After much drama and wrangling, both houses of the state legislature passed a bill today authorizing King County to levy a temporary $20 annual car license fee through 2014. Generating an estimated $25 million a year, the money would be used to restore 250,000 service hours of the anticipated 600,000 in service hour cuts Metro planned in response to declining sales tax revenue.
King County Councilman Larry Phillips was totally “pumped” by the news. “The best thing King County can do to recover the local economy,” Phillips said, “is to keep buses on the streets so that people can get to work.” Phillips credited the Amalgamated Transit Union members’ willingness to make a voluntary three-percent wage concession for winning over support from Senate Transportation chair Mary Margaret Haugen.
That said, it’s still not a done deal. To secure passage in the senate, conference negotiators put back in the odious supermajority provision previously stripped by the house that requires a two-thirds vote of the county council to approve the fee, and it’ll be no sure thing getting that sixth vote.
The drama continues.
This is a sensible move IMO.
Back during the campaign for Eyeman’s $30 car tab initiative, there was a-lot of “rest of state vs. Seattle” rhetoric. They didn’t like paying for our projects. Since then I have thought that there should be separate tabs, to guarantee a functional portion of ones tabs went to projects closer to home.
I would rather not pay more than I am now, but I accept, support, and agree with the need to do this. Especially for mass transit (not just busses).
what happened to the mandatory 2/3 supermajority for any corporate tax exemptions?
Temporary? Thanks for the laff.
@3 tell you what, you put tolls on your Eastern WA highways and we’ll discuss your point, k?
(pin drops)
but will, he’s already put TROLLS on them! HAR.
The “best thing” they can do is take $20 that would have been given to local waitpersons and hand it to Chris Gregoire?
Baby steps, next thing you know they are approving $385 million dollars for the transit portion of the Surface+Transit option, making the consultant’s report possible.
The state will get right on that.
Hey, Goldy,
You and Reuven Carlyle were right! Jane Hague has reportedly voted against the emergency funding measure.
Horrible 2/3 precedent: set.
Restorative funding for transit: $0.
(“Vowed to vote” ≠ “voted.” Sorry. Same result, though.)