Why are car rental taxes so freakin high in Seattle? (rental car, sales)

[exit82]

Holy Smokes! I got a great rental rate but the taxes almost doubled it!! Is this a secret plan to keep tourists out of Seattle? How welcoming, I think we'll find somewhere else to go if that is how you feel about visitors.

[azoria]

I can't say for Seattle exactly, but I know in Dallas they did the same thing.

Every time local government needed to raise money for some kind of pet project--like a new 20,000 seat hockey arena for example--they would put up a vote to raise taxes on rental cars and hotel rooms. Tax people from out of town in other words, people who didn't have the right to vote on the taxes which would be imposed on them.

It's much easier to pass an ugly tax measure if you're taxing someone else, particularly people from far away who won't be around long.

[Ira500]

If I'm not mistaken, rental car taxes as well as hotel and motel taxes are paying for both Safeco Field and Qwest Field. Paul Allen, owner of the Seahawks and Qwest Field is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 billion dollars. Poor guy, it's a good thing he's being subsidized by taxpayers.

[exit82]

I understand-but honestly- I do find it truly insulting to the tourists, Lord know we will spend enough on Hotel rooms- (now please don't tell me- they do the same bend over routine with Hotel room taxes....) admissions, restaurants, souvenirs etc……..

[70Ford]

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

http://electricshadows.files.wordpre..._v_800_600.jpg

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by exit82

... Hotel room taxes....) admissions, restaurants, souvenirs etc……..

Admissions - no. Souvenirs - no.
Try living here when the public says HELL NO WE DON'T WANT YOUR DAMN PROJECT, and they go ahead and build it anyway and then tax us, and you, for it.

[christylou]

I don't think those taxes are any different that many other cities. I encountered the same shock and horror when I went to New Mexico. The fees and taxes were more than the daily rental cost!

[obsidian97]

Originally Posted by exit82

Holy Smokes! I got a great rental rate but the taxes almost doubled it!! Is this a secret plan to keep tourists out of Seattle? How welcoming, I think we'll find somewhere else to go if that is how you feel about visitors.

They come up with creative ways of hosing everyone over on taxes, not just the visitors. Dallas (as someone else said) explicitly raised taxes on rentals and hotels to pay for local projects. Chicago has also done the same in the past, as has Houston. I think it's a pretty standard way of paying for projects that they think will draw tourists into the city in the first place.

Originally Posted by exit82

I understand-but honestly- I do find it truly insulting to the tourists, Lord know we will spend enough on Hotel rooms- (now please don't tell me- they do the same bend over routine with Hotel room taxes....) admissions, restaurants, souvenirs etc……..

They add extra taxes for restaurants versus the general sales tax. Welcome.

Originally Posted by 70Ford

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

What does the 80's TV series 'V' have to do with taxes?

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by obsidian97

What does the 80's TV series 'V' have to do with taxes?

Wasn't that along the lines of this thread -- government stinks?

[jenlion]

When they raised the hotel taxes in Dallas AGAIN, Mary Kay threatened to move its annual convention someplace else. Don't remember how they resolved it, but their threat actually had an impact.