No one ever said tax was popular, but Seattle City Council faced the wrath of big business this week in a bid to raise levies to help fight homelessness – and, unsurprisingly, big business has hit back.

Amazon and Starbucks – two firms well known for their dislike of paying taxes – have claimed they will halt expansion in the city as a result. They have accused the council of everything from hostility to incompetence and claimed the cash raised will fail to make a difference to the city's housing issues.