Seattle’s socialist Mayor Katie Wilson was called out for her “arrogance” after dismissing the tax concerns of Washington state residents.
In a blistering op-ed titled “Seattle’s mayor waves goodbye to prosperity,” the Washington Post editorial board ripped 43-year-old Wilson as “defiant about the consequences of her antagonism toward successful people who create value for society.”
“Nine days after winning Seattle’s November mayoral election, Katie Wilson joined Starbucks baristas on a picket line and pledged to boycott the coffee conglomerate until their union got its way. The socialist will need to wait a while longer for her caffeine fix,” the piece in the normally left-wing paper began.
“The 43-year-old Wilson, who received a $10,000 allowance from her parents last year, is defiant about the consequences of her antagonism toward successful people who create value for society.”@PostOpinions https://t.co/4zgta26zUC
— Dominic Pino (@DominicJPino) May 1, 2026
The editorial board referred to the latest announcement by Starbucks, saying it would close five additional stores in Seattle while investing $100 million, along with up to 2,000 jobs, in a new headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee.
The piece highlighted Wilson’s appearance at the “Governing Through a Progressive Lens” forum held at Seattle University, where she “brushed off claims that taxpayers respond poorly to higher taxes.”
“I think the claims that millionaires are going to leave our state are, like, super overblown,” Wilson said, laughing as she added, “And if — the ones that leave, like, bye.”
Seattle is once again a national embarrassment
This time, thanks to Socialist Mayor Katie Wilson telling everyone to boycott Starbucks the day she gets elected, then Starbucks announces they are leaving, and when asked about capital flight, she says “bye” and giggles pic.twitter.com/ARMgPaJplm
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) May 1, 2026
“Her arrogance is increasingly typical of the state’s political elites,” WaPo’s editorial board continued, citing Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson’s (D) new “millionaire’s tax,” which will tack on an additional 9.9 percent rate on incomes over $1 million.
“With the tax on the horizon, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced that he and his wife are fleeing Seattle for Miami. Florida has no state income tax,” the board commented.
The op-ed cited Microsoft President Brad Smith, who said last year that he is “probably more worried right now about the business climate in Washington than at any point over the last 30 years.”
“Socialism has failed everywhere, but its flaws are exposed much faster in free countries like the United States, where individuals and businesses can simply leave for more welcoming jurisdictions. The question is how much economic damage gets done before voters start electing politicians who reverse course,” WaPo concluded.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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