S.F. activists wanted to tax Amazon. They could wind up taxing small businesses instead

The backers of a San Francisco ballot measure meant to tax Amazon are heading to court this week to try to get it pulled from the ballot, after realizing the measure might not apply to the e-commerce giant. Instead, it could ensnare hundreds of small businesses and reduce general city revenue.

Affordable housing organization TODCO and its director John Elberling wrote Proposition K to generate money for a guaranteed basic income program, which traditionally gives out regular, no-strings-attached cash payments to low-income people. Elberling said he spent a total of...