by Nikkita Oliver and the Seattle Peoples Party
As the Peoples Party has shown, with our detailed platform to address the housing and homelessness crisis on the Party webpage, we have a vision for how we can serve the housing needs of all Seattleites starting with the needs of the most vulnerable amongst us. We believe in our plan and the community who developed it.
As a result, it will not change because of political expediency. While the Mayor and billionaire Nick Hanauer’s proposed property tax levy was misguided and regressive, many were thankful that he took some decisive action when he proposed to raise taxes to pay for homelessness services.
But the Mayor promptly backed out of that plan barely a month after proposing it. Now, the Mayor wants to move on an equally regressive King County wide tax which will disproportionately impact low-income families and communities of color. This impulsive behavior, combined with the fact the Mayor has taken no effective action on homelessness, leads the Peoples Party to believe the Mayor has no vision for how to address this crisis.
The Peoples Party has a vision and a plan. We will work with stakeholders to create progressive tax structures and luxury taxes on corporations in order to ensure that all Seattleites who need and want housing have equitable access to affordable housing options.
We will do as homelessness expert Barb Poppe, to whom the City of Seattle paid $80,000, advises and ensure daytime access to shelters. We will consult equitably with all communities as potential sites for Navigation centers.
We are also strongly considering the so-called “Trump-proof Tax” on our wealthier Seattleites because we believe that all Seattleites want this crisis effectively addressed and desire to contribute to the solution equitably.
We will not change course simply because we feel we might get pushback. Instead, we will consult with community ahead of time, utilize the experts on which we spend and have already spent taxpayer money, and trust Seattleites want decisive intelligent action and will work with us to build the right solution.
Featured image: Naomi Ishisaka
Give me a break. What luxury tax will you propose? Is it even legal? How will you usher it through the City Council?
Also, what is up with all this “we” talk? You have a mouse in your pocket?
There’s a plan in the works for a modest income tax on people earning over 250K. WA has the most regressive state taxes in the nation, so something needs to be done.
https://trumpproofseattle.org/
Amazing and oddly coincidental that a tax is regularly characterized as “modest” when taken from others.
Hey Wtf,
A proposed tax of 1.5% after all income above $250,000! It is legal and it will be ushered through the same way all other measures have—through petitions, townhalls, and protests. Checkout TrumpProofSeattle.org
There are two authors on the article.
W, she represents the People’s Party. She did not decide these things unilaterally, but after consensus, as the editorial illustrates, but your condescending tone is noted.
Yes! A mayoral candidate who isn’t afraid to stand up against big money! This city has one of the most regressive tax systems in the country where the poor pay a higher rate in taxes for it to be redistributed back to wealthier neighborhoods. I’m so glad Nikkita is strongly considering the “trump-proof” tax.
For those who don’t know what she’s talking about, y’all can check it out at TrumpProofSeattle.org