Amazon’s Slow Retreat From Seattle

[Self Inflicted Wounds]

You know he was fighting for equal rights. Business isn't violating anyones rights or oppressing people.

Many businesses are surely in the scope of oppressors in the US.

[Draco-Onis]

Don't they have barely any taxes? Obviously wealth would move there.

They already moved there which is why they got a refund instead of having to pay federal taxes. That's why the 35% corporate tax rate line was always bullshit it ignores the giant size holes in the tax code.

[PC2]

Many businesses are surely in the scope of oppressors in the US.

Nah that's really vague. If a business was oppressing people there would be a lot of outrage. They would get sued.

[Celista]

What does a business owe a city?

Should a business relocate for the cheapest rent or should a business stay and pay the city's homeless expenses?

Businesses should go wherever they want. I say this fully knowing that sometimes businesses actually contribute to issues like homelessness, where people start being priced out of rent. Obviously rent and real estate prices and homelessness is more complex than that and that sort of side effect from a flourishing company is something that is typically completely unintended.


They shouldn't get away with paying 0 taxes anywhere, though. No business should pay less in taxes than the average American does period. On top of that, small businesses almost never have tax rates anywhere near that low. Shame on local governments that let businesses get away with that stuff.

[PC2]

They shouldn't get away with paying 0 taxes anywhere

That happens all the time. Companies like Amazon focus on growth, not profit, thus they have little taxable income. And even if they have profit they could still legitimately pay $0 in some years because things like past losses get to be carried over into future write-offs. Asset depreciation can be forgone in early years to save the write-off for later years. There's all types of legitimate reasons that could cause a business to have $0 tax years.

[Celista]

That happens all the time. Companies like Amazon focus on growth, not profit, thus they have little taxable income. And even if they have profit they could still legitimately pay $0 in some years because things like past losses get to be carried over into future write-offs. Asset depreciation can be forgone in early years to save the write-off for later years. There's all types of legitimate reasons that could cause a business to have $0 tax years.

Yes I know why it happens, I'm saying it shouldn't happen.

[PC2]

Yes I know why it happens, I'm saying it shouldn't happen.

If you understand there are a lot of legitimate write-offs then why shouldn't it happen?

[PC2]

Why should the US taxpayers fit the bill for Amazon to expand their global empire?

Nobody is asking anyone to pay Amazon's taxes. If you mean state or city tax deals that is really between the locals and their representatives.

[d00mGuArD]

. Furthermore, with a massive percentage of Amazon's employees living below the poverty line and COLLECTING UNEMPLOYMENT due to Amazon's practice of preying on marginalized people with low wages, YOUR tax dollars and MY tax dollars are actually SUBSIDIZING Amazon.

I'd like to see your source please.
Amazon pays $15 per hour in the U.S., and (at least) $16 per hour in Seattle (which is the minimum wage in Seattle for companies with more than 500 employees).
That is not poverty line, you are making things up.

[Self Inflicted Wounds]

Nah that's really vague. If a business was oppressing people there would be a lot of outrage. They would get sued.

False.

10chars

[Celista]

Why should the US taxpayers fit the bill for Amazon to expand their global empire?

Nobody is asking anyone to pay Amazon's taxes. If you mean state or city tax deals that is really between the locals and their representatives.

Tax breaks on large businesses hinder marketplace competition as well as reduce governmental income for investment in problems such as homelessness, not to mention the cost that taxpayers eat due to having to subsidize low-wage labor through provision of food stamps and other programs for the working poor.

Your POV is akin to five people living in a house and one person saying that he shouldn't have to pay rent because he makes more money than everyone else living there.

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I'd like to see your source please.
Amazon pays $15 per hour in the U.S., and (at least) $16 per hour in Seattle (which is the minimum wage in Seattle for companies with more than 500 employees).
That is not poverty line, you are making things up.

$15 is poverty line in Seattle, average 1 bedroom is now $2k a month.

[Dald]

Seeing as Amazon paid negative fucking taxes last year, they should help out where ever they can. Fucking scumbags.

[Celista]

The problem is that they can pay effective Zero taxes for years and still have quarterly earning calls about record profit. I know those two are not a fair 1 to 1 comparison, but it raises questions of our current Tax System. A system that has countless special caveats only corporations and the super-rich can benefit from. Then when people want to fix that system the business threatens to move out of state or country.

I don't even know why we fight it, we should tell them to get the fuck out and start PSAs on supporting local businesses, who are more important to driving our economy anyway. Money from local businesses tends to stay in the US and promotes the well-being of the middle class.

[d00mGuArD]

$15 is poverty line in Seattle, average 1 bedroom is now $2k a month.

I'd like to source your source that people in Seattle making $15 and $16 per hour, are getting government benefits because they are considered poor!
It is what the guy I quoted is claiming.

[Orbitus]

In what kind of alternate reality do you live?

It is Hubcap, he lives in his own reality. So, don't expect much from him.

[Celista]

I'd like to source your source that people in Seattle making $15 and $16 per hour, are getting government benefits because they are considered poor!
It is what the guy I quoted is claiming.

Why don't you figure out how much money you have left if you earn $15-16 an hour, after paying taxes and $2k a month in rent.

Rental rate source: https://www.rentcafe.com/average-ren...us/wa/seattle/
https://www.rentjungle.com/average-r...e-rent-trends/ <- this one says average rental is $2158/mo.

[d00mGuArD]

Why don't you figure out how much money you have left if you earn $15-16 an hour, after paying taxes and $2k a month in rent.

Rental rate source: https://www.rentcafe.com/average-ren...us/wa/seattle/

So, are they getting poverty money from the government while making $15-$16 working for Amazon, or not? I did not see the answer in the link.

[Galluccio]

What does a business owe a city?

Should a business relocate for the cheapest rent or should a business stay and pay the city's homeless expenses?

If the business got tons of government assistance, then they owe something to the city plain and simple.

[Celista]

So, are they getting poverty money from the government while making $15-$16 working for Amazon, or not? I did not see the answer in the link.

The answer is yes since basic math seems too hard for you, perhaps staying in school next time instead of asking people on the internet to figure out things for you might be a better life solution for you in the future.

If you need more info, $30k a year qualifies you for low-income housing down in Vancouver, Washington, where I work now and the cost of living is significantly lower. Also it qualifies you for AppleHealth, which is expanded Medicaid in WA.

I know this because I work for a mental health nonprofit and people who qualify for those services are our clients.

[tripleh]

City officials just want more money for there own pockets. They could careless for the homeless, just look at California. The officials in Seattle would take there cut of the tax before helping the homeless.