Seattle WA: 9-0 vote to tax largest employers to help homeless

[philip964]

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-ne ... employers/

Called the Amazon Tax, the City Council voted to tax just the largest corporations in the city, Amazon, Starbuck's etc. a head tax of $275 per employee and use the money to help the homeless in the city.

There was vocal support in Seattle for this new tax on large corporations.

The left coast at its finest.

[magillapd]

Must be why Amazon is raising it's prime rate.

[flechero]

The news story i heard quoted Amazon as halting expansion there that would have added several thousand new jobs and also that they may shift several thousand more to the new HQ being built.

The councilman they interview said "Seattle has been good to amazon- they should remember that" I think amazon has done way more for Seattle than Seattle has done for it!! ANd if Amazon left- it would be a disaster for Seattle.

[Allons]

The only thing this will do is increase prime rates and bring in more homeless from elsewhere looking to get something for nothing.

[flechero]

They'll be able to put up a lot of homeless people in the [soon to be] former Amazon HQ building!

[Allons]

They'll be able to put up a lot of homeless people in the [soon to be] former Amazon HQ building!

[C-dub]

I predict some companies will move.

I thought it was 8-1, but still. Liberal politicians.

[Jago668]

Funny thing about the raising prime rates. My wife and I each had our own prime accounts. With the increase we're getting rid of one and just share the other. So it's going to actually cost them money from our house. Not that they'll notice.

The tax is just another example of libtards being libtards. I don't know why the left has gotten so out of touch with the way the world actually works. Though I can see they were at least not dumb enough to hit every employer with this.

[apostate]

Passing a law that fines companies $275 per employee sends a clear message to those companies.

[puma guy]

Passing a law that fines companies $275 per employee sends a clear message to those companies.

I wonder if singling out specific entities for taxation will face a legal challenge. Of course we all know highly successful corporations are responsible for homelessness. Amazon and Starbucks are headed by liberals and they are now getting to see what their own ilk is capable of.

[DEB]

Passing a law that fines companies $275 per employee sends a clear message to those companies.

I wonder if singling out specific entities for taxation will face a legal challenge. Of course we all know highly successful corporations are responsible for homelessness. Amazon and Starbucks are headed by liberals and they are now getting to see what their own ilk is capable of.

This...I wish the left coast would quit. Next thing you know Amazon et/al will be moving to Texas along with their failed liberal/progressive policies. Then it will begin in earnest here.

[WTR]

Passing a law that fines companies $275 per employee sends a clear message to those companies.

I wonder if singling out specific entities for taxation will face a legal challenge. Of course we all know highly successful corporations are responsible for homelessness. Amazon and Starbucks are headed by liberals and they are now getting to see what their own ilk is capable of.

This...I wish the left coast would quit. Next thing you know Amazon et/al will be moving to Texas along with their failed liberal/progressive policies. Then it will begin in earnest here.

Apparently Arlington is out, fortunately, even with all the incentives they offered. However, the snowflakes in Austin are still in the running.

[Soccerdad1995]

When you tax something you get less of it. When you subsidize something, you get more of it. These are basic laws of economics, and unlike other laws, economic laws are not "fluid" or subject to spin.

Seattle (actually Washington state) also has something called a Business and Occupation tax, which is a percentage tax on all revenues generated in the state. This can result in you paying the revenue tax even if your business loses money. So guess what, Washington companies generate less revenues in the state as a result. Microsoft is based in the Seattle area, and has a wholly owned subsidiary in Nevada which signs all software licensing contracts and generates all licensing revenue. That facility is in Reno, and employs several hundred people.

Seattle is taxing employment. So they will get less employment. They are subsidizing homelessness. So they will get more homelessness. I am so happy that I chose to move from Seattle to Texas just over 10 years ago!

[SewTexas]

Seattle keeps it up they'll lose Amazon's first headquarters too...and maybe $tarbuck$

[Soccerdad1995]

Seattle keeps it up they'll lose Amazon's first headquarters too...and maybe $tarbuck$

Seattle is geographically very small. They could "move" out of the city limits and not materially change the commute time for most employees. To put it in perspective, when I worked in downtown Seattle, I drove through 4 different cities to get to and from work, and my commute was 45 minutes each way. They would only need to move maybe 20 miles or so to get out of the city limits.