‘I agree with the people leaving’: Gee understands WA’s stalled population growth

A new census analysis found that Washington’s population is no longer booming like it once was, with a nearly even rate of people coming and going from the state.

While Washington is currently attracting a younger, tech-industry-related group, families appear to be moving elsewhere and leaving the state at higher rates.

Gee Scott, co-host of “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio, was unfazed by the report and agreed with those who have decided to leave.

“I believe it, I’ve been here 27 years now, and I truly do believe that that’s the case,” Gee said. “We have all seen the change, what has happened here, especially in the Seattle area, since the recession. We all know that’s when Amazon came to be in Seattle, and big tech did its thing. We’ve seen housing affordability be really rough, and we’ve talked about those on fixed incomes here in this state who are also having a hard time. Property taxes, grocery stores, the price of beef, coffee, and energy are all eating you up. You have all of those things. So I agree with the people leaving.”

Roughly equal arrivals and departures, but a shifting demographic

KIRO host Ursula Reutin cited some of the numbers, which showed roughly 191,000 adults moved to Washington last year, while about 193,000 left. The people moving in were racially diverse and more likely to be immigrants compared to those moving away; more than one in five adults leaving the state were born here.

Gee highlighted Seattle’s more than century-long fight over zoning reform**, suggesting** that while many people blame several other factors for the city’s steep cost of living, they might be looking in the wrong place.

“I was thinking about Seattle, and I know there are young folks who are like, ‘I just don’t get it. Why is Seattle so expensive?’ How about we remind folks that the city fought zoning reform for 102 years? In Seattle, 80% of residential land was locked in for single families. One house, one piece of land, no duplexes, triplexes, all driving up the cost of living. That doesn’t get talked about a lot,” Gee said.

“I know they blame the Climate Commitment Act; that’s a big deal,” he continued. “I know you blame King Bob Ferguson, but I want to remind everyone that 20% of people had to beg, borrow, cheat, steal, and wonder why your costs have gone up. The other 80% who have been allowed to participate in real estate, who have had grandparents own homes, it makes it a small percentage of people who have an opportunity to live here. So yeah, duh, people are rolling up out of here. It’s rough.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.