Mayor Ed Lee: Payroll Tax Taxes Job Creation In San Francisco

Ed Lee, Mayor of San Francisco, and Ron Conway, angel investor at SV Angel, spoke about Proposition E, a proposal to  change the payroll tax in San Francisco at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco today.

“We have a payroll tax that taxes job creation in the city,” Lee said, calling it one of the most negative aspects of the city.

He added that the propositon “helps everybody have a fair tax system.”

Conway called passing the proposal the “biggest gift” the tech community can ever give to San Francisco.

“A hundred years from now, San Francisco will continue to be the innovation capital of the world because we made these concessions,” Conway said.

TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington moderated the discussion and, of course, provided some of the amusing banter.

“And then vote no on Prop E. I mean yes on Prop E!” Arrington joked after Conway explained that Disrupt attendees could register to vote outside.

He also mocked Conway for focusing on a banner welcoming visitors to San Francisco. Conway mentioned the banner several times, including how large Lee’s name is on it and how many company logos are on it.

“You’re getting a lot of mileage out of this banner,” Arrington remarked.

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