There has been no shortage of big news in Seattle this past week.
Between (1) Amazon's bombshell announcement they were setting up a new headquarters, and (2) Mayor Ed Murray resigning in scandal, city government has been rocked to its core.
At least, it should be rocked to its core. Instead, you saw council members signal that they just don't get it.
Some lambasted Amazon
for daring to
expand elsewhere, and called for new taxes on successful Seattle
businesses. It all sends a signal to other businesses: Look elsewhere.
This is a council determined to stay the stupid course and impose ever-more
taxes, fees, and rules on the businesses that have helped make Seattle
vibrant
and wealthy. Seattle city government is more likely to view thriving
businesses as leeches than contributing employers.
The city budget has grown rapidly yet city government is a mess, and
the obvious anti-business stance of the city council is clearly creating
economic downsides.
Time for a course correction? No, they say, full
speed ahead.
-Rob McKenna