The Seattle City Council repealed the tax in a 7-to-2 vote that was accompanied by large doses of acrimony and despair. The crowd was standing room only, with some carrying posters that said “Tax Amazon Not Working People” while others supported repeal. The comment period was extended by the council members in a fruitless attempt to try to accommodate everyone. At least one Amazon employee spoke in favor of the tax, saying, “I want all kinds of people in this city, not just rich people.”

Less than a month ago, the tax had passed unanimously. It was signed into law on May 16 by Jenny A. Durkan, Seattle’s mayor, who said the money would “move people off the street and into safer places” and “clean up the garbage and needles that are in our parks and in our communities,” as well as provide resources including job training and health services.

“I know we can be a city that continues to invent the future and come together to build a more affordable, inclusive and just future,” she said.

Within days, that vision was in tatters. Amazon, which had already succeeded in watering down the original tax after halting expansion plans in protest, joined other Seattle-based corporate interests such as Starbucks, the Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s investment firm Vulcan and local food and grocery firms. All showed they would fight the law, and at least some residents took their side.

The opponents funded No Tax on Jobs, an effort aimed at getting enough signatures to put a repeal on the November ballot. It became obvious over the weekend that the measure would succeed in coming before voters, leading Ms. Durkan and seven council members to issue a statement saying, “We heard you.”