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Civic

GeekWire’s civic coverage examines tech policy, urban development, transportation, housing, the environment, regulation, and other issues impacting the innovation economy. Read more.

rivian
Feb 27, 2026, 2:22 PM

Washington state is primed to let Rivian and Lucid sell EVs directly to consumers

Electric automakers have fought for years to change the state law that only allows Tesla to directly sell cars, operate showrooms and offer test drives to potential customers in Washington. Read More

Feb 27, 2026, 9:56 AM

City of Seattle CTO Rob Lloyd is resigning to lead a government institute with national reach

City of Seattle CTO Rob Lloyd announced his resignation after less than two years on the job to take a new role with the Center for Digital Government. Read More

Feb 27, 2026, 9:33 AM

Washington state gets federal sign-off for huge broadband buildout

“This is a transformative moment for Washington,” Washington State Broadband Office Director Jordan Arnold said in a statement. Read More

Feb 26, 2026, 10:16 AM

‘Meaningless’ theater? As tech giants pledge ratepayer protections in D.C., others question real-world impact

While the tech companies pledge to cover data center energy costs, some industry veterans say they’re solving a problem that doesn’t exist. Read More

Feb 26, 2026, 7:54 AM

Reviving the ‘Mosquito Fleet’: Washington eyes passenger ferries to scale maritime transit and tech

Supporters of a proposed bill argue that a fast-tracked, passenger-only ferry service would help workers commute, connect residents to medical care, and boost tourism in harder-to-reach areas. Read More

Feb 24, 2026, 7:50 AM

Column: Public trust is becoming AI’s real bottleneck

The two towers near Aberdeen weren’t supposed to be monuments. They were supposed to be engines. Drive west from Olympia… Read More

Feb 23, 2026, 3:05 PM

Group alleges fake sign-ins used to pad apparent opposition to Washington state ‘millionaires tax’

Invest in Washington Now said there have been tens of thousands of duplicate names used as sign-ins for hearings and more than 100 sign-ins marked “con” were confirmed as fraudulent over the weekend. Read More

Feb 19, 2026, 2:45 PM

Seattle transit’s new ‘tap-to-pay’ feature goes live next week as region gears up for World Cup

The ubiquitous tap-to-pay technology that has become commonplace in grocery stores and coffee shops is coming to Seattle-area buses and trains beginning Feb. 23. Read More

Feb 17, 2026, 1:02 PM

Former Avalara exec leads new Seattle-area startup inspired by Washington’s estate tax

The idea for Legata grew out of frustration with Washington’s estate tax and how little many families understand about the risk to their assets if they don’t plan. Read More

Feb 17, 2026, 12:00 PM

Don’t take success for granted: Seattle Chamber CEO Joe Nguyen on tech’s evolving storyline

GeekWire caught up with Nguyen to discuss his new role with the chamber; the state of Seattle’s economy; and competition in the age of AI. Read More

Feb 16, 2026, 8:15 PM

Proposed income tax on high earners advances in Washington state

The so-called “millionaires tax,” which would create a 9.9% tax on income that exceeds $1 million, has drawn opposition from some tech leaders and entrepreneurs. Read More

Feb 16, 2026, 7:00 AM

Washington state has embraced data centers – but now it’s looking to set terms of engagement

Washington’s House on Saturday approved a slate of rules for data centers around energy costs and transparency. The measure now goes to the Senate for consideration. Read More

Feb 12, 2026, 12:35 PM

Opinion: Here’s what’s missing from the tax debate in Washington state

Editor’s note: GeekWire publishes guest opinions to foster informed discussion and highlight a diversity of perspectives on issues shaping the… Read More

Feb 12, 2026, 8:05 AM

Q&A: Bellevue’s new mayor wants to move at the speed of innovation in growing AI hub

A councilmember since 2023, Mo Malakoutian is an Amazon vet and executive director of the Consulting and Business Development Center at the University of Washington. Read More

Feb 6, 2026, 9:59 AM

Opinion: ‘Millionaires tax’ threatens Washington’s startup economy — here’s the math to prove it

The real story isn’t one bill — it’s the full stack of taxes that Washington is building, layer by layer, session by session, writes startup attorney Joe Wallin in a guest column responding to a recent GeekWire op-ed arguing critics should “cool it on the millionaires tax hysteria.” Read More

Feb 5, 2026, 12:56 PM

Opinion: The ‘millionaires tax’ is not an existential threat to Washington’s startup economy

Editor’s note: GeekWire publishes guest opinions to foster informed discussion and highlight a diversity of perspectives on issues shaping the… Read More

Feb 3, 2026, 7:17 PM

Washington’s ‘millionaires tax’ targets top earners as tech leaders warn of startup fallout

Washington leaders unveiled their so-called “millionaires tax” — a proposed 9.9% tax on personal income in excess of $1 million. Business leaders are worried about additional financial burdens in a shaky economy while supporters stress the growing affordability crisis. Read More

Jan 28, 2026, 12:20 PM

Seattle’s data privacy chief falls victim to identity theft, and shares tips for how to recover

Ginger Armbruster found herself on the other side of a breach when she discovered a fraudster had used her leaked information to open a sham bank account. Read More

Jan 28, 2026, 6:00 AM

An ‘extinction-level event’ for startups: Seattle tech leaders fight new state tax proposal

Several startup leaders voiced opposition during public testimony on Tuesday against a proposed bill that would expand the state’s capital gains tax. Read More

Jan 27, 2026, 12:00 PM

Proposals take aim at 3D printing tech to strengthen Washington state laws against ‘ghost guns’

Some industry leaders and hobbyists are alarmed by potential restrictions on 3D printing and CNC milling. Read More

Jan 26, 2026, 4:42 PM

Washington proposal to tax startup exits sparks backlash from Seattle tech leaders

A new proposal to expand the capital gains tax in Washington state is drawing concern from startup leaders who say it could undercut incentives for building companies in the region. Read More

Jan 23, 2026, 1:15 PM

Seattle’s ORCA transit system gets major tech upgrade with new ‘Tap to Pay’ feature

Seattle’s ORCA transit system is rolling out an upgrade that will let riders pay fares by tapping their credit card or smartphone — no dedicated ORCA card required. Read More

Jan 23, 2026, 10:31 AM

Light rail across Lake Washington — a major connection for Seattle-area tech hubs — to open March 28

The completed 2 Line will ultimately connect downtown Seattle to downtown Bellevue and the Redmond Technology station at Microsoft’s headquarters campus. Read More

Jan 22, 2026, 8:39 AM

Air Force awards $4.9M contract to Seattle-area autonomous construction startup AIM

AIM’s technology works with existing equipment and is designed for dangerous or hard-to-reach places, including areas where equipment might be dropped in by parachute. Read More

Jan 20, 2026, 2:28 PM

Bill to tax short-term rentals returns in Washington state — along with Airbnb opposition

Senate Bill 5576 would allow counties, cities and towns to impose a tax of up to 4% on short-term rentals used by vacation guests on platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo. The bill failed to advance during the 2025 session. Read More

Jan 20, 2026, 8:15 AM

Engineers in the field: Washington state bets on AI to help save the future of farming

A new initiative called Growing with AI will bring together the state’s tech giants and diverse farming community to tackle pressing challenges in the agriculture industry. Read More

Jan 16, 2026, 4:29 PM

AI research boost: University of Washington expands infrastructure with $10M in federal funding

Sen. Patty Murray said the funding will help provide a counterweight to AI development driven primarily by private capital. “If just billionaires are creating and using AI for their own projects that make money, then we lose out on most of the benefits of AI,” Murray said. Read More

Jan 16, 2026, 10:27 AM

What Microsoft has learned about housing, and why it’s urging the state to unlock commercial land

Microsoft is supporting a Washington state bill to open up underused commercial land for housing, asserting that the larger crisis is solvable only if lawmakers unlock land faster, streamline permitting, and treat housing as a connected system rather than a series of one-off projects. Read More

Jan 14, 2026, 1:39 PM

Big tech takes a backseat to big science in Washington governor’s annual address

While AI is generating all the buzz, it was Washington state’s climate tech and healthcare innovation that got shoutouts in Gov. Bob Ferguson’s State of the State address. Read More

Jan 12, 2026, 8:10 AM

5 new proposals to regulate AI in Washington state, from classrooms to digital companions

Washington state lawmakers are taking another run at regulating artificial intelligence. The proposals come as Congress continues to debate AI oversight with little concrete action, leaving states to experiment with their own guardrails. Read More

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