PNWER Annual Summit offers unique cross-border collaboration opportunity
The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) will host its 34th Annual Summit from July 20–24, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue, […]
Preparing for FIFA World Cup 2026: Viewing party best practices webinar
The Seattle Metro Chamber, in partnership with the Seattle Sports Commission, is offering a free webinar on Thursday, May 8, 2025, from […]
New budget shortfall leads Mayor Harrell to consider cuts and new progressive taxes
Seattle is facing a projected $240 million shortfall in tax revenue for the 2025–2026 biennium, prompting Mayor Bruce Harrell to direct city […]
Retail sales see modest growth amid tariff uncertainty
Retail sales rose moderately in March following two months of declines, according to the latest CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor powered by Affinity Solutions. […]
SB 5801 moves forward as gasoline costs poised to rise—See the impact
On March 29, the Washington State Senate passed SB 5801 (31-18), which would raise the gas tax by 6 cents per gallon […]
Federal Lawmakers reintroduce bipartisan bill to combat organized retail crime
On April 10, lawmakers reintroduced the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 in both chambers of Congress. Led by Senators Chuck […]
Easter spending nears record high at $23.6 billion
Easter spending is expected to reach $23.6 billion this year, up from $22.4 billion in 2022 and just shy of the $24 […]
What we are tracking — WR Legislative Hot List
WR is closely monitoring the bills that have advanced through the legislative process. Each week, we’ll spotlight our weekly “hot list” key […]
Tariffs and inflation slow retail outlook for 2025
Retail sales are expected to grow at a slower pace in 2025, with projections ranging from 2.7% to 3.7%, according to the […]
House approves packaging recycling bill, rejects environmental crimes bill
Photo by Washington State Standard This week, the House Appropriations Committee approved SB 5284, which establishes extended producer responsibility for product packaging. […]
Expanded military definition in unemployment rule now includes Space Force
The Employment Security Department has adopted a final rule amending WAC 192-150-110, which outlines eligibility for unemployment benefits due to mandatory military […]
WR advances Right to Appraisal proposal for collision repair members
Image credit: TVW WR successfully helped advance SB 5721, a long-awaited Right to Appraisal proposal, on behalf of its collision repair members, […]