We both have a long history of supporting arts and culture, but it is unwise and inequitable to impose another $500 million regressive sales tax increase on overburdened King County taxpayers.
Conservatives and liberals alike should unite for tax fairness and better prioritization.
This regressive tax increase impacts low-income and working class folks the most. People feel the burden of the Sound Transit tax increase which pushed our sales tax over 10%.
This destroys capacity to fund higher priorities like housing, roads, homelessness, and education. With homeless kids living under bridges, why prioritize spending $500 million on arts?
Despite the rhetoric, the bulk of your money will subsidize a handful of large, well-funded organizations with wealthy patrons. The funds for schools, low-income and diverse communities is shameful compared to what politically powerful organizations receive.
An unelected board would control over half-a-billion dollars of taxes which lacks accountability.
King County’s arts community is already well funded. There is the 1% for the arts policy, and starting in 2021 lodging taxes dedicated to arts and culture will provide $13 million annually.
As a Seattle Democrat & East King County Republican we ask you to Vote No. Wrong Tax, Wrong Time, Wrong Priority.