Article

2017-11-23 -Land of the Free

Seattle's income tax on the wealthy is illegal, judge rules

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Posted by 746 2017-11-23 00:00|| || Front Page|| [6 views ] Top

#1 despite the perception, there are quit a few conservatives in Seattle that are hushed and downtrodden by the Democratic Political Machine, just sayin'

Posted by 746 2017-11-23 00:17|| 2017-11-23 00:17|| Front Page Top

#2 AFAIAC, anything other than a flat tax is unconstitutional.

Posted by gorb 2017-11-23 00:42|| 2017-11-23 00:42|| Front Page Top

#3 At the Supreme Court, Seattle officials hope to attack the long-standing interpretation that income taxes are property taxes,

Considering divorce courts consider income to be divisible property, good luck with opening a proverbial can of worms.

Posted by Procopius2k 2017-11-23 05:00|| 2017-11-23 05:00|| Front Page Top

#4 Yes, the burden of taxation should be evenly distributed. The ancient Biblical admonishment of the 10% tithe should be an excellent template. The gov't however, has it all backwards. The 10% is what they would permit us to keep.

Posted by Besoeker 2017-11-23 07:39|| 2017-11-23 07:39|| Front Page Top

#5 Shwarma Sawant ain't gonna be happy (in the Stalinist sense of the word happy)

Posted by M. Murcek 2017-11-23 09:24|| 2017-11-23 09:24|| Front Page Top

#6 Proponents say that money could be used to lower property taxes, help the homeless and expand provide affordable housing.

"Could." The old bait & switch. The money will actually be used to build yet more layers of bureaucracy, which in turn will require yet more taxes.

/statement of the obvious

Posted by PBMcL 2017-11-23 10:19|| 2017-11-23 10:19|| Front Page Top

#7 Like Willie Sutton, the bank robber said when asked about why he robbed banks. His reply: "Because that's where the money is." Similar to govmints.

Posted by JohnQC 2017-11-23 10:28|| 2017-11-23 10:28|| Front Page Top

#8 The city estimates it would raise about $140 million a year.

Until the wealthy citizens of that city decide to flee.

Yeah, and they're always talking about affordable housing. But what, exactly, is affordable housing? In my experience it's an excuse for developers to make a fortune building cheap, multiple family condominium complexes in cities where the infrastructure is already overloaded and charging the going rate for them. I don't know about Seattle but in San Diego the going rate is anywhere from $500,000 to $1,000,000 for what is basically a cracker box. Then the existing community gets to deal with the impact on schools, hospitals, water, fire and police protection and traffic. Excuse me, but if you really want affordable try Detroit.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2017-11-23 11:03|| 2017-11-23 11:03|| Front Page Top

#9 the going rate is anywhere from $500,000 to $1,000,000 for what is basically a cracker box

Adam Smith's way of saying "move elsewhere"

Posted by Procopius2k 2017-11-23 13:02|| 2017-11-23 13:02|| Front Page Top

#10 Sort of

Adam Smith would be against income taxation full stop

He would not be opposed to "property tax" if it was on the unimproved ground rent.

Using income taxation to subsidise property tax is the worst idea EVER for an economy.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2017-11-23 19:17|| 2017-11-23 19:17|| Front Page Top

#11 And Washington State has a Sales Tax - with a 'local' (Seattle) perentage add-on. I didn't hear of any discussion of lowering the sales tax.

So this 'income tax' on the wealthy is in addition to existing taxes - and you just know that their definition of 'wealthy' will drop over time until it incorporates the entire middle class.

Posted by Shailing Ghibelline6435 2017-11-23 20:59|| 2017-11-23 20:59|| Front Page Top

#12 Using income taxation to subsidise property tax is the worst idea EVER for an economy.

Wait a minute ....

Posted by gorb 2017-11-23 23:53|| 2017-11-23 23:53|| Front Page Top

23:53 gorb
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