(SEATTLE – July 2, 2021) – Today, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce filed an appeal of the recent decision in the membership organization’s lawsuit against the city of Seattle’s JumpStart Tax. The Chamber’s legal team at Perkins Coie filed the appeal in Division I of the Washington State Court of Appeals.
“We filed this legal challenge because the payroll tax is illegal – it does not align with Washington State Supreme Court precedent,” said Rachel Smith, President and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. “It is our duty to fully vet policies that impact the business community, especially as businesses struggle to recover from the pandemic. This is an important legal issue to resolve and this needs to be reviewed by the Court of Appeals.”
On June 4, King County Superior Court Judge Mary Roberts upheld Seattle’s JumpStart Tax, a tax levied on employers for paying compensation to employees. The Seattle City Council approved the tax in July 2020 and the Chamber took legal action in December that same year.
Now, the Court of Appeals will review the King County Superior Court’s application of the law.
About the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
The Seattle Metropolitan (Seattle Metro) Chamber of Commerce is the regional business advocacy organization that engages the innovation and entrepreneurship of its 2,500 members to promote inclusive economic prosperity. Founded in 1882 by local business leaders, the Chamber today is an independent organization representing a regional workforce of approximately 750,000. For more information, visit www.seattlechamber.com.
Media contact: Jillian Henze, APR
(206) 389-7244
jillianh@www.seattlechamber.com