A Seattle business owner says a newly approved tax increase, combined with the wider cost of operating in Washington, has turned long-running frustration into relocation planning. After nearly 30 years in Seattle, he says he is now looking at future hiring outside the state and weighing a company move next year.

The timeline is not immediate. He says his children still have about two years left in school, which could delay a full household move even if the business starts shifting sooner. For now, he expects to retain a small amount of local hiring for convenience while directing most new hiring elsewhere.

The argument is part financial and part political. He describes the latest tax change as another sign that state and local leaders no longer understand what businesses need to stay and grow here, particularly now that remote hiring makes placing jobs in lower-cost states simpler.

The view is far from universally shared. The divide around the measure reflects a broader Seattle argument over who should carry more of the tax burden versus whether higher taxes are genuinely needed to support schools, first responders and other public needs. Critics of the business owner's stance see the new levy as a narrow tax on very high earnings, not a reason to uproot a company or family.

The business owner also argues that Washington risks losing technology growth if firms decide there is less reason to hire locally. Whether that prediction plays out remains uncertain, but the dispute itself captures a familiar regional tension: Seattle still attracts ambitious companies and workers, yet the cost of staying here keeps colliding with demands for more public revenue and services.