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#SeaHomeless

00000181-fa79-da89-a38d-fb7f2b910000KUOW is joining forces with other Seattle media outlets to highlight the homeless crisis in the city and region on Wednesday, June 29, 2017.The effort was modeled after a collaboration by more than 70 San Francisco outlets to focus a day of news attention on the issue and possible solutions.Read more about the Seattle project and check out our coverage below. Follow the city's coverage by using #SeaHomeless.HighlightsThe Jungle: an ongoing coverage project going into the notorious homeless encampment under Interstate 5.Ask Seattle's Homeless Community: KUOW is launching a Facebook group where anyone may ask a question about homelessness, but only people who have experienced it may answer. This was inspired by a recent event KUOW co-presented with Seattle Public Library and Real Change, where residents of the Jungle answered audience questions. No End In Sight: an award-winning investigative project from KUOW about King County's 10-year plan to end homelessness.

Cost of doing business? Seattle considers employee head tax

KUOW | By Jason Pagano

Published April 23, 2018 at 3:40 PM AKDT

Construction continues on a new apartment complex on Monday, March 12, 2018, at the intersection of Aurora Avenue North and 109th St., in Seattle.

Seattle has an affordability and housing problem, and the City Council is considering asking businesses to chip in. A proposal in the works would tax Seattle businesses with at least $20 million in taxable gross receipts 26 cents per employee for every hour they work.

The city estimates that an employee tax would raise about $75 million a year.

Should businesses pay more? We debate the pros and cons with Seattle City Councilmember Mike O'Brien and Seattle Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Marilyn Strickland.

Marilyn Strickland: Our position as employers isn't that we don't want to help people who are homeless. We want to work with social services to help people get back on their feet, etc. I think the business community certainly has a role to play. #KUOWRecord
— KUOW Public Radio (@KUOW) April 23, 2018

What does the city council get for this, if the head tax passes? How would we measure the success of it?@CMMikeOBrien: Building affordable housing units... we need more. This proposal would dedicated 75% of the revenue to additional units. #KUOWRecord
— KUOW Public Radio (@KUOW) April 23, 2018