Once Democrats have achieved critical mass, the result is inevitable. Even Detroit, once the wealthiest city in the country, was reduced to postapocalyptic ruin by the Democrat Death spiral. Seattle now follows:

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell released his payroll expense tax (PET) report for 2024 Tuesday, and its projections came up nearly $50 million short.

Harrell says he will “consider all options” to make the numbers add up, “including additional revenue sources and appropriate expense reductions.”

We have seen this movie before. Harrell and his fellow Democrats will seize additional resources hand over fist, but expense reductions would alienate the parasites who vote for them. Consequently, there will be no meaningful reductions, and the numbers will come ever farther from adding up, requiring ever more revenue sources.

From an ominous statement by Harrell:

“We need to design our tax policies with the full context of our economy and a comprehensive view that ensures we raise the revenue needed to support all of our residents in a progressive way, aligned with our values.”

Democrat values consist of leftism. Harrell says the businesses being looted should “should pay their fair share.”

As always, government greed is what created the mess in the first place:

The payroll tax is levied on large corporations in the city, like Amazon and Expedia. Such a steep revenue forecast error suggests high-paying companies or their jobs are leaving the city.

Those left behind after businesses are driven out will be increasingly dependent on government handouts and thereby on the Democrats who give them other people’s money, creating a vicious cycle that will pull the city into a Marxist maelstrom of left-wing radicalism and economic dysfunction. But at least Democrats won’t have to worry about losing elections, any more than the do in the ruined wasteland once known as the Motor City.

[Esteemed countermoonbat Jason Rantz] noted that the Seattle payroll tax idea may go statewide with the budget proposal from Washington Democrats.

Productive citizens are advised to escape the whole state, which Seattle may pull down with it like Chicago has been doing to Illinois.

On a tip from DCGere.