Washington Governor Bob Ferguson is celebrating a significant improvement in the state’s national business climate ranking, but some people aren’t convinced the numbers reflect what’s happening on the ground. His announcement has drawn criticism from people who argue that rising taxes, business departures, and increasing regulations paint a different picture of the state’s economy.
The disagreement comes as Ferguson promotes Washington’s growing appeal to businesses, pointing to a new ranking that places the state among the nation’s top ten. However, critics have questioned whether the governor is overlooking the challenges that existing businesses face, particularly as the state prepares to introduce a new income tax on its highest earners.
In a post on X, Ferguson announced that Washington had climbed from 19th to seventh place in Site Selection Magazine’s Business Climate rankings. He described the improvement as evidence that companies are choosing to establish operations in Washington and expand their existing businesses.
He also said he wants to make Washington the best state in the country for doing business, and he said the ranking is an encouraging sign of progress. His comments come amid continued disagreements over whether the state’s tax policies and regulatory environment are helping or hurting its economic competitiveness.
While the Site Selection ranking suggests Washington has improved in certain measures of business attractiveness, other assessments have reached different conclusions. One commenter pointed to the Tax Foundation’s 2027 Tax Competitiveness Index, which placed Washington 47th, highlighting how different organizations can arrive at contrasting evaluations depending on what factors they measure.
The state’s planned 9.9% income tax on annual income exceeding one million dollars has also become a point of contention among residents concerned about Washington’s future economic direction. Although the tax is scheduled to take effect in 2028, critics have questioned whether it could discourage investment or encourage some businesses and higher-income residents to relocate.
Comments and Reactions to Bob Ferguson’s Business Climate Announcement
Several commenters challenged Ferguson’s celebration of the new ranking, arguing that it doesn’t capture the difficulties they believe Washington businesses are experiencing, with one person writing, “Businesses are closing, jobs and people are leaving Washington state. You are delusional, thinking that in increasing taxes and regulations on business is somehow helping the economy in Washington. Starbucks left. Boeing 787 engineering left And you keep lying to the people to yourself.”
Others questioned whether the magazine’s findings justified Ferguson’s optimistic assessment, particularly when compared with competing economic rankings. A different commenter wrote, “No, this is not a reasonable conclusion from this recent ranking… but nice try, Bob.“
The comments illustrate the distrust some residents express as Bob Ferguson continues promoting Washington’s economic progress. As the topic goes viral, users are leaving their opinions in the post’s reply section.
