Seattle mayor offers smaller business head-tax plan

SEATTLE (AP) – Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan has proposed a smaller plan for a tax on large employers.

The Seattle Times reports Durkan said Thursday that her tax would raise money for homeless services and affordable housing. However, her plan would be half the size of the $75 million per year measure under consideration in recent weeks.

Rather than impose a so-called head tax of about $500 per employee, per year on for-profit companies that gross at least $20 million per year in Seattle, Durkan’s proposal would charge $250 per head.

Rather than be replaced by a 0.7 percent payroll tax in 2021, Durkan’s tax would remain unchanged for five years and then would need to be renewed.

KING-TV reports if the compromise deal moves forward, Seattle Building Trades executive secretary Monty Anderson says construction would resume, according to his conversation with Amazon Thursday.

Amazon announced last week it was pausing construction downtown pending a vote.