The Seattle City Council has been in a spending spiral for years. From 2012 to 2019, the General Fund budget (which funds basic city services such as police, fire, and human services) increased by 52%. City employees (not including utility and transportation workers) increased by 26%.The council
Pricing Towards Gender Equality: What it Means for Small Businesses
In a historic move towards achieving gender equality, the United States Senate has taken a momentous step by approving a groundbreaking bill that seeks to ban gender-based pricing. This landmark legislation aims to eliminate the long-standing practice of pricing products and services differently
Seattle’s JumpStart Tax: What Small Business Owners Need to Know
The Seattle JumpStart payroll tax is a tax on businesses with a total payroll of more than $8.1 million annually, and that have at least one employee making $174,337 per year or more. The tax rate is 1% for businesses with a payroll of up to $20 million, 2% for businesses with a payroll of $20
Seattle Council Member Proposes to Replace Regressive Water Tax with Capital Gains Tax
Seattle Council member, Alex Pedersen, has proposed a plan to replace the city's regressive water tax with a capital gains tax on high-income earners.The water tax, which is currently 15.54%, is paid by all Seattle residents on their water bills. Pedersen argues that the tax is unfair because it
Property taxes hit a new high in… Bellingham?
The Seattle area has a long history of high property taxes. In recent years, however, the rate of increase in property taxes has accelerated. This is due to a number of factors, including rising home values, new laws that have made it easier for governments to raise taxes, and the impact of the
Seattle’s Capital Gains Tax: Pros and Cons
Seattle is considering its own capital gains tax following the passage of a new state law that allows for such taxes. The city's mayor, Bruce Harrell, and city council member Teresa Mosqueda have both expressed support for the idea, and the city is currently exploring options for how to implement a
Seattle Mayor Harrell Proposes $970 Million Housing Levy
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has proposed a $970 million housing levy to help address the city's growing affordable housing needs. The levy would be the largest property tax increase in Seattle's history and would generate funds for the construction of 3,000 new affordable housing units, as well as
Will raising the minimum wage improve inflation?
If you're someone who works minimum wage, the idea of a pay raise is likely music to your ears. Opinions are divided on the question of whether raising the minimum will improve or worsen inflation however. Here's an overview of how wage hikes have affected the US and EU and what with differing