A Washington state lawmaker has introduced a bill that would reimburse lower-income residents for the cost of leaving the state, a proposal its sponsor says is intended less as a serious relocation program and more as a pointed critique of Washington’s rising cost of living.
Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, introduced Senate Bill 5939, which would create what is titled the Washington Is Simply Unaffordable Fund. Under the proposal, qualifying residents could be reimbursed for documented moving expenses if they relocate from Washington to a more affordable state.
The bill applies to residents earning less than 300% of the federal poverty level and limits reimbursements to moves into states that rank higher than Washington in affordability or economic value. The proposal includes a one-time $7 million appropriation.
While the legislation is written as a formal bill, Fortunato has made clear the measure is meant to drive home a point about affordability pressures in Washington rather than serve as a practical policy solution. The proposal is intentionally provocative and satirical in nature, meant to critique state policies that have contributed to rising costs and out-migration.
Washington consistently ranks among the most expensive states in the nation, with housing, rent, food, and fuel prices rising faster than wages for many families. The state has also experienced the largest increase in homelessness in the country in recent years.
- Hawaii — ~182–193 (by far the highest; extreme housing and import costs)
- California — ~137–140 (driven by housing in urban areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles)
- Massachusetts — ~149 (high in housing, healthcare, and education-related costs)
- New York — ~134 (especially NYC-driven; high taxes and housing)
- Alaska — ~126 (remote location increases goods and energy costs)
- District of Columbia (not a state, but often compared) — Very high
- Others occasionally ranking higher or close: Oregon (~115–120 in some metrics), Connecticut, New Jersey, Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine (around 113–117)
Fortunato pointed to rapid growth in state spending, which has been roughly twice the pace of median wage growth over the past decade, while job growth has lagged the national average.
He has also criticized policies that automatically tie minimum wage increases to inflation, arguing they raise consumer prices and reduce entry-level job opportunities, as well as a historic tax increase approved during the last legislative session. Alaska now has a similar law in place. Minimum wage in Alaska will rise to $14 an hour in July and $15 by 2027, then tie future increases to the cost of living.
The Washington bill remains in the earliest stages of the 2025–2026 legislative session and has not yet been scheduled for committee hearings or votes. In a Democrat-controlled Legislature, it is not expected to advance to a hearing.
3 thoughts on “Washington lawmaker proposes state-funded exit program to make point on affordability crisis”
Great idea, but what happens when the indigents return, get back on the dole, then leave again?
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More to the point, what happens to voter rolls when the indigents take off, are they replaced by fifty or so registered voters’ names living at the same address?
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Can’t happen here? Remember the Great Alaska LeDoux Vote Experiment?
What happens if born n raised Washington residents don’t leave?
How do you get someone who never left Washington or Alaska to leave for another place they have no experience living there?
Using taxpayer money to help the “richer” Washington residents to leave is more wasteful spending.
Instead of government doing what needs to do to itself for lowering the cost of living
That’s like what some Alaskans argue against residents receiving a PFD because they need it for infrastructure without cutting others out of the state budget
You know where they can start? Every Washington legislator and Governor quit and move out of Washington.
Fortunato calls his bill the “Washington Is Simply Unaffordable Fund.” A lie. There are many locations in Washington that are affordable. He should be honest and say its the “Seattle Area is Simply Unaffordable Fund.”