Economy
Seattle Unanimously Passes an 'Amazon Tax' to Fund Affordable Housing
The compromise bill to fund affordable housing and homelessness programs is a thermometer for how cities regulate rapid economic growth.
Amidst signs that read “Tax Amazon” and chants of “housing is a human right” the Seattle City Council voted unanimously Monday to impose a controversial tax on the city’s largest companies to fund more affordable housing and fight homelessness. The bill has become a thermometer for how cities interact with mega-corporations, after Amazon halted construction of a new office building pending the outcome of the vote.
“High-cost cities all over the country are looking toward Seattle,” Councilmember Lisa Herbold said before the final vote.