Council ups parking tax, OKs ‘benefit district’ (possible license fee)

| Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Two Seattle City Council votes today set up new ways the city can raise money for transportation projects directly from citizens: One bill creates a Transportation Benefit District – which could set up a “variety of revenue-generating options,” according to the council announcement. Some might go to voters – but the council also could enact a $20 vehicle-licensing fee without voter approval. They’ll be setting up an advisory committee to figure out what they want to raise and what it would be spent on. They also approved a bill raising the commercial-parking tax by 2.5 percent, to 12.5 percent. That’ll bring in $5 million more a year, which the council announcement says will go to projects including the Alaskan Way Seawall and Mercer West. One more council vote today creates a Freight Advisory Board to focus on “preserving and improving mobility and access” for freight transport – a big issue given the Port of Seattle’s presence in and adjacent to eastern West Seattle. Full announcement, with links to the bills, is here.

Deeno September 20, 2010 (5:09 pm)

“Too often I find that the volume of paper expands to fill the available briefcases” — Jerry Brown

foy-boy September 20, 2010 (5:21 pm)

Maybe we can get a park an ride in westseattle. Use one of the empty lots in the middle of town. Use the old hertz rental lot. Just remove the building, put down some new pavement paint some lines charge 2$ aday and put up a bus stop sign an wala you have a park and ride. But wait that would be to easy. Plus none of our public officials were smart enough to think of this. So maybe this is still just a park an ride dream.

marty September 20, 2010 (5:39 pm)

More taxes? Will it ever end??

J September 20, 2010 (5:51 pm)

Sure, Marty! You can certainly live in a place where you don’t have to pay any taxes. But keep in mind, those places also have no taxpayer funded amenities.

kj September 20, 2010 (7:19 pm)

Why not a minimal fee for bikers who use heavily trafficked streets?

Plus maybe traffic tickets for the bikers who think the laws of the road apply only to cars?

Wouldn’t that raise some extra funds?

visitor September 20, 2010 (8:50 pm)

>>>“preserving and improving mobility and access” for freight transport

damn right. It’s about time to focus on this very important industry. It’s been forgotten in all the noise about tunnel vs. surface and park vs. development, etc etc etc. Seattle is a port, after all.

foy-boy September 22, 2010 (12:24 pm)

Why not charge a fee for bikes? Well I’ll tell you why. Liberals won’t tax themselves. But I think that the bike people have been getting a free ride on all the road projects for them. If I have to pay a road tax to drive then the bikes should have to chip in for all the new bike lanes.

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