Kshama Sawant to defy council order pausing Amazon tax discussion
May 15, 2020, 11:34 AM | Updated: Oct 7, 2024, 9:57 am
Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant announced Friday that she will be holding a committee meeting next week to discuss her “Tax Amazon” proposal, defying a directive from Council President Lorena González to table the proposal.
Sawant: Council decision to pause debate on Amazon tax is ‘Orwellian’
Last week, González halted debate on the business tax, after concerns were raised that it violated the governor’s proclamation mandating that city councils only meet to discuss COVID-related legislation.
Sawant objected Friday during a virtual press conference, claiming Gov. Inslee’s directive is “illegal,” while pointing out that the proposal is designed to raise money for COVID-19 relief.
“My office and our movement totally reject the alleged legal reasons from Councilmembers Gonzalez and Herbold and others in the establishment,” she detailed.
The proposal would levy a 1.3% tax on the top 2% of Seattle businesses, and then distribute a series of $500 checks to city residents hit hardest by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. After the outbreak is over, the tax would then fund affordable housing and Green New Deal policies.
The tax wouldn’t actually start to raise money until 2021, and in the short term would be borrowing funds from existing city programs to fund COVID relief.
Sawant will move forward with plans to discuss the bill in the Sustainability and Renters’ Rights committee she chairs. The bill’s co-sponsor, Councilmember Morales, co-chairs that committee.
Kshama Sawant: Amazon tax ‘only thing’ that can rescue Seattle economy
“Our movement cannot wait or accept this attempt to stymie our momentum,” Sawant said.
The meeting will take place over a Zoom live stream next Thursday, May 21 at 6 p.m., with “full public oversight and involvement to continue important discussions on the ‘Tax Amazon’ legislation.”
“We look forward to full participation from members of the committee,” Sawant said.
Also sitting on the committee are Councilmembers Debora Juarez, Andrew Lewis, and Alex Pedersen. It’s unclear at this time whether they plan to participate.
