Head Tax
7 Head Tax Alternatives From the Department of Sarcasm
The Seattle head tax may have been repealed, but we have other options.
This article appears in the July 2018 issue. Click here for a free subscription. Seattles so-called head tax, which was going to charge $275 per employee to any large company making at least $20 million annually in taxable gross revenue, was registering slightly less popular than burlap underwear before the City Council reversed itself and…
What Seattle City Council Members Said About Repealing the Controversial ‘Head Tax’
Several council members supported the tax, but saw its divisive future as a business-backed referendum drive had it hurtling toward the November election, and voted to repeal it
This article originally ran on SCC Insight. As expected, this afternoon the City Council voted to repeal the employee hours tax, aka the head tax, that it enacted last month. The final vote was 7-2 to repeal, with council members Teresa Mosqueda and Kshama Sawant the only no votes. The vote came after over an…
Seattle City Council Races to Repeal the ‘Head Tax’
It seems likely that the recently passed employee hours tax that would fund affordable housing and homelessness services will be repealed today
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. In a sudden and unexpected move today, Council President Bruce Harrell introduced a bill that would repeal the recently-enacted employee-hours tax (aka the head tax) and scheduled a special meeting of the full City Council for tomorrow to deliberate and vote on it. Council President Bruce Harrell discussing…
Seattle City Council Unanimously Passes Shrunken ‘Head Tax’ Bill and Amazon Will Now Continue Construction
But how will the city spend the new tax revenue? And how much money will really be coming in?
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. The City Council resolved its stalemate and passed a compromise head tax on Monday afternoon. It imposes an annual tax of $275 per full-time employee (or full-time equivalent) on businesses making $20 million or more in revenues per year in Seattle. Council member Lorena Gonzalez announced this morning…
PitchBook CEO: ‘Head Tax’ Would Force Us to Reconsider Growing in Seattle
"PitchBook has seen phenomenal growth over the past several years and like other Seattle business leaders, the head tax expense would force us to reevaluate where we invest in our continued growth."
Homelessness and affordable housing in Seattle are critical issues and I agree that its imperative we come together to address it. The proposed Head Tax, even with the revised rate, is not the solution. As many business leaders have already argued, the tax puts unnecessary financial pressure on the very businesses that are driving Seattles…
Compromises Emerge as Seattle City Council Gets Back to Work on Proposed ‘Head Tax’ Bill
After a chaotic week, things got back on track during Tuesday's special sessions
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. Despite various factions in the city lining up either for or against the proposed head tax on large businesses in Seattle, the City Council rolled up its sleeves today and got back to work debating the nuts and bolts of the proposal. Their goal is to finish it…
Coalition of Seattle Labor Groups Call On Seattle City Council to Pass Proposed ‘Head Tax’
Read the full letter in support of the tax here
One day after an open letter from more than 100 Seattle area business leader to the Seattle City Council in opposition to the proposed head tax was published, a group of several local unions has sent a letter in support of the legislation. Read the full letter below, and learn more about the proposed tax…
More Than 100 Seattle Business Leaders Oppose Proposed ‘Head Tax’
Read their full open letter to the Seattle City Council here.
On Tuesday, more than 100 business leaders from the Seattle area submitted a letter to Seattle City Council in opposition of the head tax. Read the letter, which was originally posted on Medium, here: To the citizens and Councilmembers of the City of Seattle, As CEOs, leaders, and investors in our regions growing economy, from…
The “Seattle Process” Goes Off the Rails
Amazon made it known that it would halt downtown Seattle expansion plans over the proposed “head tax.” An ugly day for political discourse in Seattle followed. This story originally ran on SCC Insight. Welcome to “Bizarro World” Seattle. Last night after the May Day march, the antifa “anarchists” were anything but. And today, civic discourse descended…
What Seattle Businesses Are Saying About the Proposed ‘Head Tax’ and Why the Tax Will Go Forward
Key takeaways and news and notes from the surprisingly frank discussion at the Seattle City Council's extended roundtable session on the employee-hours tax that would pay for homelessness services
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. All photos below by the author. On the afternoon of April 18, the City Council held a three-hour roundtable session with representatives from a variety of Seattle businesses and nonprofits, to hear their thoughts on the recommendations for a new employee-hours tax to pay for homelessness services. It…
Debate Over ‘Head Tax’ Enters Key Stretch at Seattle City Council
Here's what's happening over the next couple weeks with the proposed new employee-hours tax on Seattle businesses
This article originally ran on SCC Insight. Its going to be a busy couple of weeks for the Council members involved in proposing a new employee-hours tax on Seattle businesses. A logistical note to keep in mind: Council members Gonzalez and Herbold are writing the legislation, but it will be debated and amended in Council…