Your City’s Downtown Is Already Dead — But the Tax Bill Is Still Alive
Seattle’s downtown is filling with ‘zombie towers’ — empty office buildings that are economically dead but still standing. The real crisis isn’t the vacancy; it’s the collapsing commercial property tax base that funds schools, transit, and services. If downtowns can’t generate revenue, homeowners and renters will pay the price. The remote work shift is permanent, and cities that refuse to adapt will face a budget disaster.