WA Commerce chief warns tariff fallout could hit state hard

Washington's Department of Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn expressed concerns that the state's economy cannot withstand the fallout from escalating tariffs, especially in agriculture and technology. He highlighted that exports to the Asia Pacific region are still down 30% since the last trade war in 2018. New tariffs could cost the agriculture sector $7. 5 billion, with apples and cherries already seeing significant drops in shipments due to retaliatory tariffs from countries like India. Despite launching a tariff information resource, Nguyễn stated that the agency's ability to mitigate the impact is limited.

He also pointed out the state's pressing housing crisis, which requires over 1. 1 million additional housing units by 2040, particularly for low-income residents. A proposed $600 million investment in the Housing Trust Fund falls short of the annual needs, which Nguyễn estimates at about 2% of the total required. To address bureaucratic inefficiencies, he is developing a "Fast Track" proposal aimed at speeding up housing project approvals. Nguyễn's critique of regulatory complexities stems from his personal experience navigating extensive compliance requirements, which he likened to lengthy literary works.