520 tolls to pay for King county bus service. (Seattle, Spokane: sales, insurance)

[70Ford]

Do you think that is fair? I wonder if subsidizing the bus service is some sort of weird way to get people who drive to ride the bus. I mean, they're not forcing you to ride the bus. You can pay a lot of money for the convenience of driving a car. It makes sense, I suppose.

Murray thinks the double-tolling is the way to raise enough cash to pay for all of the 520 Bridge replacement. He also thinks the tolls could help finance corridor bus service, which is under pressure in King County as supporting sales taxes decline. The county has proposed a car-tab tax to help it support new bus service.

Well, at least if I pay more and more taxes as part of the experience then at least more people can afford to ride the bus. I think that's fair. I'm helping out my neighbor, and it will give me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

House bill would limit toll to 520

I'm going to make a prediction. I-90 is ripe for the picking for a toll. Might not happen today. Gonna happen, though. I got a feeling. It's too juicy of a peach to pass up.

I wonder how I would feel if the tolls was "To pay for free children's insurance." Isn't it strange how things are like that? If you're saving some kid $1000 bucks, it seems almost holy. If you're saving Joe the gum smacking worker bee $1000 bucks a year, it doesn't feel so "groovy." But, doesn't Joe deserve your help? Isn't Joe's worth the same as little Timmy's worth in the grand scheme of things? Should I even care what this tax in Seattle (CRAP...toll) pays for?

It's only money, right? Heck, we should use it to improve Spokane bus service, right? We're all just one big, happy, money sharing family.

[jinj]

If car riders have to pay tolls, then bus riders should pay them too.

[mmcguy]

Answer me this.... If a bus at 3:00am crosses the 520 bridge with 3 passengers, is the toll the same as bus with 100 passengers at 5:00pm?

[BellevueGuy]

A typical proposal from a Seattle senator: let's suck every single cent from other cities and spend on buses, where 80% of the benefits will go to Seattle.

Matter of the fact is the bridge toll is for bridge funding only, and rightly so. All the cities involved have recommended the money not be spent on transit, except well of course =) Seattle. I am sure a lot of people on the Eastside will make sure their senator hear their voices.