Rantz: After crime crisis cost him his insurance, business owner vows to stop paying taxes in protest

A local small business owner is losing his insurance policy after three years of “unfavorable loss” due to claims made after tens of thousands of dollars in damages due to the crime crisis. In protest, he exclusively told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH that he won’t collect taxes for Washington unless he’s able to find an insurance company willing to cover his business.

Nirav Sheth owns four brick-and-mortar small businesses across the Puget Sound region. He said the vandalism and break-ins are constant, forcing him to submit insurance claims to help cover the surging costs of repair.

But on June 27, Sheth said he was informed by Allied Insurance Company that he’s losing his coverage. His last day under the policy is September 29, 2024. The decision comes after filing claims totaling over $133,000 over three years. This didn’t even cover all the incidents his businesses suffered.

“The reason for nonrenewal is due to your unfavorable loss experience in three years,” the letter, provided by Sheth, reads.

Without insurance coverage, Sheth is left vulnerable. But he said if the state won’t protect him from a crime crisis Democrats created, he won’t support the government.

“My business locations will not collect any sales tax, will not pay any payroll taxes, will not pay B&O Taxes, will not pay for business license or any other form of taxes to this WA state government until they fix the issue. If my small businesses are going down, I will not go down without a fight with this corruption,” Sheth declared.

How was this small business owner impacted by Washington’s crime crisis?

There has been extensive vandalism to Sheth’s auto repair shops (Meineke shops in Des Moines, Silverdale and Gig Harbor). His employees have been attacked. According to surveillance footage, his employees have even had guns pulled on them.

At one point, he said his Gig Harbor auto shop was hit by a gang that stole seven customer vehicles. In Des Moines, a drunk driver smashed into his shop. The Silverdale location has had catalytic converters stolen from customer vehicles.

After his Italian restaurant in Normandy Park was vandalized a third time, Sheth announced he was running for Congress to take on incumbent Democrat Marilyn Strickland.

How is this small business owner protesting the government? By not collecting taxes

Sheth, a former Marine, said without his insurance coverage, he won’t be able to keep his locations.

“If I don’t have the business insurance, my landlord will kick me out. They already sent me a notice saying that if you don’t get the insurance, by this time, you will be defaulting on your lease,” Sheth exclusively told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.

Despite being on the verge of losing his insurance, Sheth said he doesn’t blame them. This isn’t even the first time his business insurance policy renewal was denied.

“Yeah, I don’t blame the insurance company. It’s the state’s policy … they introduced defunding the police and decriminalizing the drugs. So, those are the factors where we had property crime (go) high,” Sheth said.

“This lawlessness has contributed to all this and Washington state administration should be liable for this. That’s why I do want to file a class action lawsuit,” he continued.

More from Jason Rantz: Seattle restaurant owner ‘lost all faith’ in city after 23rd break-in

‘I will stop paying Washington state government any form of taxes,’ says small business owner

Sheth said he’s been looking for another insurance company to cover his business, but he’s not having any luck.

The small business owner reached out to an insurance agency in Portland, Oregon but the advisor told him, “I don’t have a market for a business with this many claims. I advise in the years to come you consider not making claims under $10,000 until your loss run gets cleared up,” according to an email Sheth shared with “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.

Has anyone in statewide government been able to help? Sheth said he reached out to Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office for assistance, but he said he didn’t get any help. He noted the irony that if a customer complained to Ferguson’s office about something that happens in his business, “I get a letter in two days from the AG’s office (saying), ‘You need to fix this!'”

Now, Sheth is readying a dramatic move to protest the untenable business climate thanks to the crime crisis. He asks, “Why am I paying taxes?” if he’s not offered even basic protections as a business owner. In protest, he said he’s not going to pay taxes if he’s unable to get a new policy.

“I will stop paying Washington state government any form of taxes,” the small business owner said. “I’m also denying collecting taxes on behalf of the government, from the people. If paying taxes gives you security for your jobs, for your safety, for the basic infrastructure, basic services … if I’m not getting it, I think I do have a right to deny (paying and collecting taxes).”

This will make him a target

Sheth said he knows he’ll be made a target by his protest. He even knows he could go to jail as a result. But he said it’s the best way he can fight back and he feels like he doesn’t have much of a choice. Without the insurance, he said he’ll have to file for bankruptcy.

“But I will not go down without a fight,” he said.

One way to avoid this dramatic action, he said, is for the state to “step in and help, not just like me, there are so many business owners in the same shows as me.”

“The lawlessness, the property crime, but they’re not doing anything. What am I supposed to do? I’m all ears. If you guys have any solution, let me know,” Sheth said. “I don’t want to do all this. But my hands are tied. I have a family to feed. I got 18 employees. They have families to feed. What can I do?”

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Is he ready to go to jail for this protest?

Sheth said he’s running for Congress to help fix these kinds of issues. He insisted that not paying his taxes as a small business owner is a genuine protest, not a campaign gimmick. But is he really willing to go to jail over this?

“Yes … they will put me in jail, I know that. What can I do? What can I do? I don’t have any power,” he said.

Sheth also knows that this could make the problem worse, but he feels like he’s out of options. He said he will have to file for bankruptcy if he doesn’t get the insurance coverage and would default on his business loans and owed rent.

“The situation I’m in, I did not create. I’m working hard work seven days a week and running a campaign …” Sheth said. “So, if you put yourself in my shoes, what would you do? I’m asking everyone who is listening. What would you do?”

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