Car Tab Increase To Fund Transit Proposed: Here We Go Again (Bellevue: health insurance, purchases)

[Garethe]

Did anybody see the news today where they are reporting Metro wants another car tab increase? An outrageous $60 I believe, and a bus fare increase of .25 on top of it. Or......they will cut service if they don't get their way.

I seem to recall this happening a few years ago, they threatened all these cuts, the increase went through and guess what? They cut bus service anyway.

I ride the bus a lot, but I can't support this, not when KC government is notoriously overpaid and haven't made any concessions that I know of. Why build a brand new headquarters Metro? Why pay some drivers over $75,000? Why hasn't the county switched to a 401K like our government urged Boeing machinists to do?

Just seems to me like there are some alternatives they can consider before they always run to the voters.

[amaiunmei]

King County bus drivers make nowhere near $75k.

Those positions are almost entirely part-time; most of the drivers maaaaaaaybe work 20 hours a week. The vast majority of drivers take the positions because it allows them access to health insurance. Most supplement their incomes (or marry well).

I've seen their tax records; I would know.

[Ruth4Truth]

The original initiative that slashed the car tab fee threatened to wreck the state ferry service, and ticket prices doubled or more. I imagine that any increase they've managed to pass since then is going in part to the ferry service, which is part of the state highway system. I'm not up on how that issue stands now, though, as I haven't lived there for some years.

[Wilson502]

theres less painful ways they get generate revenue than going straight for car tabs, seems kinda silly.

[Botev1912]

car taxes fund everything except roads.

[BellevueNative]

I'll say it again, but if people in this state don't want to pay a state income tax, they'll have to deal with being nickel and dimed with things like car tab and gas tax increases.

[Wilson502]

raising the gas tax a couple pennies is a lot easier to absorb than an upfront increase in cartabs.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by BellevueNative

I'll say it again, but if people in this state don't want to pay a state income tax, they'll have to deal with being nickel and dimed with things like car tab and gas tax increases.

The only problem with that statement, even with an income tax, citizens will still be nickel and dimed.

[Hemlock140]

Whining about a $60 increase in car tabs? We have 3 cars, that's $180/year or the equivalent of just $15/month. For people with one car $5/mo. That's a small price to pay for avoiding cuts to bus service. I can tell you from personal daily experience that they are already overcrowded, and people are driving to a farther to a park & ride closer to work to shorten the bus ride. That adds cars to the roads and makes traffic worse.

[Molli]

Originally Posted by Wilson502

raising the gas tax a couple pennies is a lot easier to absorb than an upfront increase in cartabs.

When I read your suggestion my first reaction was to say why should everyone who purchases gas have to pay for this -- perhaps only those who use the transit system should have to pay. Then I kicked myself in the butt and decided that your suggestions makes sense BECAUSE those who are not using the transit system should be the ones who should pay. Why? Because they are sharing in the benefit of a little less traffic, a little less pollution, etc. from those who are using the transit system. So every mile you drive in your own vehicle you pay a little bit for the benefit that you are deriving from those who are using transit.