Dear Members,

I hope this email finds you well in these challenging and unprecedented times.

I am writing today to call your attention to the latest effort by Councilmember Sawant to tax jobs in Seattle — and to ask for your help.

Last week, Councilmembers Sawant and Morales introduced the latest version of a new tax on jobs in Seattle — a 1.3% tax on companies with payrolls of $7 million or more a year. You might recall it was just two years ago that Sawant led a similar effort that was repealed by the Council after we joined small businesses and neighborhood leaders to file a referendum campaign. 

At DSA, we’re working hard to support all of our members as they grapple with the unprecedented public health and economic effects of this global pandemic. It’s estimated that we could see double-digit unemployment by the end of the month, and it’s unknown how many businesses and nonprofits will remain closed when this immediate threat passes. I detailed the severe impacts we’ve experienced to date in a recent column in Seattle Business Magazine. 

The last thing we need at this critical moment is a huge new tax on jobs in Seattle. This will affect getting people back to work and will slow down economic recovery in our city. If you missed this weekend’s Seattle Times editorial on this topic, I encourage you to read it here. 

We need our city leaders focused on what happens after the stay-at-home order is lifted. Focused on how to get businesses open and people working again. Raising taxes on jobs is not an antidote to the economic harm created by COVID-19. The challenges we face are bigger than all of us and require serious economic strategies like the CARES Act recently passed by Congress. Now is time for local leaders to forge partnerships with the state and federal government to ensure this relief makes it into the hands of the businesses and workers who need it most. 

Councilmember Sawant is using this pandemic crisis to advance her misguided political agenda. Please contact our city leaders today. Urge them to unify our community and work to get Seattle moving again once the virus is under control. You may email the entire council at: council@seattle.gov; and Mayor Durkan at: jenny.durkan@seattle.gov. Urge city leaders to oppose a new tax on jobs in Seattle

Please feel free to contact me with questions or comments at: donb@downtownseattle.org.

Thank you for your support.

Don Blakeney
V.P., Advocacy & Economic Development 

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