task0778
Diamond Member
So, the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns pretty much hit everybody hard economically speaking, with Seattle hit especially hard in the early days of the virus’s spread. According to some, Seattle saw one of the biggest spikes in unemployment of any city in the country, and the city’s economy continues to flounder amid the pandemic just like everybdy else.
Then Seattle descended into chaos and controversy when radical left-wing activists seized control of a neighborhood and declared themselves the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.” Like so many before it throughout history, this utopian social experiment sadly turned deadly and ended 24 days later after multiple shootings, rapes, and other crimes. What then does any progessive liberal group do? Raise taxes of course, promising a “more robust and resilient economy” and a “victory for working people.” They claim the tax will raise $200 million in revenue for what they argue are much-needed social service programs such as housing subsidies.
The Seattle City Council has decided that now is the right time to impose a new tax burden on its residents. On July 6, the council passed the so-called “JumpStart” tax, which specifically targets middle-class jobs.
The council’s new tax will affect employees at medium-to-large companies, but not most small businesses. Applied to businesses with a total payroll of $7 million or greater, it will impose an additional 0.4 percent to 2.4 percent payroll tax on jobs that pay an annual salary of $150,000 or higher. This is on top of already steep federal and state payroll taxes.
Now you might be thinking that these are workers somewhat higher up on the income scale—but not by as much as you might think at first glance.
According to Payscale.com, the average salary in Seattle is $79,000. It’s the fifth most expensive place to live in America, with the highest rents anywhere in the country outside of California. With this context in mind, workers making $150,000 are far from members of “the 1%.” More realistically, many of the targets of this new tax are middle class by Seattle standards. So while the tax isn’t massive, it does showcase an important trend: In their class warfare charge, left-wing officials aren’t constraining themselves to “soaking the rich,” but are quickly reaching down the income ladder for fresh wallets to tap.
And of course, the tax could seriously hurt the economy, too. The Left never seems to understand that there are consequences when you raise somebody's taxes. Some will stay of course, but many will leave for other places that are more tax-friendly. I highly doubt that the number of new businesses or business expansions will equal the number of businesses that have closed or will close. Result? Fewer jobs.
"As the region enters a deep recession and faces near-record job losses, the city council will be sending tax bills to companies across multiple sectors that have their doors closed and have been forced to layoff employees,” the business organization Downtown Seattle Association said in a statement to a local news outlet. The Wall Street Journal editorial board similarly warned that “The tax will stifle economic upward mobility, since employers will have an incentive not to raise pay above $150,000.”
Worse, in an infuriating but sadly typical twist, the Seattle City Council exempted all government employees from their new tax. That’s right: The supposedly benevolent socialist city officials who thrust this upon their constituents made sure to carve out a giant exception for their peers on the taxpayer dime.
According to OpenTheBooks.com, 601 city employees in Seattle earned $195,000 or more. Analysts found that “tree trimmers lopped off $160,604; the chief librarian made $197,704; electricians earned $271,070; electrical lineworkers made $307,387; and police officers earned up to $414,543.” The new payroll tax will not apply to any of these government employees or their peers otherwise drowning in taxpayer cash.
This is one reason why the November elections are so important. If Biden wins and Dems take the Senate and keep the House then you'll see bailouts left and right, but mostly left. DC will become the 51st state because the Dem Senate will end the filibuster and do whatever they want. We will see the return of the weaponized DOJ and other federal agencies. The Deep State will get bigger and deeper and it will be hard as hell to reverse course.
Then Seattle descended into chaos and controversy when radical left-wing activists seized control of a neighborhood and declared themselves the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.” Like so many before it throughout history, this utopian social experiment sadly turned deadly and ended 24 days later after multiple shootings, rapes, and other crimes. What then does any progessive liberal group do? Raise taxes of course, promising a “more robust and resilient economy” and a “victory for working people.” They claim the tax will raise $200 million in revenue for what they argue are much-needed social service programs such as housing subsidies.
The Seattle City Council has decided that now is the right time to impose a new tax burden on its residents. On July 6, the council passed the so-called “JumpStart” tax, which specifically targets middle-class jobs.
The council’s new tax will affect employees at medium-to-large companies, but not most small businesses. Applied to businesses with a total payroll of $7 million or greater, it will impose an additional 0.4 percent to 2.4 percent payroll tax on jobs that pay an annual salary of $150,000 or higher. This is on top of already steep federal and state payroll taxes.
Now you might be thinking that these are workers somewhat higher up on the income scale—but not by as much as you might think at first glance.
According to Payscale.com, the average salary in Seattle is $79,000. It’s the fifth most expensive place to live in America, with the highest rents anywhere in the country outside of California. With this context in mind, workers making $150,000 are far from members of “the 1%.” More realistically, many of the targets of this new tax are middle class by Seattle standards. So while the tax isn’t massive, it does showcase an important trend: In their class warfare charge, left-wing officials aren’t constraining themselves to “soaking the rich,” but are quickly reaching down the income ladder for fresh wallets to tap.
And of course, the tax could seriously hurt the economy, too. The Left never seems to understand that there are consequences when you raise somebody's taxes. Some will stay of course, but many will leave for other places that are more tax-friendly. I highly doubt that the number of new businesses or business expansions will equal the number of businesses that have closed or will close. Result? Fewer jobs.
"As the region enters a deep recession and faces near-record job losses, the city council will be sending tax bills to companies across multiple sectors that have their doors closed and have been forced to layoff employees,” the business organization Downtown Seattle Association said in a statement to a local news outlet. The Wall Street Journal editorial board similarly warned that “The tax will stifle economic upward mobility, since employers will have an incentive not to raise pay above $150,000.”
Worse, in an infuriating but sadly typical twist, the Seattle City Council exempted all government employees from their new tax. That’s right: The supposedly benevolent socialist city officials who thrust this upon their constituents made sure to carve out a giant exception for their peers on the taxpayer dime.
According to OpenTheBooks.com, 601 city employees in Seattle earned $195,000 or more. Analysts found that “tree trimmers lopped off $160,604; the chief librarian made $197,704; electricians earned $271,070; electrical lineworkers made $307,387; and police officers earned up to $414,543.” The new payroll tax will not apply to any of these government employees or their peers otherwise drowning in taxpayer cash.
Seattle Just Passed a New Tax on Jobs in the Middle of an Economic Crisis—with One Infuriating Exception | Brad Polumbo
Fresh off its "activist-occupied zone," Seattle's city council has passed a radical new job tax. One class of workers, however, is conspicuously spared.
fee.org
This is one reason why the November elections are so important. If Biden wins and Dems take the Senate and keep the House then you'll see bailouts left and right, but mostly left. DC will become the 51st state because the Dem Senate will end the filibuster and do whatever they want. We will see the return of the weaponized DOJ and other federal agencies. The Deep State will get bigger and deeper and it will be hard as hell to reverse course.