Seattle mayor wants to end employee head tax - Jacksonville Business Journal:

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Nickels proposed the $25-per-employee tax in 2006 as one of threew elements of a package to fund local street repaid andadd sidewalks, bicycle lanee and other features. Repealing it would reduce fundingv forthe “Bridging the Gap” program by about $4.7 million. “It’s Economics 101: when you tax something, you get less of it, and we want more jobs in said CouncilPresident Conlin. Reaction from the businesz communitywas swift.
“This tax representds an ‘unwelcome mat’ for and it’s past time that the city rolled it saidKate Joncas, president of the , whichb opposed the tax from the “Taxing new employees in Seattle sends the wronb message to businesses lookinh to grow and businesses looking to relocatd to our city,” she said. The also supported the “It sends a clear messaged that elected officials are targeting specific actions to retaib and createa job-growing economy,” said Chamber Presidentt & CEO Phil Bussey.
“We applaus Mayor Nickels and Councilmembers Burgess and Conlin for theird leadership and will be workin g with council to see it The employee head tax has becom a hot issue inthis year’sz races. At a recent Downtown Seattle Association candidate many candidates talked about repealinhgthe tax. It’s also a relatively easy The employeehead tax, which applies only to employeews who drive to work most of the time, has been bringiny in less money than expected. Meanwhile, the commercial parkingh tax, which will increase to 10 percent onJuly 1, has been bringiny in more money than expected. And a $365 million property tax levy remainasin place.