A day later it’s above the fold in the paper of record, but remember: you read it here, first.
Well, actually, you read it here, first, way back in December of last year. But it was still me getting out ahead of the curve on a crucial issue:
City officials have been quietly exploring options to “buy back” in-city Metro bus service cuts in the event that all other options fail.
Seattle has unused Transportation Benefit District authority of its own (sales tax and car tab fee) that could yield up to $51 million in new revenue a year if approved by a simple majority of Seattle voters. Officials are also exploring a $25 million property tax levy “lid lift” that would also require a simple majority at the polls. Meanwhile, there’s another $50 million in new revenue available to the council without voter approval, via a hike in the city’s commercial parking tax, and a reinstatement of the controversial head tax, a per-employee tax on city businesses.
Those are the options that are on the table. Personally, I prefer the head tax/commercial parking tax option, as all it takes is the political balls to implement it. But I’m happy to see any proposal for buying back Metro cuts get the above-the-fold attention it deserves, as this will help push city decision makers to, you know, make a decision.
Of course they’ve been exploring it quietly, in much the same way that Metro no doubt has quietly been exploring how many fewer cuts will be needed with that extra revenue coming in via sales taxes that they owned up to rather belatedly.
After all, why be above-board about their plans when they’ve got bloggers and print journalists providing cover in advance of the vote by proclaiming dire consequences if a funding measure isn’t passed?
The good thing is, at least they’ve been exploring it. Nice that we can now talk about it in mixed company.
I’m shaking my head back and forth…
I am in favor of transportation services, though I have little faith in our regional and state governments to really effectively build them without the projects becoming pure pork for special interests. However, we need to get away from regressive sales and similar taxes to fund the services. The reality is that Seattle is a national case study in wealth inequality and corporate self-indulgence and taxes need to fairly come from across the spectrum. Working people are broke. Its time to force the concentrated wealthy to pay back into society at a fair level.
@3, we are not going to have an income tax in Seattle, so fuck you. If you don’t like it, move to Califuckyou.