5 Things You Need to Know This Week: Dueling Op-eds, AI Tech Hub

1. Olympia Update: Week 4 of the Sesh

While you are (hopefully) out hooping it up at the parade, our Olympia lobbyist is working away at getting us the scoop from inside the Capitol!

We are officially halfway through the 2026 legislative session, with the House of Origin Cutoff creeping up on February 17, and the highlight of last week — for those both for and against it — was the long-awaited formal introduction of SB 6346 (Pedersen, D-43) / HB 2724 (Fitzgibbon, D-34), the “Millionaire’s Income Tax" ... but more on that in #2. 

2. Dueling Op-Eds: Income Tax

... Dun dun dun. The Goliath of this year's legislative session, the income tax proposal has garnered headline after headline in the last few weeks. On Friday, Feb. 6 a public hearing was held on the matter — watch that here — and some of the brightest and most influential minds have chimed in, too.

Take a look at some of our favorite pro and con op-eds below, and read the Chamber's official position on the legislation here.

In the Opinion of ... Pro (ish):

Jamie Pedersen, The Seattle Times:
"Income tax would fix WA’s broken, unfair system"

Ben Golden, GeekWire:
"The ‘millionaires tax’ is not an existential threat to Washington’s startup economy"

In the Opinion of ... Con (very con):

Matt McIlwain, The Center Square:
"Op-Ed: Taxing the future of Washington state"

Joe Wallin, GeekWire:
"‘Millionaires tax’ threatens Washington’s startup economy — here’s the math to prove it"

3. Celebrate V-Day, the Bellevue Way

Love comes in many forms, and honestly, we LOOOOVE them all. Grab your partner, friends, family, or familiars of the furry variety this Valentine's Day, and show them a lil' appreciation in whatever way you see fit.

(Naturally, we're sure our members at French Florist and Macadons can help out when it comes to flowers and sweet treats, respectively, but for more extensive plans, check out the roundups below.)

Here in Bellevue:

Hotels, events, & where to eat, straight from the source (aka, Visit Bellevue)

At the Mall:

A Bellevue Collection Gift Guide, photo op, & specials

For the Kiddos:

Family-friendly & educational
picks from “Seattle’s Child”

4. Hometown to AI Hub

What can we say ... we are all about being on the cutting edge of tech 😉 Now, with recent news that both xAI and OpenAI are expanding their footprints here in Bellevue, there is some serious proof in the pudding.

"In fact, the xAI and OpenAI offices in downtown Bellevue will be about a 10-minute walk from each other, should [Elon] Musk and Sam Altman ever find themselves in their respective Seattle-area hubs at the same time and decide to patch things up," writes GeekWire's Todd Bishop.

All jokes aside, we are excited to watch the growth of these companies here on our soil, and look forward to collaborating in the near future.

5. Year of the Horse

Lunar New Year ushers in the Year of the Horse on February 17, marking the first new moon of the lunar calendar. Want in on the celebration?

Think live performances at The Bellevue Collection, a lion dance at Uwajimaya, library-sponsored activities, free festivals, and much, much more. 

Our personal favs? Our members over at First Fed Bank are hosting folks in their space on the 17th, and over a dozen local restaurants are teaming together to put on “Bellevue Dumpling Week” from February 14 to 24.

Member News:

• Archive After Dark: Bellevue Fashion is back with another immersive evening of luxury and art, and you’re invited! Join them on February 15, with details and registration available here.
  
  
• Grant Hungry: In need of some moola for your public space programming? The City of Bellevue’s Community Programming Fund (CPF) application is now open for 2026 programming, and supports community-led activities and programs that take place in Bellevue’s outdoor public spaces and help bring people together. Learn more here.
  
  
• Save the Date: Vision House’s annual Luncheon is taking place on Tuesday, May 5 at the Meydenbauer Center. Get more info and register for the event here.
  
  
• Escape While Ya Can: Our longtime members, Reality Break Escapes, have made the unfortunate decision to close their Bellevue location at the end of the month. The business will continue operating through its Portable Escape Activations, but stop by the IRL space before the end of February for one last escape. 
  
  
• Cirque de Marymoor: Experience the magic of Cirque du Soleil ECHO, where poetry, stagecraft, daring acrobatics, and cutting-edge technology come together to explore the delicate balance between people, animals, and the world we all share — now through March 22. Use this link to save up to 20% off select seats/dates, and for VIP Packages and group tickets, contact Michael.Ciaccia@cirquedusoleil.com for more details and to save up to 30%.
  
  
• Bold for the Blue, Over Brekky: The Bellevue Police Foundation's annual breakfast fundraiser is coming up on Tuesday, March 10, and tickets are going fast. Learn more and sign up here.