Mayor Katie Wilson and the City's Money Problems

May 4, 2026, 15:56
USPolitics

Introduction

Many people are angry with Mayor Katie Wilson. She said some bad things about rich people and big companies in Seattle.

Main Body

Mayor Wilson said that rich people leaving the city is not a big problem. She did this after the Governor started a new tax for people who make over $1 million. Now, big companies are leaving. Starbucks is spending $100 million in Tennessee. This means 2,000 jobs will leave Seattle. The city might lose $750 million in tax money. Many leaders are unhappy. They say the Mayor is arrogant. They think her words are a mistake because the city needs money from businesses.

Conclusion

People are watching Mayor Wilson. They want to see if the city stays rich or loses more money.

Learning

💰 The "Money" Words

In the story, we see words used for big amounts of money. For an A2 student, it is important to know how to describe who has the money and where it goes.

1. People and Status

  • Rich people →\to People with a lot of money.
  • Big companies →\to Large businesses (like Starbucks).

2. Action Words (Money Flow)

  • Spending →\to Giving money to buy things or start projects.
  • Lose →\to When money goes away and you don't have it anymore.

💡 Pattern Spotting: "Making" vs "Spending"

Look at these two different ideas from the text:

  • *"People who make over 1million"∗1 million"* \to$ This is about earning (getting money from a job).
  • *"Starbucks is spending 100million"∗100 million"* \to$ This is about using (giving money away for a reason).

Quick Tip: Use Make →\to for your salary. Use Spend →\to for shopping or business.

Vocabulary Learning

mayor (n.)
a person who is in charge of a city
Example:The mayor will speak at the town hall.
city (n.)
a large town where many people live
Example:The city has many parks.
money (n.)
paper or coins used to buy things
Example:I need money to buy a book.
people (n.)
human beings; individuals
Example:People like to read books.
angry (adj.)
feeling upset or mad
Example:She was angry when she saw the mess.
big (adj.)
large in size or amount
Example:The elephant is a big animal.
companies (n.)
businesses that sell goods or services
Example:Many companies make phones.
leaving (v.)
going away from a place
Example:She is leaving the office now.
job (n.)
work that a person does for pay
Example:He found a new job.
tax (n.)
money that people pay to the government
Example:You have to pay tax on your income.
leaders (n.)
people who guide or direct others
Example:Leaders decide on new rules.
unhappy (adj.)
not happy; sad
Example:He felt unhappy after the test.
arrogant (adj.)
thinking one is better than others
Example:The arrogant boy ignored everyone.
mistake (n.)
an error or wrong action
Example:That was a big mistake.
need (v.)
to require something to be satisfied
Example:I need a cup of tea.
businesses (n.)
companies or shops that sell goods or services
Example:Businesses sell products.
watching (v.)
looking at something for a period
Example:She is watching a movie.
see (v.)
to use eyes to look at something
Example:Can you see the stars?
lose (v.)
to no longer have something
Example:I don't want to lose my keys.
rich (adj.)
having a lot of money or wealth
Example:The rich man owns a big house.
governor (n.)
a person who leads a state
Example:The governor will visit the school.
new (adj.)
recently made or started
Example:This is a new book.
million (n.)
the number 1,000,000
Example:A million dollars is a lot of money.
starbucks (n.)
a coffee shop chain
Example:I drink coffee at Starbucks.
tennessee (n.)
a state in the USA
Example:Tennessee has many mountains.
jobs (n.)
positions of work
Example:There are many jobs in the city.