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Washington's Business Exodus

Zero Rss
1 month 4 weeks ago
Washington's Business Exodus

Authored by Mark Harmsworth via The Washington Policy Center,

Washington state’s business climate continues to deteriorate under the weight of record tax increases and burdensome regulations.

A spring 2026 survey by the Association of Washington Business reveals alarming trends.

Nearly one in four employers (24 percent) are now actively considering relocating their businesses out of state, up sharply from 17 percent in the previous quarter and nearly triple the level from winter 2025.

Another 55 percent of business leaders are considering moving their personal residences elsewhere, citing the state’s escalating tax burden as the top challenge. This flight is no surprise. Washington’s business tax climate has plummeted from sixth-best in the nation in 2014 to near the bottom today, with the state now ranking among the worst for small-business survival.

Major tax hikes enacted in 2025 are now hitting businesses hard. Starting in late 2025 and accelerating into 2026, the state increased business & occupation tax rates for service businesses and introduced new surcharges. Large companies face a 0.5 percent surcharge on taxable income of more than $250 million, while advanced computing firms saw their surcharge jump dramatically. These changes, part of the largest tax increase in state history, are projected to reduce state gross domestic product growth by up to 0.5 percent in 2026 (nearly $4.5 billion) and cut wages by billions of dollars more.

Office vacancy rates reflect the pain. Although Seattle’s downtown vacancy rate remains among the nation’s highest (hovering between 28 percent and more than 35 percent in reports from the first quarter of 2026), the broader Puget Sound region and state face similar pressures from remote work shifts and corporate relocations. Companies such as Starbucks are shifting hundreds of jobs to lower-tax states such as Tennessee. Other firms have issued worker adjustment and retraining notification notices and moved operations to Idaho, Utah, and beyond.

High-profile exits and stalled expansions are mounting. Entrepreneurs report that Washington’s combination of high taxes, regulatory red tape, and hostile policies makes growth nearly impossible.

The bottom line is that as the high earners and companies leave the state, the revenue from increased taxes, including the new income tax, will dry up and politicians in Olympia will be left scrambling for new sources of tax revenue.

The $1 million threshold on the income tax will fall in the blink of an eye.

Politicians have to restore small-business owners’ confidence in the regulatory environment and keep the promises they are making.

Just three months after signing the income tax into law, lauding it as the way forward for the state, Gov. Bob Ferguson is now claiming that he will veto any change to the exemption threshold in order to garner support to keep the legislation in place.

History indicates that Ferguson’s claim might be a little “flexible,” and that’s the problem. There is no predictability for business owners.

Until leaders recognize that businesses vote with their feet, and their payrolls, the state’s economic outlook will remain clouded.

Washington can reverse course. Lowering the tax burden, simplifying regulations, and prioritizing a pro-growth environment would stem the exodus and restore prosperity.

The data are clear. Washington is losing the competition. It’s time to compete again.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.

Tyler Durden Thu, 06/18/2026 - 21:45
Tyler Durden

USMNT jerseys, World Cup packages given to passengers on flight

NY Post
1 month 4 weeks ago
The U.S. men’s national team is set to face Australia on Friday after its dominating opening-match win over Paraguay. The 2026 World Cup has gained massive traction with several fans flying to the States to witness their respective squads in action. Companies and brands are fully immersed in the advertising of the FIFA tournament with...
Valentina Martinez

Amazon Plans $10B Missouri Data Center Campus

Zero Rss
1 month 4 weeks ago
Amazon Plans $10B Missouri Data Center Campus

By Sebastian Obando of ConstructionDive

Amazon will invest $10 billion to build a data center campus in Montgomery County, Missouri, Gov. Mike Kehoe announced Monday. In addition to facility construction, the development includes roads and water infrastructure improvements, such as a new bridge over theNorfolk Southern Railway and a water system Amazon plans to transfer to the local utility after construction, according to the tech giant.

The announcement adds yet another multibillion-dollar data center project to the construction pipeline, a sign the data center construction boom has room to run.

Representational image of an Amazon data center construction site | Image courtesy: Amazon

The $10 billion Amazon investment highlights the growing role of hyperscale developers in overall U.S. construction activity. 

Once complete, the campus will support cloud computing infrastructure and generate hundreds of millions in property tax revenue for Montgomery County over the next 25 years, according to the release. Amazon also worked with Ameren Missouri, the local utility company, to ensure the project bears the full cost of connecting to the electric grid, the tech giant said.

The commitment also emphasizes how these builds often carry supplementary community projects. For example, Amazon plans over $7 million in community contributions as part of its investment, according to the company. That includes $3 million toward public safety infrastructure, as well as several roadway improvements and a new bridge.

“Projects like this create lasting benefits for local communities by supporting critical infrastructure improvements, generating tax revenue for schools and public services, and strengthening the foundation for future economic growth,” said Kehoe in the release.

In addition to the infrastructure upgrades in the area, Amazon will sponsor the community’s Montgomery County Fair. The company will commit over $1 million to build a new large-scale community gathering space at the fairgrounds, according to the governor’s release.

Amazon will also invest more than $3 million in community programs focused on STEM education, skills development, sustainability and support for local nonprofit organizations, the announcement said. 

“Amazon’s announcement in Montgomery County is a testament to what can be accomplished through strong collaboration and a shared commitment to growth,” said Michelle Hataway, director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, in the release. “This project will help strengthen the region’s capacity for future development while reinforcing Missouri’s position as a destination for innovation and investment.”

Tyler Durden Thu, 06/18/2026 - 21:20
Tyler Durden

Mexico vs South Korea match spurs new drinking game for World Cup fans

NY Post
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Mexico versus South Korea is slated to be one of the most exciting World Cup matches of the week as the victor of the clash wins Group A. Both countries won their World Cup openers, with Mexico dominating South Africa and South Korea taking down Czechia. A win for either squad will guarantee a spot...
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How one SoCal street became the epicenter of American sushi

NY Post
1 month 4 weeks ago
On National Sushi Day, June 18, all eyes are on Ventura Boulevard's legendary "Sushi Row," a roughly 18-mile stretch through Studio City that food historians say helped transform sushi from a niche Japanese delicacy into an American culinary phenomenon.
Bianca Zalben

US Security Chief Says One Suspected Terrorist Is Arrested At Canadian Border 'Almost Weekly'

Zero Rss
1 month 4 weeks ago
US Security Chief Says One Suspected Terrorist Is Arrested At Canadian Border 'Almost Weekly'

Authored by Paul Rowan Brian via The Epoch Times,

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin says American authorities apprehend a suspected or wanted terrorist at the Canada-U.S. border "almost weekly," while warning that "fracturing" relations between the two countries could leave both more vulnerable to criminal organizations, fentanyl traffickers, and other threats.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin testifies before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security in Washington on June 3, 2026. AP Photo/Cliff Owen

Mullin made the remarks June 17 during a fireside conversation with Canada's Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. He added that the United States is concerned that many criminal organizations whose activity has been reduced due to enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border are moving operations to the northern border.

"We arrest a terrorist - one either on the watch list or wanted terrorist - on our northern border almost weekly," Mullin said. "Some of the fracturing we have right now between the countries, we've got to figure it out."

Mullin was sworn in as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on March 24, succeeding Kristi Noem after she was reposted as the special envoy for the Shield of the Americas by U.S. President Donald Trump.

'Solid Foundation'

Mullin said improving Canada-U.S. relations and building a "solid foundation" is vital to ensuring that criminals don't take advantage of a U.S.-Canada rupture in relations.

"We've got to move past our differences so we can build that solid foundation, because we have criminals, we have cartels, we have organized crime that's taken advantage of it," he added.

While Mullin warned that criminal organizations along with terror suspects and illegal immigrants are increasingly targeting the U.S. northern border, Anandasangaree said Canada has already made considerable progress in tightening border security. Illegal migration from Canada into the United States has declined by 99 percent since Ottawa introduced a plan to boost border security in December 2024, the minister stated.

"The border plan that we introduced in 2024 December, which has been implemented now over the last 18 months, is bearing fruit," he said.

Anandasangaree also highlighted close collaboration between Canadian and American authorities.

"The cooperation amongst law enforcement, whether it's DHS and Canada Border Services, or the operations centre where we're embedded in Detroit, it's critically important and we're seeing that bearing fruit for security," he said.

Concern About Cartels Moving North: Mullin

Mullin said that in addition to terrorist-related threats and illegal immigration, the U.S. government is highly concerned about the flow of fentanyl and cartel activity through its northern border.

"Over the last year we've apprehended enough fentanyl that would kill 17 million Americans on our northern border," he said.

Mullin said he believes an uptick in organized crime activity at the Canada-U.S. border is due to stricter enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border and "pressure we're putting on the cartels" that is causing them to seek out "other areas."

"We see the amount of increase of criminal activity that's happening. And we see the same techniques that were on the southern border that are moving to the northern border," Mullin said.

He said that cooperation between the United States and Canada is "vitally important" and pointed to intelligence-sharing between the two nations as the top priority.

"Our biggest priority now is to have great partnerships with our friends to the North to be able to actively stop [illegal activity] before it grows to the point that it is in Mexico," he said, adding "the biggest issue that we've really got to work on is sharing the intel and then acting on it in a timely manner."

Canada-US Tensions

At one point, Mullin compared the Canada-U.S. relationship to marriage, saying that current tensions are similar to when he and his wife get into an argument.

"It's kind of like my wife and I when she gets really mad at me, and I'm well deserved to get mad at, sometimes I just have to stop and say, 'love you,'" he said.

"Arguing doesn't help; it only allows us to be more vulnerable for somebody else to sneak in and take my beautiful wife away from me."

Anandasangaree also emphasized close U.S.-Canada ties, saying they go beyond government cooperation to economic prosperity.

"We rely heavily on each other for both security, but as well as trade and commerce," he said, adding that much of the $900 billion of trade that takes place between the two countries annually is done "in an orderly manner that benefits both of our countries."

"What differences we have is negligible compared to what we have in common and the work that we're doing together," Anandasangaree added.

The minister also noted ongoing enhanced investments in border security in Canada including the hiring of 1,000 more RCMP and 1,000 more Canada Border Service Agency personnel announced in June last year, along with increased use of drones, helicopters, and surveillance technology at the border.

Anandasangaree also referenced close cooperation between the RCMP and FBI in working together to help lead to the arrest of accused transnational Canadian drug trafficker Ryan Wedding by Mexican authorities in January, in addition to a recent investigation by Peel Regional Police that led to 17 arrests in May.

Fentanyl

Mullin's figures for fentanyl lethality appear to be based on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's calculation method for potential fentanyl deaths, which holds that 2 milligrams can be a potentially lethal dose for the average person.

Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection showed very low fentanyl seizures at the Canada-U.S. border during the period from July 2024 through to February 2026, with Ottawa stating that "Canada is not a significant source of illegal fentanyl entering the US. Less than 1% of fentanyl seized in the US comes from Canada."

The office of Canada's Fentanyl Czar Kevin Brosseau cites U.S. statistics in noting that roughly 71,000 pounds of fentanyl were seized at the U.S.-Mexico border from 2022 to 2025, compared to approximately 134 pounds seized at the Canada-U.S. border or in its vicinity.

While Mullin emphasized the scale of fentanyl seizures at the northern border, Anandasangaree said the real source of the crisis is precursors manufactured overseas.

"The flow of fentanyl is not from the north to south or south to north; it is coming from overseas with precursors that enable dealers to manufacture and distribute in our countries," Anandasangaree said, though adding that he agreed "fentanyl and the scourge of fentanyl is impacting both of our countries."

Looking Ahead

In terms of the future of the Canada-U.S. relationship, both officials said they are confident that cooperation will continue despite political disagreements.

"If there are irritations, we need to just work through them. We will work through them," Anandasangaree said.

Mullin echoed this, saying that despite current tensions, the two countries remain indispensable partners.

"What we have to do is quit focusing on our differences and start thinking about what we have in common," Mullin said.

Tyler Durden Thu, 06/18/2026 - 20:55
Tyler Durden

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