Another Tech Billionaire Leaves Washington as Millionaire Tax Fight Gets Hotter

Another big name from Washington’s tech world is leaving the state, and the timing is already feeding a much larger argument about money, taxes, and whether wealthy residents are starting to vote with their moving trucks.

Rich Barton, the billionaire co-founder of Zillow and Expedia, has announced that he is now officially a resident of Las Vegas. Barton shared the move publicly on X, saying his children are launched, the empty nest has arrived, and he and his family are beginning a new chapter. On its own, that sounds like a personal life update. In Washington, it landed like another warning flare. (GeekWire)

Barton is not just another wealthy retiree changing addresses. He helped build Expedia out of Microsoft in the 1990s and later co-founded Zillow, one of Seattle’s most recognizable tech brands. His departure gives critics of Washington’s new high-earner tax another example to point at, especially because the state has spent decades selling itself as a place with no traditional income tax.

Washington recently signed a new millionaires tax into law, creating a 9.9% levy on income above $1 million. Supporters say households making $1 million or less will pay nothing under the measure, and state Democrats estimate the tax could bring in billions each year for public education, early learning, child care, health care, and other public services. (Washington Senate Democrats)

That is the official pitch. The political fight is much messier. Critics argue the tax weakens one of Washington’s biggest advantages over states like California and New York. For years, high earners could live in Seattle, build companies, cash out stock, and avoid a state income tax. Now, some business voices say that the bargain looks less attractive, especially when Nevada and Florida offer wealthy residents a cleaner tax landing spot.

The biggest unknown is whether Barton moved because of taxes, lifestyle, or both. His public statement pointed to family timing and a new chapter in his life, not a political protest. Still, once a billionaire founder leaves Seattle for Las Vegas right after a major tax change, people are going to connect the dots, fairly or not.

That is why this story matters beyond a single mansion, a single address, or a single billionaire’s personal plans. Washington’s economy has been powered by founders, stock wealth, startup employees, and major companies for decades. If enough high earners begin leaving, even in small numbers, the state could face a harder question than whether the tax is popular. We should ask whether the people expected to pay it will still be around when the bill comes due.

The debate is already spreading beyond Barton. A recent report noted concerns among business leaders about Washington’s direction, with one survey showing that 44% were considering moving out of state. Seattle leaders have pushed back against the exodus narrative, arguing fears are exaggerated and that the city still has deep business strength, major employers, and strong civic investment. (New York Post)

Supporters of the millionaire’s tax see the backlash as predictable. They argue Washington’s tax system has long leaned too heavily on sales taxes and lower-income families, and they believe asking the highest earners to pay more is fair. In their view, a state with billionaire founders, booming property wealth, and enormous tech fortunes can afford to fund schools, health care, and child care with a more progressive system.

Opponents see something more dangerous. They believe Washington is testing how much pressure it can place on mobile wealth before it leaves. A billionaire can move to Nevada. A founder can launch the next company somewhere else. A high-earning executive can decide that Seattle’s culture, traffic, housing costs, and taxes no longer add up.

Barton’s move does not prove a mass millionaire flight by itself. One relocation is not an economic collapse. But it does give the debate a face, a name, and a headline people will remember. For Washington, that may be the real problem. The state is not just fighting over a tax anymore. It is fighting over whether the people who built some of its biggest companies still believe the state is worth betting on.