In the latest digest — three key stories from life in Seattle: a mass exodus of IT entrepreneurs due to a new millionaire tax, veterinarians' warnings about parasitic threats to pets, and an analysis of the controversial remarks by new mayor Katey Wilson, whose careless comments about departing companies risk worsening the region's economic crisis.
Tech founders flee Seattle: taxes on the wealthy push startups to seek new homes
Seattle officials pride themselves on a progressive tax policy, but local entrepreneurs see it as a threat to business. Venice.ai founder Jesse Proudman, who has lived in Washington state for 28 years and built three companies there, says the process of entrepreneurs leaving is already in full swing. In his interview with Fox News he shared plans to relocate and alarming observations about the business climate in a city that once prided itself on supporting startups.
Proudman notes that Seattle used to be a place where entrepreneurship was encouraged and celebrated. “You could create something out of nothing here, and it was welcomed,” he recalls of the first 20 years of his career in the region. However, over the past four to five years, he says, the culture has radically changed: entrepreneurs are now being “demonized.” The main catalyst for this exodus is the “millionaire tax” law passed in March 2025, the state of Washington’s first income tax. Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson signed it under pressure from progressives and socialists.
Critics, including the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal, have already called this tax a “trap” that will inevitably affect the middle class. Proudman shares these concerns: “They start with millionaires because it's easier to sell. But obviously the plan is to spread it to everyone.” He is worried that state senator Jamie Pedersen, who advanced the law, openly expressed intentions to make the tax universal. According to Proudman’s calculations, this could make Washington the state with the highest taxes in the country, making it pointless to live there for those who can move.
Especially at odds with business sentiment is Seattle Mayor Katey Wilson’s position; she identifies as a democratic socialist. At a recent event she simply laughed in response to concerns about the outflow of millionaires, saying, “Those who are leaving — well, bye.” But Proudman sees reality differently: “Everyone I know who has the means to leave has either already left or is in the process. They’ve listed their houses and are looking elsewhere.” He emphasizes that entrepreneurs simply don’t want to live where they aren’t valued, drawing a parallel to Elon Musk’s move from California to Texas.
As alternatives, Proudman is considering Nevada, Texas (Austin), Nashville and Florida — regions where, he says, “the business community thrives and government supports entrepreneurship rather than demonizing those who created something of value.” It’s worth noting that, according to the Tax Foundation, Seattle already has the highest combined sales tax rate in the U.S. at 10.35%. And if the new income tax is indeed expanded, it could trigger not just the outflow of millionaires but the loss of a whole generation of tech startups that once formed the backbone of the region’s economy.
Parasites in pets: what every owner needs to know
Veterinary specialists are again urging pet owners to pay attention to parasitic infections that can threaten the health of cats and dogs. This topic becomes especially relevant with the arrival of the warm season, when parasite activity increases and the risk of pets becoming infected rises.
As noted in a KIRO 7 News Seattle piece, parasites can be not only a nuisance but a serious health threat to animals. This concerns not only external parasites like fleas and ticks but also internal ones that can remain unnoticed for a long time. Fleas, for example, can cause allergic dermatitis, while ticks transmit dangerous diseases such as babesiosis and Lyme disease, which can be fatal without timely treatment.
Veterinarians are particularly concerned about heartworms — Dirofilaria — which are transmitted through mosquito bites. This parasite settles in an animal’s heart and major vessels, gradually impairing their function. In the early stages the disease can be asymptomatic, and by the time clinical signs — coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue — appear, the disease is often advanced. Treatment for heartworm disease is complex, expensive and not always successful, so veterinarians insist on prevention.
Owners are advised to regularly treat their pets for fleas and ticks, especially in warm months. Monthly medications to prevent heartworms are available only through a veterinarian. It is important to remember that many products for dogs are toxic to cats, so they should not be used without a specialist’s consultation.
Experts emphasize that parasites are dangerous not only to animals but also to humans. Some diseases, such as toxocariasis or echinococcosis, can be transmitted from pets to people, especially children. This means that caring for your pet’s health is also caring for your family’s health.
The key takeaway from the material: prevention is always cheaper and safer than treatment. Regular veterinary visits, keeping up with vaccination and parasite prevention schedules, and paying close attention to your pet’s behavior and condition will help avoid serious problems. If you notice your dog or cat becoming lethargic, losing appetite, or developing dandruff or itching — don’t delay visiting a specialist.
Although the video used an unusual montage featuring golfer Matt McCarthy, the main content focused on parasitic threats. This is yet another reminder: beneath a seemingly simple topic lies a complex set of issues that require the attention of every responsible pet owner.
Election’s over, but problems remain: how the mayor’s new slip-ups are creating a trend
Seattle’s new mayor, Katey Wilson, seems to be getting a taste for political controversy, and what began as an isolated gaffe is now turning into a worrying pattern. Political commentators and even party colleagues are sounding the alarm: another awkward remark at an event at Seattle University — one that has already spread nationwide — could cost the city not only its reputation but jobs as well. At the center of the controversy is the mayor’s response to a question about how the city is reacting to departing corporations like Starbucks.
As is often the case, the story began long before this moment. Immediately after her election in November, Wilson appeared at a barista picket and called for a boycott of Starbucks, saying, “I don’t buy Starbucks, and you shouldn’t either.” That was followed by an equally sharp phrase about the city being “awesomely rich” when she announced taxes for social housing. And now, at the “New Progressives” forum, something happened that even seasoned politicians winced at.
The event featured a discussion with the mayor and King County Executive Girmay Zahilay. Student Ari Winter asked a direct question about how authorities were responding to Starbucks moving its headquarters out of Seattle and warnings from tech companies that the new millionaire income tax could trigger a talent exodus. Zahilay, an experienced politician, gave a measured answer, noting that every decision has trade-offs and one shouldn’t “wave off or belittle the other side.” He stressed that supporting a decision doesn’t mean pretending it has no consequences. But when Wilson took the mic, she did exactly what her colleague had just urged not to do. With a wave of her hand she said, “Those who leave — well, bye,” accompanied by laughter.
The Seattle Times reporter Danny Westneat, analyzing the situation, notes that a politician is usually forgiven for a first slip, a second raises concern, and a third becomes a pattern. And this pattern looks very troubling. Former Democratic state legislator Reuven Carlyle, who represented Queen Anne for 14 years, called it “a terrible strategic mistake.” He reminds readers that a decade ago he himself wrote columns about a “morally flawed tax system,” but always called for seeking compromise. “You can levy taxes without demonizing people,” Carlyle says. “Language matters. Rhetoric matters. Are you going to wave away local entrepreneurs? You can’t pretend such rhetoric has no serious consequences.”
Carlyle draws parallels with rhetoric from both the right and the left: on the right they blame immigrants, on the left — the wealthy. “This is not the kind of rhetoric that builds things,” he concludes. And indeed, while the audience at the event applauded and welcomed Wilson’s words, the reality is that the city is experiencing job losses for the first time in 16 years. Starbucks, The Seattle Times found in its investigation, is already actively looking for new space in Bellevue and has even reserved an office for 2,000 employees in Nashville.
Wilson, by her own account, ran as an “unyielding progressive” and acknowledges she has a lot of work to do in building relationships with the business community. For now those efforts look like “work in progress,” and that work is costing the city dearly. Journalists remind readers that the purpose of taxes is not to punish or put anyone in their place. Their goal is to raise resources to improve quality of life. However, when a mayor of a city losing corporations waves them off to leaving under approving cheers, a very different story emerges. If something isn’t changed quickly, analysts say, Starbucks may not be the last company to leave Seattle. The text also contains a curious mistake: the article’s author first called journalist Michael Kinsley “deceased,” then apologized because Kinsley is alive and has even published a new book. That slip, though not by the mayor, is also telling: in modern political life words carry weight, and the cost of error can be high. In his piece for The Seattle Times Danny Westneat draws an unflattering conclusion: either the story changes, or Seattle will continue to watch its major employers move to other states.
