Sen. Noel Frame said she was not disappointed by Jeff Bezos’ reported move from the Seattle area to Miami in November 2023. She argued that the revenue estimates for her proposed Washington wealth tax already accounted for taxpayer mobility and avoidance, and said family and jobs—not taxes alone—shape where people choose to live.
What Noel Frame said about Bezos’ move
GeekWire reported that Bezos announced his move on Instagram in November 2023. His post identified family and Blue Origin operations as reasons for the move; it did not cite taxes. That does not establish whether taxes played any role in his decision.
Frame told GeekWire, “People move because of their families and because of jobs.” She said she was not disappointed by Bezos’ departure, arguing that her proposal’s revenue estimates already accounted for people moving or seeking to avoid the tax. The comments were reported by GeekWire; a separate official transcript or recording of the interview was not available in the reviewed sources. GeekWire’s report
Frame also made the case that public investment could help Washington attract and retain entrepreneurs: “We should tax wealth and reinvest those dollars in amenities that attract early stage entrepreneurs to our state, so they lay down roots here and raise their families and build their wealth.” That is her policy argument, not a demonstrated outcome of the proposal.
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What the 2023 wealth-tax proposal would have done
As GeekWire described it in 2023, Frame’s bill proposed a 1% tax on financial assets such as stocks and bonds, with the first $250 million excluded. The report said around 700 Washington taxpayers could be affected. That is a reported estimate of potential reach, not a verified count of filers or a measure of revenue collected.
The figures describe a proposal, not a tax that was in force. The bill did not advance through committees in 2023. GeekWire’s account of the proposal and its 2023 committee status
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Would the proposal have applied to Bezos?
The reported $250 million exclusion means the proposal was aimed at financial assets above that threshold, but the available reporting does not establish the value or composition of Bezos’ relevant assets for purposes of the bill. It therefore does not support a definitive answer about whether he would have owed the proposed tax. No tax was assessed under this proposal.
Why the tax’s effects were disputed
Frame’s position was that the revenue estimates already incorporated mobility and avoidance, and that investments in infrastructure, education, and other amenities could make Washington attractive to entrepreneurs. The reporting does not establish the estimates’ eventual accuracy or show whether public investment would offset any departures.
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Tax Foundation vice president of state projects Jared Walczak offered the opposing concern. GeekWire quoted him: “When a tax is so heavily concentrated on a few wealthy, highly mobile individuals, that’s what happens when just one person moves,” and “And if the tax were ever adopted, others might follow.” Those are Walczak’s arguments about possible revenue and migration risks, not established forecasts.
The reported concentration—around 700 potentially affected taxpayers—helps explain the disagreement: if a tax relies on a relatively small group, departures could matter to collections, while proponents may argue that mobility is already reflected in estimates and that public services support economic competitiveness. The available reporting does not resolve the size or cause of any migration effect, or estimate actual collections.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the 2023 proposal differs from Washington’s later millionaire tax
Washington’s legislative history records that SB 6346, titled “Establishing a tax on millionaires,” listed Noel Frame among its sponsors. The governor signed it on March 30, 2026; it became Chapter 238, 2026 Laws, with an effective date of June 11, 2026. This later legislation is distinct from Frame’s 2023 proposal to tax financial assets above a $250 million exclusion. The official bill history establishes sponsorship and enactment dates, but its title and history alone do not describe the enacted tax’s mechanics. Washington Legislature: SB 6346 bill history
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