I’ve written an awful lot about car tab fees these past few weeks, and I’m not unsympathetic to complaints that these flat fees represent a regressive tax on low income car owners. Unfortunately, as I’ve repeatedly explained in the comment threads, while a progressive MVET would be preferable, a flat tab fee is the only taxing authority the legislature has granted us, so it’s either levy the fee or do without the services and/or infrastructure it would buy.
But what I’m not sympathetic to is the bullshit argument that we can’t possibly afford tax increases during a down economy—that somehow an additional $40, $60, or $80 a year on our car tabs (at a time our taxes in inflation- and income-adjusted dollars are lower than ever) will hurt businesses, destroy jobs, or push already struggling families over the edge. And I especially have no compassion for the elitist assholes who point to plunging stock market indices as evidence of some sort of disconnect between pro-tab-fee council members and the economic plight of the average taxpayer. In fact, most Seattleites have the bulk of their wealth tied up in their homes, not in stocks, thus whatever one has to say about the relative merits of investing in street rail, there is absolutely no question that it dramatically boosts property values near stations. Meanwhile, these transportation projects… they’ll all create good paying jobs, something else our local economy desperately needs.
As for disconnects, there’s no better illustration of one than the way Wall Street has become totally unhitched from the economic reality of normal Americans.
The fact is, if you really want to hurt our local economy, you’ll make it more difficult for people to get to and from work, home, leisure, and shopping by slashing transit and delaying or canceling needed improvements in our transportation infrastructure. Everything in CTAC III’s proposed plan is designed to move more people—via car, bus, rail, bike, and foot—faster and more efficiently. The goal is to improve the quality of life for all Seattleites. And yeah, those types of investments cost a little money.
So argue with the priorities if you like. Make a convincing case that we don’t need to invest in bike lanes or sidewalks or transit or even filling potholes. But when you argue that we simply can’t afford it—any of it, no matter what the final plan, no matter what the final cost, and no matter what the needs—well, that’s not an argument for responsible governance, that’s just an excuse to refuse to pay for it.
Hey Goldy, I support the $80 fee. You know why? Because it’ll never pass. $20? Maybe. $80? No way.
Plus, when the income tax vote comes along again (n maybe 20 years), lower class peeps will remember who is continually in their wallet.
Agreed!
man, you are belligerent.
people are both ill-informed & stupid. they usually have to suffer personally before they support change. add to that, the fact that progressives have no national narrative with which to appeal to people and no effective representation within government at any level and… we are on a downward slope in this society & the bottom is not yet in sight. enjoy your day!
“ill-informed & stupid.”
You forgot idiots, racists and morons.
Thanks! Everytime you call Americans, 2/3 of WA idiots, including 55% of King County, ‘stupid’, you only help us keep taxes down.
So carry on.
Know what else? Building bike lanes, according to one study, creates more jobs than the standard road infrastructure.
The typical fee argument is that it’s only $80 or only $24 per family…or that toll is only $4…or that it’s only $5 to visit a state park.
However, what these “onlys” do is distract people from the hundreds and thousands of existing taxes they already pay for the same things.
For example, numerous polls have shown that the percentage of road revenue that Americans would ideally like to be shifted to bicycle-pedestrian projects (not transit) is about 25%. We should do this immediately.
Also, the Onlys add up — especially if they are a usage fee. A $5 toll paid daily both ways becomes $50 a week, $2500 a year.
@7, Which is why I went to the effort of breaking down what I already pay the government for the privilege of using public roads, freeways and bridges.
And FYI, you’re “only” argument works both ways. Metro has “only” increased fares by $1.00 each way over the past four years, but that comes to over $500 a year for a daily bus commuter. Time for car owners to chip in a little more, considering the bargain we already get.
Denmark levies a 200% tax on all new car purchases. That is, if you buy a $20,000 car, you must also pay $40,000 in taxes to support transportation infrastructure. Driving is a privilege, and it should be taxed as such. $80 seems like a fair fee to me.
I’m for a $40 fee. Plus another $40 for every 2000lbs over the first 4000. FUV drivers pay. HMV drivers pay even more.
“Denmark levies a 200% tax on all new car purchases”
And the loony left wonders why they can’t win elections in America.
#8
Chip in for what?
More transit that they’ve already gone out of their way to eschew by owning a car?
There is zero evidence that “transit” does anything to reduce car congestion.
If it did, then the streets of Seattle…which is awash in mass transit…should be empty.
There’s a bus that runs 45th Street all day long with very frequent runs. Yet, that same street is impassible due to traffic!
How can you argue that Personal Transit (bikes, cars, taxis) should be taxed or hampered to pay for a Mass Transit system which is completely ineffectual!
While I agree the money is needed and would be put to good use, I gotta ask ya, Goldy:
Do you honestly believe voters will really vote to raise fees on themselves right now?
Regardless of how good the cause or how reasonable the fee, I just don’t see it getting passed by The People under current economic conditions/predictions.
(If Tim Eyman has proven anything, it’s that people will gladly vote against their own self-interests if it looks like they’re voting against self-taxation as well.)
Goldy, how about this argument; the same people (the mayor included) endlessly bitching about the Tunnel financing plan are A-ok with giving the mayor a blank fucking check for light rail in Seattle where this is no financing/timeline plan.
I am sure that between you and Dom you can justify the hypocrisy, but I can’t.
Put McGinn’s light rail plan on the ballot on its own if it is such a great fucking idea and let the people decide.
“the bullshit argument that we can’t possibly afford tax increases during a down economy”
During a down economy, the government needs to raise taxes to roll the money back into the economy. Look at all the cash reserves that corporations are hoarding right now. Thank you, George Bush, for your fucking tax cuts.
People who want to live in a libertarian paradise should move to Somalia, and admit they hate America.
And people who want to pay half their income in taxes should move to fucking Denmark.
When will you be leaving, Will?
Has no one pointed out this is a regressive tax? Someone commuting from the sticks where there’s no bus service to a shitty job pays 0.1% of their income to register their jalopy, while someone commuting to Microsoft only pays 0.01% (a tenth) for their BMW, which they prefer to the ample bus service?
Basing it on the value of the car (ala Denmark and lots of other congested countries) seems more reasonable.
Of course these are all just crazy schemes to get revenue in lieu of a sensible income tax. Because crazy is all that can make it through our legislature…