Business

Seattle's controversial payroll tax has failed to meet revenue expectations as major businesses continue to leave the city. Last week, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced that Seattle collected $47 million less in payroll taxes than projected in 2024. The city had anticipated over $400 million in revenue but brought in only $360 million, compounding an already staggering $260 million budget deficit.

Seattle-area transit agency Sound Transit is facing bipartisan backlash over its nomination of King County Executive Dow Constantine as CEO, with critics citing concerns over favoritism, lack of transparency, and excessive salary. The new CEO position is set to pay up to $675,000 per year—nearly double the salary of the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) CEO, despite Sound Transit having a fraction of the ridership.

The April 1 Wisconsin Supreme Court election is being called the most important race of 2025, with far-reaching consequences for both the battleground state and the nation. Early voting is ongoing through March 30, and the race features Trump-backed Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge and former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel against Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford, a liberal candidate endorsed by pro-abortion groups like EMILY’s List.

Texas teens reportedly raked in nearly $1.4 million at the 2025 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo during RodeoHouston’s Junior Market Steer Auction this month.

The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced that it added 80 entities from China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Africa, Iran, and Taiwan to the Entity List.

Austin Police discovered incendiary devices at a local Tesla dealership on Monday morning, marking the latest in a series of violent attacks targeting Tesla properties, charging stations, and vehicles. Some incidents have involved arson, raising concerns over coordinated efforts against the Elon Musk-owned company.

Hyundai Motor Group has announced a $20 billion investment in the United States, including a $5.8 billion steel plant in Louisiana.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is reportedly nearing an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to confirm the identities of those believed to be in the country illegally.

Segway has issued a recall for approximately 220,000 Ninebot Max G30P and Max G30LP KickScooters in the United States, citing a defect in the folding mechanism that poses a fall risk to users.

Johnson & Johnson announced that it will invest $55 billion in the United States over the next four years in manufacturing, research, and technology.