Update: The council voted 7-2 to repeal the head tax. Read GeekWire’s full story here.
Another heated debate is taking place at Seattle City Hall over the city’s response to the homelessness crisis. The City Council is hearing arguments today as it prepares to vote on legislation introduced by Council President Bruce Harrell that would overturn the controversial new tax on Seattle’s top-grossing businesses.
It’s been a less than a month since all nine councilmembers unanimously approved the plan. Harrell called a special meeting for Tuesday and indicated that the Council expected to vote on repeal.
Watch live coverage from Seattle Channel, above, and follow GeekWire civic innovation editor Monica Nickelsburg’s tweets from the scene.
I’m at Seattle City Hall where tensions are running high ahead of a vote to repeal the #headtax. There’s been singing, shouting, and threats to vote CMs out of office — all before the roll. Background: https://t.co/d62bjg9Hwy pic.twitter.com/F3hF5aWtdH
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
Steve Murch, founder and former CEO of @bigoven who helped gather signatures for the “No Tax on Jobs” campaign was shouted down during public comment. He ended with an emotional “I love this city and I want it to be better. I want us to prioritize this problem.”
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
Amazon employee Aubrey Pullman came out to support the head tax. “We need a heavy amount of rezoning. We need lots of affordable housing to be built and if it means that I have to get a different job because Amazon moves, I will take that.”
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
The crowd erupted in shouts of “repeal Bruce Harrell” and curses when he attempted to move on from public comment to deliberation. CM Sawant moved to extend public comment by another 30 minutes.
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
Speaker just said Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is “the world’s biggest bully” and “the worst employer in the world.” #headtax
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
City Council is moving on from public comment to deliberation of the #headtax repeal.
“This is not a great day for anyone,” says CM Harrell.
“It’s a great day for Amazon,” shouts someone from the crowd.
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
“The Chamber of Commerce has convinced the vast majority of Seattleites … that increased human suffering in this city is a result of government inefficiency,” says CM Herbold.
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
“This is not a winnable battle,” Herbold says, adding that polling data is insurmountable. Shouts from the crowd.
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
CM Mosqueda up now. She says “I cannot in good conscience vote to repeal” the tax.
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
Mosqueda to the tech industry: “we need your ideas.” She cited @tableau and @Redfin specifically. “I’m looking forward to hearing from you really damn soon because the crisis is now.”
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
CM O’Brien says he’s going to vote to repeal the #headtax
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
“Any progressive measure you talk about, you will find big business opposing it,” — CM Sawant.
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
Sawant implores the Council to “stand strong on the Amazon tax today and pool our efforts as elected representatives, stand with the movement, stand with the people and spend the summer and fall really changing public opinion, which I know can be done.”
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) June 12, 2018
