Comments

1
"They rent space in someone’s backyard. Think about that for a minute. Of course, it’s perfectly logical. And it’s also totally insane. It’s 2018 in Seattle, Washington, USA. Is this really the way we live now?"

Yep, that's exactly what the Stranger has been advocating for over the past 10 years or so. Google "Dan Savage" and "ADU."
2
First let me say that I'm strongly in favor of an income tax and appreciate pieces like this.

That said, I think there are some financial tricks used to come up with the idea that Amazon pays no taxes. I only mention this because it's impossible to pay no taxes and get a $789M tax cut. The lack of calculation or even citation in journalism is a pet peeve of mine. That is all.

Oh, and @1 - the alternative is homelessness. Stop pretending that outlawing housing helps anyone.
3
Yes, we could use a revamped tax system in Washington. But, voters don't trust elected officials to account and spend the money responsibly, in part perception and in part justified. Extolling Seattle income tax maybe going to WA supreme court, where it will surely fail, is an example of not really knowing what you are talking about.
4
At the federal income tax level 20% make 70% of income. Sounds awful and it is. But. They pay 80% or more of federal income tax revenue. The bottom 47% pay nothing, are in fact paid for their citizenship in EITC, various federal assistance programs and so on.

Your ITEP cite about Washington taxes is simply lying. ITEP isn't misreading the data. They aren't interpreting it through a partisan lens. They're lying.

It isn't even a believable lie. By their numbers a person making under $22k a year pays $2500 in sales tax. So, after rent, food, transportation and all the other non-taxed costs to live this person is spending $25,000 a year on tax as goods and services?

Want to argue what government ought to do to level the playing field? Cool. No problem. Frankly in the long run too great a gap beteeen rich and poor hurts the rich. There's plenty of room for honest people with different ideas to work together for a solution. Want to lie about things? Well. No reason to talk to someone who can't even begin the process honestly.

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