Seattle Amazon Tax – How We Win! (w/ Tammy Morales, Kshama Sawant, TRU, 350 & More)

Join Seattle DSA, Seattle Transit Riders Union, Councilmembers Tammy Morales and Kshama Sawant for a discussion on how we can win a substantial tax on big business in 2020 and what critical services and goods we should use the revenue from a big business tax to fund.

2020 is the year we can win against Amazon and take a major step in taxing big business. An expected record high progressive voter turnout in November, a mass public discussion about socialist policies promoted by Bernie Sanders, and a collective sentiment that we are running out of time to fight climate change and economic inequality: That’s the perfect storm we must unleash against the billionaire class, embodied by both Trump and Jeff Bezos.

Working people suffer from rising rents, rising homelessness, rising transit costs, rising sea levels, and rising healthcare costs. Meanwhile, Amazon and other big corporations get away with paying $0 in federal taxes. A modest local tax on big business to build affordable housing was killed by Amazon in 2018 by threatening to move out of the city. Amazon then went after City Council candidates who they saw as a threat to their interests, spending a record $1.5 million in our local elections.

What’s the best strategy to win?  There have been a lot of discussions on all levels — in City Hall, among labor leaders, progressive organizations, and activists. On Jan. 11 we bring these discussions together for all activists in Seattle to participate and share their views.