Seeking to foster the entrepreneurial spirit of frontier settlers, the framers of the Washington Constitution included provisions designed to protect the unalienable natural right to acquire property and pursue economic freedom. Unfortunately, the constitutional provisions have yet to be realized to their true and intended potential and today economic liberty is under attack in Washington state.

Standing between entrepreneurs and their dreams of economic success are innumerable state, county, and municipal regulations. The staggering amount of regulatory red tape amounts to more than 100,000 requirements that a small business owner must adhere to in order to legally run a business in Seattle.

This Policy Note and the accompanying study looks at the effects of regulation on entry into several occupations in Washington state and, specifically, the greater Seattle area. The occupations examined are taxicab and for-hire vehicle transportation, cosmetology, street vending, home-based business and childcare. These particular occupations are important because they are most readily accessible to aspiring entrepreneurs—including many immigrants minorities—who may not have the formal education, money, or experience to start other, more complex and costly businesses.

Read the full Policy Note here