Protestors have set up camp outside the New York home of Jeff Bezos, demanding a wealth tax in aid of the city’s Covid-19 affected poor.
The Amazon CEO, who is the world’s richest man, recently reached a net worth of 180 billion dollars. Among his many assets is a 16 million dollar Manhattan penthouse, where dozens of activists are staging a 24 hour sleep-out.
New York City was at one time the world’s worst hit area by the pandemic, with over 32500 deaths. Some poorer communities have seen a spike in crime as many people struggle with rent due to an unemployment spike.
Governor Andrew Cuomo is under pressure to tax the state’s 119 billionaires in a bid to make up for a 13 billion dollar budget shortage.
New York already has one of the highest wealth taxes in the world, with nearly half the city’s tax liability covered by just 2 percent of the population.
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