Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, a total socialist, earned ridicule after brushing off concerns about high-earners fleeing the city due to her tax policies.
During an event at Seattle University, she said, “the claims that millionaires are going to leave our state are like super overblown.” For the millionaires who are leaving, she had one word: “Bye.”
She made the comments while defending her ridiculous “millionaire tax” and promising to come up with “progressive” ways to steal more money from the wealthy at the city level.
Wilson portrayed herself as a proponent for “progressive taxation” who isn’t interested in catering to the wealthy or business owners concerned about higher tax burdens. She argued, “overall, we still have a deeply regressive tax system, and my office is actively exploring our options regarding progressive taxation.” She noted that Seattle has “greater flexibility” than the county when it comes to swiping cash from people’s pockets. The mayor further insisted that it is “detrimental for Seattle’s business climate when the costs of operating in downtown Seattle are significantly misaligned with those in neighboring Bellevue.”
Seattle Mayor brushes off news that wealthy residents are leaving the city.
— Jeff Charles, Asker of Questions🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) May 1, 2026
"I think the claims that millionaires are gonna leave our state are like super overblown and if you know the ones that leave like, bye." pic.twitter.com/0ieMuOi1XO
Wilson’s claims hold about as much water as a rusty sieve. Her contention that the exodus of high earners is “super overblown” doesn’t line up with the reality on the ground in Washington. Newly released IRS migration data from the Washington House Republican Caucus noted that the state recorded a “net loss of income from migration” for the second year in a row. Similar patterns have played out in other blue states like New York and California.
Wilson’s denial of the seriousness of the issue shows she’s either a liar or woefully out of touch with her constituents.
The reason why is obvious. Despite Wilson’s claims about the city’s regressive tax system, Seattle “now holds the highest combined state and local sales tax rate among major U.S. cities,” according to Fox 13 Seattle. This means the city’s tax rate is even higher than Chicago’s.
Even further, “the median amount paid in property tax went up by a whopping 89% from 2010 to 2021,” The Seattle Times reported.
If Wilson gets her wish, things will only get worse for high earners in Seattle, which means more of them will pack up and leave for redder pastures.
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