Photo: wa-leg
This week the Washington State House and Senate introduced a package of tax proposals aimed at raising an estimated $12 billion over the next four years. The plan includes new taxes and increases to existing tax rates and caps, in an effort to close the state’s multibillion-dollar budget shortfall.
However, Governor Bob Ferguson signaled his opposition to the plan saying it is, “unsustainable, too risky, and failing to adequately prepare Washington for the crisis that looms ahead,” pointing to ongoing uncertainty around federal funding.
While Ferguson has previously proposed $4 billion in spending reductions—including cuts to non-essential operations and travel, state worker furloughs, and a slowdown of new program expansions—he did not specify which taxes he would support or oppose this week.
The Democratic-led Legislature’s revenue proposal unveiled this week includes:
This marks the second major tax proposal from the Legislature in recent weeks. An earlier plan, which included a “wealth tax” on individuals with assets over $50 million and would have raised $21 billion, was rejected by the Governor.
Washington is facing a projected $16 billion budget shortfall over the next four years, driven by rising costs in education, health care, and housing, along with slower-than-expected revenue growth.
Sunday, April 27th is the last day of the Legislature’s regular session. If no budget is passed, a special session will need to be held to finalize a budget before the end of the current fiscal year on June 30th.
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A White House proposal for the 2026 fiscal year to cut federal rental assistance programs — including eliminating Section 8 vouchers — could put thousands of Washington families at risk of losing housing aid.
The jet destined for China’s Xiamen Airlines was rerouted back to Seattle, signaling further disruptions to the global trading landscape.
A civil rights lawsuit against SPS alleges the district repeatedly failed to provide required accommodations for pregnant and nursing employees and retaliated against those who sought them.
The state applied for the funds after November's bomb cyclone. No reason was given by federal official for the denial.
Foot traffic is only at 60% of March 2019’s average, but is up 12% from March 2024.
With six World Cup matches being played to Seattle in 2026, local organizers are requesting over $20 million from the state to help with field improvement as well as security and infrastructure upgrades to Lumen Field.
Seattle saw notable year-over-year drops in violent crime, property crime, and motor vehicle theft during the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
The mayor and city council have both made public safety a point of emphasis of late: a new police chief, a record recruiting class in 2024, and increased spending on the police department.
These statistics reflect ongoing improvements in public safety metrics across the city as well as more robust police enforcement. Arrests increased from 2,515 to 2,680 — a 6.6% rise.
The City of Seattle’s Office of Economic and Revenue Forecasts has released its April 2025 revenue forecast, adopting a pessimistic economic scenario in light of mounting global uncertainty, weak local revenue collections, and sector-specific slowdowns. The shift reflects recent international trade disruptions, including steep tariffs, ongoing stock market volatility, and a heightened risk of recession—now estimated at 40–60% according to national surveys.
Seattle’s economic performance in 2024 was mixed. Employment grew by just 0.8%, below the national average, with job losses in construction, trade, and tech offsetting gains in healthcare and government. Sales tax revenue was flat year-over-year, weighed down by a 7.1% drop in taxable construction activity and soft consumer spending.
As a result, the City revised its General Fund revenue forecast downward by $10.2 million for 2025 and $40.2 million for 2026. The Payroll Expense Tax, which is highly reliant on a small number of large tech firms, is now forecasted to fall short by over $80 million annually compared to previous expectations.
Despite these challenges, the City has secured over $47 million in external grants to support housing, climate initiatives, public safety, and infrastructure improvements. While these investments provide needed support, the city’s dependence on trade, tourism, and tech leaves it exposed to continued economic headwinds in the near term.
High temperature this week on Friday, April 18th
Beautiful spring weather arrived this week in the Pacific Northwest, with five straight days of blue skies and high temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
Cruise ship sailings out of the Port of Seattle in 2025
The cruise season opened on April 12th, with a record number of sailings with nearly 2 million passengers expected this year.
The reported selling price of Jeff Bezos's Hunts Point mansion
The Amazon founder sold his home along Lake Washington last week; it set a record for largest residential real estate transaction in state history.
A little library for cakes — yes, for cakes — has popped up in Sunset Hill. The Cake Coop is a whimsical, self-serve cake vending fridge created by baker Nicole Conley of Butter Half Cakes. Located in her front yard, the fridge opens Fridays and weekends at 11 a.m., offering slices and mini cakes via QR code payment. (Address: 8039 30th Avenue NW).
Since launching in September, King County Metro’s RapidRide G Line on Madison Street has seen ridership grow by nearly 55%, with nearly 5,600 daily boardings in March. The G Line provides dedicated bus lanes and frequent headways, as buses are scheduled every six minutes throughout most of the day.
PCC Community Markets will reopen its downtown Seattle location this July with its first-ever “small-format store,” the PCC Corner Market. Located at Fourth and Union, the reimagined store will be one-third the size of its previous version and will focus on fresh, hot meals aimed at downtown workers. After closing the original store in early 2024 due to financial losses, PCC hopes the new format will better align with downtown’s evolving needs and contribute to the area’s revitalization. The reopening marks PCC’s 16th store in the region and a sign of renewed momentum for Seattle’s business district.
After 122 years the Virginia Inn in Pioneer Square will close on April 27 due to a lease dispute with Pike Place Market’s Preservation and Development Authority. The iconic restaurant, a local landmark since 1903, couldn’t reach terms on rising rent tied to sales, marking the end of a beloved Seattle institution.
Hammered high and deep! Give it a ride! Out to left, Ben Williamson welcome to the show! His first big league home run comes north of the border and ties the game in the seventh.
