Summary

King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn is releasing the following statement opposing a new county-wide head tax proposal introduced today in the state legislature.

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King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn is releasing the following statement opposing a new county-wide head tax proposal introduced today in the state legislature. If passed, the proposal would give King County license to tax the region’s most vital employers.

“This renewed effort to tax jobs is a political zombie stumbling back from the graveyard of bad ideas. This proposal is just Seattle’s failed head tax with a new coat of paint, the only difference is the original disincentivized job creation in Seattle and this version disincentivizes higher wages for the entire County.

“Punishing local workers and employers for their talent and success is destructive for our entire region and fundamentally un-American. We’ve seen this type of money grab fail before and it should fail again.

“Elected officials need to stop putting the cart before the horse. The truth is that no amount of tax increases will ever be enough to help our homelessness crisis if that money backs failed policy. Taxing salaries to generate an arbitrarily decided and huge sum of taxpayer money is irresponsible and more importantly just won’t work.”

Dunn is available for phone interviews. Text David at 206-954-2368 to arrange.