OLYMPIA…Sen. Mark Schoesler issued the following statement in response to the Seattle City Council passing the notorious “jobs tax” Monday despite the city having no constitutional authority to levy the tax. Schoesler, R-Ritzville, has drafted a bill that will make this clear to Seattle and any other Washington cities considering a similar move.
“The Seattle City Council wants to tax anything and everything, but they forget that they only get their power to tax from the state Constitution and the Legislature. Neither of these has given the city the ability to penalize its largest employers for the thousands of jobs they bring to Washington. My bill will make it explicitly clear that it is illegal for cities to impose a tax based on the number of employees, their wages or their hours.
“The Council is completely oblivious to what it takes to keep job creators in our state. Socialist Councilmember Sawant has convinced a majority to grab money it isn’t legally allowed to take. It will not stand. It will be revoked by the Legislature – if a court doesn’t do it first.
“Today’s vote is a case of politics prevailing over common sense.”