JASON RANTZ

Rantz: Hey Tim Burgess, your inconsistency makes us dizzy

Jul 7, 2017, 6:56 AM

Tim Burgess...

Tim Burgess (City of Seattle)

(City of Seattle)

With all due respect to Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess, who has served on the council for years, can you give some of your phony concern a rest?

“In a state with the most regressive tax structure in the entire country, Seattle is again leading with Progressive reform,” Burgess said after forwarding legislation for a Seattle income tax, just days after forwarding through an actual regressive soda tax that disproportionately impacts low-income, communities of color.

He went on: “State tax reform is urgently needed so that our lowest income residents pay less…” Except for when it comes to sugary beverages; there, he wants our lowest income residents to pay more.

On his Facebook page, Burgess continued to extol the benefits of an income tax: “This is a step toward a fairer tax system. We will use the tax proceeds to lower property taxes and to fund essential city services.” Only, he recently endorsed Initiative 122, which raised property taxes on Seattle homeowners.

So let’s figure this out: Burgess hates regressive taxes, except for when he’s supporting them. Burgess wants to lower property taxes except, in cases where he wants to increase them. He is dizzyingly inconsistent.

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Rantz: Hey Tim Burgess, your inconsistency makes us dizzy