In this May 24, 2018, photo, paid signature gatherer John Ellard, right, gives thumbs-up as two men stop to sign petitions to put on the November ballot a referendum on Seattle's head tax, in Seattle. Seattle city leaders say they'll work to repeal the tax passed just last month on businesses such as Amazon and Starbucks designed to help pay for homeless services and affordable housing. Amazon and other businesses had sharply criticized the levy, and the online retail giant even temporarily halted construction planning on a new high-rise building near its Seattle headquarters in protest. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Under pressure from businesses and homeowners, the Seattle City Council is poised to repeal a tax on large employers like Amazon.com Inc less than a month after it passed the tax unanimously.
The council said it will hold a vote Tuesday and signalled it would reverse its earlier move. The tax of US$275 per employee – called a head tax – was expected to raise almost US$50 million a year for homeless services and affordable housing, and the ensuing debate exposed a schism in the city over who’s responsible for the city’s swelling homeless population.
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