The Seattle Times reports that the Seattle City Council seems likely to repeal the “head tax” that it enacted less than a month ago, which would head-off (no pun intended) a citizen-backed call for a November referendum on the issue.
“The council voted 9-0 last month to pass the tax of $275 per Seattle employee, per year on the city’s largest employers – those grossing at least $20 million per year in the city,” the Times writes. “The tax is scheduled to take effect in 2019 and projected to raise about $47 million per year over five years,” which was slated to be used to address Seattle’s homelessness issue and provide affordable housing.
At one point, the City Council was considering a $500 per employee tax, but backed off that number because of political resistance and criticisms from many of the city’s businesses, including Amazon and Starbucks.
“The council voted 9-0 last month to pass the tax of $275 per Seattle employee, per year on the city’s largest employers – those grossing at least $20 million per year in the city,” the Times writes. “The tax is scheduled to take effect in 2019 and projected to raise about $47 million per year over five years,” which was slated to be used to address Seattle’s homelessness issue and provide affordable housing.
At one point, the City Council was considering a $500 per employee tax, but backed off that number because of political resistance and criticisms from many of the city’s businesses, including Amazon and Starbucks.
- KC's View:
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Seattle has issues. We all know it. Amazon certainly is aware of it, because it is making avoidance of those issues a focal point in its search for a second headquarters city. But targeting the companies driving the area’s growth and prosperity may not be the best tactic.
