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

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

[Hang'emAll]

New York City has had an income tax for years....

And as I understand it. You don’t have to live there to pay it just work in NYC. Nice./s

[Grampa Dave]

Seven U.S. states currently don’t have an income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. And residents of New Hampshire and Tennessee are also spared from handing over an extra chunk of their paycheck on April 15, though they do pay tax on dividends and income from investments.

[mulligan]

Sad that there is so much hate, envy and jealousy in America today. Sponsored by our government.

[LostPassword]

I am 100% in favor of the plan (I don’t live there). While this idea has proven to fail in many place, liberals still believe in it, so I support their effort to try it again until they abandon it.

I do think most taxes should be paid to the closest government entity since they can do the most good for those paying. If they could decrease state or federal taxes by the same amount (instead of deducting from income) I’d have high expectations for positive results.

States and cities should be incubators for ideas on how to run a government. Feds should not do anything until it’s been proven effective in a wide variety of smaller governments. US congress usually screws up and passes a failed idea like Obamacare but at least they had prior examples. And they’re getting an example to learn from here as is every other city and state.

[Steve_Seattle]

"The Seattle Transit Riders Union"

???

[alexander_busek]

Councilmember Lisa Herbold says there are still many undecided details, chiefly how that income level would be calculated.

Can someone kindly explain to me (an ex-pat) what the problem here is? Don't non-federal bodies (e.g., state governments) who levy income tax simply require one to provide some excerpt from one's federal income tax return - said excerpt stating something like "Mr. Jones had a gross income of $xyz last year?"

Regards,

[rockrr]

I call ‘em Seattlunatics.

[Steve_Seattle]

"A city with income tax?"

They'd probably like to have their own foreign policy, too.

[Fresh Wind]

“I see you have some money. Give it to me.”

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Boeing: “Tennessee! Here we come!”

[Fresh Wind]

Wherever you find liberals, you find income taxes:

https://www.thebalance.com/cities-that-levy-income-taxes-3193246

[mewzilla]

Rich is defined as anyone drawing a private sector paycheck.

[Aria]

Well this doesn’t compute. So we don’t pass any legislation we voted for due to fear that it will cost the GOP seats so we keep the GOP seats and still don’t pass legislation that they were voted in to pass?

This is their new excuse?

They should do what Trump said - use their majority to get bills through. But I think the GOP really only wants what the rats want.

[SkyDancer]

Lots of government jobs that’s the same as civilian jobs pay more and with better benefits. Taxing taxpayers to pay taxes.

[The people have spoken]

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

[mewzilla]

Gives a whole new meaning to “public service”, eh...

[NTHockey]

So has Philadelphia.

[RoseofTexas]

I was completely FLOORED!! What fresh HELL IS THIS???

[Steve_Seattle]

"As government grows, the small circle of connected insiders, lobbyists, racketeers, bankers, and crony-capitalists who can game the system become richer. The mob sees that there are a few people getting very rich and powerful, but think its simply “failure of the market.” The middle class shrinks, leading to more calls for bread and circuses."

You see it in building trends. Many former middle-class neighborhoods are declining because people can't afford basic maintenance. The houses are torn down and replaced by townhouses and apartments; a new trend is the "micro-apartment," basically the size of a bedroom. Those middle-class homes that remain become very expensive, sometimes selling for well over a million dollars.

The city is getting very crowded, traffic is terrible, and people are being forced out of their cars into public transportation.

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.

Bread is provided via an increased minimum wage, food stamps, and subsidized health care, and circuses are provided by professional athletes and entertainers. The latter serve to make people feel "connected" to the city and to each other. They also make a show of "giving back to the community" so as to further cement the bond and make people forget that they live in an entirely different world than the average person.

At the social level, people with conservative views live in a constant state of menace. Being known as a Republican, or Trump supporter or traditional Christian, can cost you your job, your promotion, or your business.

[I-ambush]

“Regressive tax means the rate goes down as personal income goes higher...”

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!

Regressive means simply that everyone pays the same rate.