tax is needed to fund everything from childcare to tax credits and free lunches, because apparently an $80+ billion budget still isn’t enough. Critics, meanwhile, argue this is less about helping families and more about feeding a spending habit Olympia refuses to control.

Even some wealthy business leaders and minority business advocates are waving red flags, warning the policy could drive investment, jobs, and opportunity out of the state. But don’t worry—Democrats assure everyone this is just about “fairness,” not the growing list of companies quietly eyeing the exits.

Bottom line: Democrats passed a legally questionable income tax, declared victory, and now get to explain it to a judge—while businesses and taxpayers start doing the math on whether staying in Washington is still worth it. Read more at MyNorthwest.com.

Seattle’s long-delayed light rail extension to Bellevue and Redmond is finally opening, and sure—Democrats want a victory lap. The problem? It’s arriving three years late, after construction blunders forced major rework, and it’s just one piece of a transit fantasy that’s now about $35 billion short of reality.

While officials celebrate a projected 50,000 daily riders, behind the scenes they’re scrambling to figure out which promised projects get axed. West Seattle’s line is already on the chopping block, and expansions to Ballard, Everett, Tacoma, and a full Kirkland–Issaquah route could quietly disappear. Translation: voters paid for a full system—Democrats might deliver a highlight reel.

And let’s not forget how we got here: botched construction on a floating bridge, pandemic delays, labor strikes—basically a greatest hits album of government mismanagement. Now the same politicians who oversaw the mess are debating which communities deserve service based on income and diversity metrics instead of, you know, whether the system actually works.

Meanwhile, taxpayers across the region are still on the hook—through higher property taxes, car tabs, and fees—to pay off tens of billions in bonds for a system that may never be fully built.

So yes, the train is finally leaving the station. Just don’t ask if it’s headed where voters were promised—or how much more it’s going to cost to find out. Read more at Center Square.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is staring down a $140 million budget hole—and instead of asking how the city got here, she’s doubling down on the same playbook: tax the rich, tax big business, and hope they stick around anyway.

Wilson is openly floating new “progressive revenue” ideas, including expanding Seattle’s already controversial payroll tax and possibly layering on a local capital gains tax—because apparently the existing pile of taxes just isn’t doing the trick.

Meanwhile, reality is already setting in. Amazon has moved thousands of employees out of Seattle to Bellevue, office vacancy rates downtown are sitting above 30%, and businesses are making it pretty clear they’re not eager to keep footing the bill. Even Wilson admits Seattle’s tax environment is out of step with neighboring cities… but still insists companies can “afford to pay more.”

You can’t make this up: the mayor acknowledges businesses might leave because of taxes—then proposes raising them anyway and hopes for the best.

To her credit, Wilson says departments will look at modest spending cuts. But in classic Seattle fashion, those cuts come second to the never-ending quest for “new revenue.”

And as if that wasn’t enough, the city is also tying itself in knots over public safety—delaying decisions on surveillance cameras even with a major international event like the FIFA World Cup looming, because politics and optics apparently outweigh urgency.

Bottom line: businesses are leaving, the tax base is shrinking, and Democrats’ solution is… to squeeze what’s left even harder. Bold strategy. Let’s see how that works out.

Former state Rep. Robert Sutherland just did what a growing number of Washington residents are quietly doing: leaving. After 36 years in the state—raising a family and even serving in the Legislature—he’s headed to Idaho, citing the same complaints Democrats keep pretending don’t exist: eroding property rights and a state government that seems more interested in extracting wealth than protecting it.

And this isn’t just one frustrated ex-lawmaker venting on Facebook. It’s part of a broader trend Democrats in Olympia have spent years waving away while piling on taxes, regulations, and “just one more” revenue scheme. From the capital gains tax to repeated income tax pushes, the message to successful residents and business owners has been loud and clear: thanks for building something—now hand more of it over.

Meanwhile, Idaho isn’t exactly sitting still. Lower taxes, a friendlier business climate, and a government that treats property rights like they actually matter have turned places like Boise into magnets for the very people Washington keeps driving out. Funny how that works.

Sutherland’s exit just makes it harder for Democrats to dismiss the trend as anecdotal. When even someone who fought inside the system decides it’s not worth sticking around, that’s not just a personal decision—it’s a flashing warning sign.

But sure, Olympia will probably keep insisting everything’s fine… right up until the moving trucks become impossible to ignore. Read more at Seattle Red.

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