Tipsheet

Has Washington Found a Way to Stop People From Moving Out of the State?

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  March 19, 2026 3:00 PM

As more and more people flee blue states and their high-tax, soft-on-crime, expensive cost-of-living environments, Democrats are going to become more desperate to stop the population hemorrhaging. Some places, like California, have tried exit taxes. New York Governor Kathy Hochul begged wealthy New Yorkers to return to fund her fraudulent, expensive welfare programs.

In Washington, they're now forcing people to prove their houses have an acceptable "home energy score" before they're allowed to sell.

According to KOMO News, the new ordinance in Thurston County, the home energy score would "encourage people" to "invest in improvements that lower utility bills and reduce carbon emissions." This means homeowners need a review of their insulation systems, electrical systems, water-heating systems, and more before they can even think about selling their house.

This doesn't go into effect until next March. Realtors are concerned about the housing market.

"Would require a home energy score be completed when a home is listed for sale," said Ashley Arai, the Director of Community Planning and Economic Development. "Making energy efficiency and energy costs transparent to residents and the real estate market."

"Being the first is cool, but being the first is dangerous," warned Commissioner Wayne Fournier. "If there wasn't a bunch of public outcry, I might be more prone to roll the dice."

Opponents say the assessment can cost $350, but low-income households — read, those most likely to be least energy efficient — are exempt. And that's before the costs to make things "energy efficient."

Realtor Dawn Baker said there aren't enough energy assessors to do this work. "With no way to actually gain a score or an assessment, that means we can't list any homes," Baker said. The nearest assessors are in Portland.

The Olympia City Council is set to vote on this measure, too.

Bingo.

The Left doesn't want you to own a house, and they sure don't want to make it easy to flee their states and insane policies.

Democrats will blame everyone and anyone for the failures of their policies, however. They're going to try to run on affordability in the midterms, and then do everything they can to make life less affordable for us.