Seattle City Council scales back tax to aid homeless amid Amazon opposition

[turbinetree]

Source: Think Progress

The city council passed a version of the tax Monday that was slashed nearly in half.

JOSHUA EATON MAY 14, 2018, 8:13 PM

The Seattle City Council unanimously passed a tax on large employers Monday that will aid the city’s homeless residents — but not before slashing the proposal nearly in half over opposition from Amazon, which is headquartered in Seattle, and a veto threat from Mayor Jenny Durkan.

Companies that gross $20 million or more a year will now face an annual tax of $275 per employee. That’s down from the original $500 per employee proposed by Councilors Lorena Gonzalez, Lisa Herbold, Teresa Mosqueda, and Mike O’Brien, which drew Amazon and Durkan’s ire.

Democratic socialist Councilor Kshama Sawant was the sole vote against the amendment to reduce the tax from $500 to $275 per employee.

“There is no way this tax will be a burden on big businesses in Seattle,” Sawant told The Seattle Times.

Read more: https://thinkprogress.org/seattle-city-council-scales-back-tax-to-aid-homeless-amid-amazon-opposition-938cd048f762/

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So a firm that has taken away mom and pop stores, and has placed cities in a bidding war, to get tax breaks in infrastructure that will be picked up on state and city bonds, that is a tax on the population of the state.....................then Paused construction..........in other words a form of fill in the blank .........................

I really do not like Amazon.................

[uppityperson]

1. Amazon got more news coverage, but they weren't the only company against this.

Fwiw

[msongs]

2. so everyone there chipping to help their fellow citizens or just corporations nt

[7962]

3. Just large corps. And of course it'll backfire. Stupid ideas usually do.

One company already has said it would just move more employees to a building just outside the city limits.
Should have done a SPLOST. Everyone pays and raises a lot more money. Plus, raises a lot of money from visitors.
Another thing that will happen; many corps will just create another corp name and move employees under that umbrella to fall below the number limit. Theres always a way around a tax like this.
"Feelgoodism"