Overwhelming number of people speak in favor of Seattle income tax (Tax the Rich!)

mynorthwest.com ^ | May 31, 2017 | MYNORTHWEST.COM

[Mr. Douglas]

I left Washington state six years ago. They have no income tax at all. It would take a vote of the people to enact such a thing and it always loses. Meanwhile, I now work in Louisville, KY. and, yes, there is a city income tax. Actually, it is the county that the city engulfs, but there are cities here with income taxes. This is an income tax state.

Washington is not.

[PGR88]

The former diamond-shaped economic stratification - with few at the top and bottom, and many in the middle - is being replaced by a pear shaped stratification with an elite at the top and a proletariat, service industry for everyone else.

I have lived in Communist countries. It is absolutely no surprise to me that when the Soviet Union finally collapsed, within a very short time, high-level, politically-connected people (oligarchs) had taken control of all the productive enterprises of the country. I'm not saying the USA is exactly the same, but the more a nation centralizes political power, it ipso facto politicizes everything it touches, and centralize economic power, and thus leads to stagnation as well as outsized benefits to those few in charge.

[all the best]

The people of Seattle should learn a lesson from the US income tax. It started out and was only accepted because it was only on the rich and very rich with a max of 6%. It may start out at 1.5% and only on 250,000 or more. But it will continue to expand because there is a voracious appetite for stolen money.

[PROCON]

So Bill Gates, who lives in Medina, WA, would be exempt?

El correcto. No one in their right mind wants to live in the crime-ridden, drug-ridden, vagrant-ridden craphole called Seattle.

[longtermmemmory]

stupid liberals. The so called rich can avoid taxes with financial planning and just leaving the state. The enemies are destroying themselves.

covfefe
(in the end we win)

[Lucky2]

Not sure if it’s the same elsewhere, but the poverty level in WA in $70K. I never made $70K in my working life and was never considered poor. The idiots in Seattle are delusional.

[SaxxonWoods]

Stealing other people’s money is immoral even if you vote to do it.

And that’s all this is, stealing. They identify who has money and take it because it is there, no other reason.

[SkyDancer]

It’s always been the liberal mantra: “Tax the rich”. If a Seattle income tax is passed, just sit back and watch the exodus.

[dangus]

Looks like a good time to invest in Redmond, WA real estate.

[Codeflier]

Taxing income at $250,000 or more doesn’t tax the rich. It simply punishes those that are trying to get rich and will make it harder to get rich. The real rich laugh at income based taxes.

[Myrddin]

The "rich" have the means to move elsewhere...and they will. Meanwhile, the tax and spend liberals will have ratcheted up the spend side of the equation only to discover the revenue isn't there.

[Myrddin]

Those taxpayers do not get a vote, because taxes are generally decided on by residents of the city that imposes them.

I have a similar problem. My employer has "bricks and mortar" in every state and 30 countries. When I travel to another company location, I'm compelled to record the zip code on my time card. The consequence is that I have to file income tax in CA and sometimes NE in addition to my state of residence, ID. CA taxes me, but I have no voice as a voter since I'm an ID resident. Taxation without representation. Frankly, I pay more CA state income tax than many CA state residents.

This year I'm trying to avoid any more visits to San Diego than absolutely required. Instead of the original "one week per month", I've restrained it to one visit total in 2017 as of the current time. Thus far, no calls to Omaha. It only takes ONE visit to either spot to force a W2 and extra state filing.

[PROCON]

Believe it or not, a city council member proposed a "hate speech" fine/tax on Seattle radio stations that carried conservative talk shows.

City attorneys said the pesky 1st Amendment wouldn't allow it.

[USCG SimTech]

Please study the recent history of CT. There was no income tax in the 80’s. It was installed as a TEMPORARY fixer to the budget deficit. Still here today and the rate go up and up. Businesses go bye and bye. Death spiral.

[KC Burke]

Heck, there are plenty of cities with an income tax. Kansas City has had an “e-tax” for over twenty years. I think it is currently 1% of gross for those working in the city limits.

[amnestynone]

I now agree with them.For years I have felt this country would be socialized by taxing the rich higher than the rest of us. Now I believe the opposite. The more we lower their taxes the more left they become. Socialism is really trendy and when you are rich and find it does not lower your taxes what are you going to do to remain trendy to your fellow fashionistas. That wealthy libs who do not think that any of the money that is spend is wasted (except maybe In defense) should be taxed more is obvious. Since the wealthy Republican donor class does not care any more about it since they are probably loaded with government contracts and are completely apathetic and purposely ineffective at ending even one liberal wasteful program even though they have controlled the house for the last 18 out of 22 years. Then they should pay more as well. Also since both camps are involved in bringing in cheap Democrat labor(and voters) as well as deporting our best jobs then obviously they should pay all the money made form that into taxes. Even the corporate media believe the wealthy should pay more. Since wealthy Republicans have nobody to blame for themselves for not buying media and telling a different story, then that money that should of gone into media should go in taxes as well.Passive do nothing country club Republicanism is no longer any more acceptable than limousine snob liberalism and both need to pay for it instead of us.

[Buckeye McFrog]

That’s still half the local income tax Pittsburgh residents pay.

[cherry]

the left is not stupid....they know what they are doing...

pretend to tax only the "rich" and suddenly, its the upper middle class and then the middle...

Washington is an income tax free state, but they have tried for decades to impose a state income tax...

this Seattle crap is just the start of the process...

[onedoug]

Flea

[right way right]

Bums that want free bus rides.
This is just a stupid kind of virtue signaling meeting so pissant politicians can be on the news. Seattle is just where a lot of bums moved who can't afford San Fransisco anymore.