n an op-ed, Sam Cardwell, a policy analyst at the Mountain States Policy Center, argues that Washington’s business climate is deteriorating under years of tax increases, regulatory expansion, and runaway government spending.

The numbers paint a troubling picture. Washington’s state budget grew 112% from 2013 to 2025, while the state imposed $9.4 billion in new taxes in 2025 and enacted a new income tax in 2026. Meanwhile, the Association of Washington Businesses found that one in four businesses was considering leaving the state.

Cardwell argues that businesses need predictability—not another round of tax hikes and regulations every time the Legislature meets. Washington ranks eighth nationally for the most regulation, according to an AWB study, with half its regulations categorized as excessive.

His proposed solutions include tighter budget discipline, a pause on new taxes, more time to review tax proposals, and regulatory reforms modeled after Idaho’s approach. He also points to artificial intelligence as one potential way to speed up permitting, citing Honolulu’s reported 70% reduction in residential permit review times.

Cardwell’s message is straightforward: Washington cannot keep expanding government, piling on costs, and expecting employers to stick around out of sheer loyalty to the Evergreen State.

Businesses need room to grow, not another Olympia-imposed obstacle course. If Washington Democrats want to preserve the state’s economic future, they’ll need to do more than keep raising taxes and hope the innovators who built this state don’t take their businesses elsewhere. Read more at The Center Square.

Seattle’s business climate earned a dismal 39 out of 100, according to a new survey of 247 local businesses. Public safety, taxes and fees, homelessness, and labor costs top the list of concerns. Apparently, running a business in Seattle has become an exercise in seeing how much frustration an owner can tolerate.

The numbers are ugly. 47% of respondents have seriously considered moving their operations out of Seattle, 72% say the city isn’t competitive with regional rivals on taxes and regulatory burdens, and 56% say the business climate has worsened over the past year. The city’s responsiveness to business needs scored an abysmal 26 out of 100.

And what do businesses want? It’s not exactly rocket science: 89% support hiring more police, 91% want the city to review the impact of taxes and fees, and 84% support targeted public safety measures in commercial districts and downtown.

Yet instead of confronting the problems driving businesses away, Mayor Katie Wilson’s office responded by pointing to Seattle’s ranking in a global cities index. Because nothing says “we’re listening” quite like changing the subject.

Wilson says her administration will focus on spending discipline, reforms and operational efficiencies rather than raising the JumpStart payroll tax. That may sound promising, but Seattle businesses have heard plenty of promises while public safety and the cost of doing business remain major concerns.

Only 9% of respondents expect to relocate outside Seattle in the next year, but that’s hardly a ringing endorsement when nearly half have seriously considered leaving.

Seattle businesses are practically spelling out what needs to change: safer streets, lower tax and regulatory burdens, and a city government that responds to their concerns. The question is whether City Hall will finally listen—or keep congratulating itself while the people who power the local economy wonder how much longer they can afford to stay. Read more at The Center Square.

Fire Chief Tim Manley, a veteran with nearly 45 years of service, says he feels betrayed after discovering that Washington’s new income tax law stripped out a provision protecting first responders’ retirement benefits from taxation. Now he’s speaking out in a campaign ad supporting Initiative 645, which would repeal the tax on income above $1 million.

Democrats and other tax supporters argue firefighters and teachers have nothing to worry about because they don’t earn $1 million a year. Manley’s response? That’s not the point. The point is that lawmakers removed the protection.

And there’s reason to question the reassurances. Manley pointed to lawmakers who have discussed lowering the tax threshold, including proposals involving $250,000 and $750,000. If the threshold is supposedly untouchable, why remove the safeguard in the first place?

Adding to the frustration, Manley said he received no warning from union leadership about the change and learned about it from his fire district’s board chair. He has since sent questions to lawmakers and is still waiting for answers.

After decades spent protecting others, Manley says he feels betrayed by the people who were supposed to protect his retirement. Olympia’s response so far? According to Manley, silence.

Democrats want Washingtonians to trust their promises. But when lawmakers quietly remove a protection and tell workers not to worry, they shouldn’t be surprised when those workers start asking questions.Read more at MyNorthwest.com.

The U.S. Department of Justice says it has identified more than 400 suspected noncitizens who registered to vote in Washington and is asking state officials to set aside their ballots while their eligibility is verified. Federal authorities say more names could be coming, with Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd warning the initial list may represent only a fraction of the problem.

Washington officials, however, aren’t exactly welcoming the scrutiny. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs’ office questioned the timing of the announcement and insisted noncitizen voting is “incredibly rare,” while emphasizing voter privacy protections.

Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad went further, accusing the Trump administration of trying to undermine election integrity and disenfranchise eligible voters. She also proclaimed Washington has “the best elections system in the country. Full stop.”

That’s quite a declaration to make while federal investigators are asking state officials to help determine whether hundreds of suspected ineligible voters cast ballots.

Republican Party Chairman Jim Walsh argues state officials’ refusal to cooperate with federal investigations is making it harder to determine the extent of the problem. He believes the initial list could be just the tip of the iceberg, though the full scope remains unknown.

To be clear, the voters identified by federal authorities are suspects, not proven cases of illegal voting. But that’s precisely why an investigation matters: verify the facts, establish who was eligible, and hold anyone who broke the law accountable.

Washington Democrats insist the election system is beyond reproach, yet federal authorities are seeking answers about hundreds of suspected noncitizen voters. Rather than simply cooperate with a lawful investigation and let the facts speak for themselves, Democrats are already blaming the investigation itself. Apparently, in Olympia, questioning election procedures is the real offense. Read more at The Center Square.

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