The mayor sounds pretty realistic about the budget and the timeline of collecting new taxes if approved. I think it's pretty amateurish for an elected official to call a new tax "The Amazon Tax" which is misleading and confrontational to call out one of 800 companies affected. How about the "Save Seattle" tax, the "House the Homeless" tax, the "Do something or the 20% Unemployed Are Coming with Pitchforks" tax or the "Replace or Repair the West Seattle Bridge" tax? Basically calling it the "I Hate Bezos" tax is something I'd expect from the current occupant of the White House.
Economically speaking, I don't know if it's the best idea or not. What are the alternative funding ideas? Maybe get some input from the business community. Why not engage instead of enrage? I think there was an income tax on the table at one point and the courts ruled it was acceptable as long as it was not progressive. Could there be a 2% income tax on all, but if you make under $100K you get some kind of rebate or free annual transit pass or something to lesson the burden?
3, hahaha. Exactly. I like to listen to 'week in review' on KUOW on Fridays. For some reason they have a 'journalist' from the Stranger on there often. Do they not read the Stranger? At most, most of these folks are consolidators of other news stories.
"We’re going to have to look at a whole range of things," Durkan said.
Well no shit Sherlock.
I concede she makes a lot of good points in her criticism of Sawant's proposal.
Still, I find I rather more admire Sawant's courage in actually advancing a revenue proposal.
Seattle is soon to find itself in crisis and someone's ox will need to be gored.
The way I view it, if companies are unwilling to pay the correct taxes, then they shouldn't be in business. All these tax cuts, tax breaks and credits to larger businesses in this time of crisis is completely unconscionable. Any company within the USA should be willing to paying the bare minimum required taxes based upon their company size and profitability to help regain what our economy has recently lost. For the larger businesses who took handouts from the small to medium business that is completely unethical, regardless of how the stimulus was written.You know for a fact politicians are only going to pass something of which lines their pockets as well and for them to request loans when some are millions if not multi millions in profitability - they should be ashamed and should really rethink how they do business. Further I feel if those businesses who are millions or multi millions took any aid regardless if they gave it back or not should not qualify for tax breaks of any kind. I think Mayor Durkan should offer all small to medium business to not city taxes for 10 years to stimulate the economy locally Similarly to how NY has done it for small to medium businesses. Hopefully help rebuild what we've lost. If folks are not coming up with solutions then they are a part of the problem. What about businesses switching to the subscription model to keep afloat? Some businesses are switch to this and seeing a slow but steady increase in sales.
@ 7 and you know this about every government worker's pay how? "excellent government pay and benefits for a couple more years" Maybe Administration not anyone else and you know it so stop selling false news/misinformation. Administration does not equate to all.
I think Durkan is full of it. The largest employers in the City can afford it. After all, neither Amazon NOR Jeff Bezos paid a penny of federal taxes last year, so they can contribute that directly to the City and low-income housing, not that stand-in, "affordable housing".
AND, it's a big distraction for Durkan; maybe her and her developer buddies will slow down a little with the cookie-cutter apartment buildings, all with a ground floor 'retail' area, and she can duke it out with the Council.
The corporations are cheating us. The middle class will end up paying. The rich elites with their accounts will be continuing to take advantage of the tax loopholes and pay nothing! Mayor Weakling will bow down to her corporate overlords. She doesn't work for us!
Seattle is one of the wealthiest cities in one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Yet, when so many Seattlites are suffering thru one of the worst pandemics in our nation's history, during one of the worst economic crises in our history, the best that Durkan can offer is "we're gonna have to look at a whole range of things" (or whatever BS she said)?? SERIOUSLY? Who is challenging her in 2021?
We need a new mayor! This one is a wholly-owned subsidiary and tool of Amazon and the Downtown Chamber. She is as bad as the Orange Cheeto. She hates homeless people and has shown zero leadership in providing affordable housing. As with her mentor, tRump, anybody would be an improvement!
2
The Journalist tax would not touch The Stranger...
The mayor sounds pretty realistic about the budget and the timeline of collecting new taxes if approved. I think it's pretty amateurish for an elected official to call a new tax "The Amazon Tax" which is misleading and confrontational to call out one of 800 companies affected. How about the "Save Seattle" tax, the "House the Homeless" tax, the "Do something or the 20% Unemployed Are Coming with Pitchforks" tax or the "Replace or Repair the West Seattle Bridge" tax? Basically calling it the "I Hate Bezos" tax is something I'd expect from the current occupant of the White House.
Economically speaking, I don't know if it's the best idea or not. What are the alternative funding ideas? Maybe get some input from the business community. Why not engage instead of enrage? I think there was an income tax on the table at one point and the courts ruled it was acceptable as long as it was not progressive. Could there be a 2% income tax on all, but if you make under $100K you get some kind of rebate or free annual transit pass or something to lesson the burden?
3, hahaha. Exactly. I like to listen to 'week in review' on KUOW on Fridays. For some reason they have a 'journalist' from the Stranger on there often. Do they not read the Stranger? At most, most of these folks are consolidators of other news stories.
"We’re going to have to look at a whole range of things," Durkan said.
Well no shit Sherlock.
I concede she makes a lot of good points in her criticism of Sawant's proposal.
Still, I find I rather more admire Sawant's courage in actually advancing a revenue proposal.
Seattle is soon to find itself in crisis and someone's ox will need to be gored.
The way I view it, if companies are unwilling to pay the correct taxes, then they shouldn't be in business. All these tax cuts, tax breaks and credits to larger businesses in this time of crisis is completely unconscionable. Any company within the USA should be willing to paying the bare minimum required taxes based upon their company size and profitability to help regain what our economy has recently lost. For the larger businesses who took handouts from the small to medium business that is completely unethical, regardless of how the stimulus was written.You know for a fact politicians are only going to pass something of which lines their pockets as well and for them to request loans when some are millions if not multi millions in profitability - they should be ashamed and should really rethink how they do business. Further I feel if those businesses who are millions or multi millions took any aid regardless if they gave it back or not should not qualify for tax breaks of any kind. I think Mayor Durkan should offer all small to medium business to not city taxes for 10 years to stimulate the economy locally Similarly to how NY has done it for small to medium businesses. Hopefully help rebuild what we've lost. If folks are not coming up with solutions then they are a part of the problem. What about businesses switching to the subscription model to keep afloat? Some businesses are switch to this and seeing a slow but steady increase in sales.
@ 7 and you know this about every government worker's pay how? "excellent government pay and benefits for a couple more years" Maybe Administration not anyone else and you know it so stop selling false news/misinformation. Administration does not equate to all.
I think Durkan is full of it. The largest employers in the City can afford it. After all, neither Amazon NOR Jeff Bezos paid a penny of federal taxes last year, so they can contribute that directly to the City and low-income housing, not that stand-in, "affordable housing".
AND, it's a big distraction for Durkan; maybe her and her developer buddies will slow down a little with the cookie-cutter apartment buildings, all with a ground floor 'retail' area, and she can duke it out with the Council.
Don't kill the goose that laid the golden egg
The corporations are cheating us. The middle class will end up paying. The rich elites with their accounts will be continuing to take advantage of the tax loopholes and pay nothing! Mayor Weakling will bow down to her corporate overlords. She doesn't work for us!
Seattle is one of the wealthiest cities in one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Yet, when so many Seattlites are suffering thru one of the worst pandemics in our nation's history, during one of the worst economic crises in our history, the best that Durkan can offer is "we're gonna have to look at a whole range of things" (or whatever BS she said)?? SERIOUSLY? Who is challenging her in 2021?
We need a new mayor! This one is a wholly-owned subsidiary and tool of Amazon and the Downtown Chamber. She is as bad as the Orange Cheeto. She hates homeless people and has shown zero leadership in providing affordable housing. As with her mentor, tRump, anybody would be an improvement!