This interview is part of ourEconomy’s series on the US election.
Kshama Sawant is a socialist member of the Seattle City Council.
Elected in 2013, Sawant has championed increasing the minimum wage, taxing the city’s largest corporations, and guaranteeing affordable housing for all Seattleites.
In 2018, Sawant was one of only two voices on the City Council to vote in favor of a head tax, which would have seen Amazon pay the city $11 million annually to fund public housing and homeless services.
In response, Amazon spent an unprecedented $1.5 million to defeat her reelection bid in 2019. Sawant ultimately beat this exorbitant campaign and is currently serving her third term in office.
This week, the Seattle City Council approved a JumpStart tax – obligating Amazon to pay 2.4% for employees making over $400,000. This progressive tax will generate upwards of $200 million a year which will be allocated for Covid-19 relief and affordable housing.
We spoke with Sawant several months ago about the intersecting crises of homelessness and healthcare in Seattle and across the US.
The full interview is available below, as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Soundcloud.
