Posted on 05/31/2018 3:12:44 PM PDT by Twotone
In the wake of Seattle’s decision to enact an Employee Head Tax (EHT) to fight homelessness, media reporting has largely focused on the backlash from large businesses such as Amazon. It’s not hard to see why. Amazon, which employs more than 10 percent of the city’s workforce, has suspended planned investments in protest, and more than 100 leaders of large businesses operating in the city signed an open letter opposing the tax increase. But local residents tired of Seattle’s stagnant economic situation are beginning to take action against the EHT as well.
It is truly difficult to imagine a worse mechanism for fighting homelessness than the one Seattle decided to implement. Seattle’s EHT would tax employers with revenues of at least $20 million at the rate of approximately $275 per employee, per year. Yes, you’re reading that correctly. No, there’s not some arcane economic logic at play here beyond the understanding of mere mortals such as us. Seattle plans to fight homelessness by taxing employers for hiring people.
The logic here is nearly impossible to understand. There is no better cure for poverty than a job — the most recent Census Department data shows that, while nearly a third of working-age Americans without a job are below the poverty line, just 2.2 percent of working-age Americans with a full-time, year-round job are in poverty. Even having a part-time job cuts the likelihood that a working-age American will fall below the poverty line in half, to 14.7 percent.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
Amazon should pull out and move to NC.
I’m just amazed by some of the stats in the article, like this one...
“The regulatory cost of new construction in Seattle represents 40% of the total cost.”
How can the citizenry be so oblivious to what their gov’t is doing to them?!
Just let Seattle keep it up. It will succeed in killing itself
The Seattle area, much like Portland to the south, is becoming so anti-business, anti-worker (the taxpayer), that they will continue evolving into cesspools. Look at San Francisco, openly violent to the Silicon Valley workers who are making up their taxpaying base. The city can’t afford to lose these taxpayers, yet they are driving them out with violence and price gouging fees and taxes.
The belief that everyone can live at everyone else's expense continues to prove impervious to logic.
So, Seattle government hates employment? That sounds self-defeating.
HA..! I don't think you could find five people in that town that speak the same language...
Yap, Seattle is so morbidly liberal, any semblance of rational economic policy is a lost cause. Seattle is propped up by Amazon and Microsoft and it has gone to their heads.
“Just let Seattle keep it up. It will succeed in killing itself”
Some problems solve themselves.
Like in CA, change seems to be happen...CA June 5 primary should be interesting as well.
It’s actually a means of taxing people outside the city limits.
The employees probably don’t live in Seattle.
But the buildings are easy to find.
Aparently Amazon only likes socialism when it legislate average US citizens
I hope they rip thatncompany a new a$$hole
That will teah Beos to thinknhe is smart supporting the Washington Post or the Nyt, whichever he bought like an idiot
But what has the increased spending gone towards? A Seattle Times investigation found that nearly all city departments grew, public safety costs spiked by $100 million, transportation spending doubled, and employee wages jumped to $1.1 billion as nearly half of city employees made over $100,000 a year.
In socialism, it's good to be government, just as in a monarchy it's good to be king.
Pierce county 30 miles south of Seattle has just sent in deputies to sweep out a homeless camp.
Tacoma in Pierce county is offering a $275 per head tax credit to businesses.
Guess who is going to have a booming economy.
Seattle's anti-business communists are supported and elected by Amazon; Portland's by Intel and Nike.
Can we doubt the truth of Lenin's statement? “The Capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them.”
Several years back I lived in Bremerton, Washington. Seattle, across the Puget Sound always seemed so clean. The space needle was the tallest structure.
Apparently, those days are long gone.
There is the old saying about what’s the definition of a conservative? A liberal who was mugged. Bezos just got mugged.
What Amazon will do is start hollowing out their Seattle presence like most Silicon Valley companies have done. The bulk of their employees and activities are either out of state or overseas. It’s become more and more a token presence for these companies. Amazon will do the very same.
In the end Seattle will have less revenue and the politicians will be totally perplexed.
Yep. That's what HQ2 is really about.
How about another soda tax?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.