Millionaire Tax Rattles Washington Rich as Schultz Quits Seattle

March 12, 2026, 11:41 AM UTC

Washington state lawmakers had been debating a proposed “millionaire’s tax” for 23 hours straight when Starbucks Corp. founder Howard Schultz said he was leaving the state to move to Miami.

Schultz said the move after more than four decades was partly due to family reasons now that he’s retired, and he didn’t mention taxes in the LinkedIn post announcing his departure. But he alluded to the worries sweeping the Seattle business community as the state’s first income levy nears enactment.

“It is our hope that Washington will remain a place for business and entrepreneurship to thrive, creating essential opportunity for ...

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