‘Making Amazon look bad’: Microsoft supports a state tax on businesses

“I don’t know if I’ve heard of this happening before; it’s not ringing any bells,” said Rep. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island, when I asked if a big business has ever come to the state Legislature proposing a sizable tax on itself to help pay for a government program. “I have to say, I didn’t expect it at all,” echoed Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle, who has warred with Microsoft before, and lost, over that company’s extensive state tax breaks. The bill proposes increasing the state business and occupation tax by 20 percent on about 40 categories of technical services, such as telecom, engineering, medical and finance.

Source: www.seattletimes.com