Despite the fact that Tim Burgess has moved up to the 7th floor to inhabit the Mayor’s office, his long-in-the-works ordinance regulating short-term rentals (a la AirBnB, VRBO, and other companies) is far from dead.
Continue reading Picking up the pieces: Despite Burgess’ exit, the AirBnB legislation lives on
Last week Council member Tim Burgess held a high-level briefing on the ordinance he intended to introduce (after a year of iterations) to regulate short-term rentals on platforms such as AirBnB. Today he officially introduced the legislation, and I read it cover-to-cover so you don’t have to.
Pacific Legal Foundation, champion of libertarian legal causes, has filed a lawsuit against the City of Seattle over its recently-passed income tax on high earners.
Continue reading Another lawsuit filed against the Seattle income tax
This morning the Washington State Supreme Court ruled in favor of the City of Seattle in a lawsuit challenging the city’s tax on guns and ammunition.
Continue reading State Supreme Court rules for Seattle in gun tax challenge
We knew it was going to happen, and it sure didn’t take long. The first lawsuit to challenge the City of Seattle’s new income tax was filed last week in King County Superior Court.
This afternoon the City Council unanimously passed the proposed tax on income over $250,000 per year.
This morning, the Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee voted to move forward the proposed 2.25% tax on annual income over $250,000.
Continue reading Council moves income tax ordinance one step closer to adoption
This afternoon the Council adopted eight amendments to its proposed income tax on residents with earnings over $250,000. Most were cosmetic; a few make substantive changes.
Continue reading Council lightly amends income tax ordinance
The Pacific Legal Foundation, known for its conservative and libertarian legal crusades, has filed a lawsuit challenging Seattle’s Democracy Voucher program.
Continue reading Democracy voucher program draws lawsuit (UPDATED)
Last Wednesday the City Council held its first committee hearing on the proposed income tax bill as introduced. This coming Friday they will hold another meeting to start considering amendments. They hope to have the whole thing wrapped up and passed into law by the middle of July – even though the city’s understanding of how to implement it is far from complete. The Council members know that, and they’re fine with it.
Continue reading Council continues to work on income tax ordinance, up to a point