Sunday, May 19, 2019

Seattle wants to toll Downtown streets how about some tax credits too

It seems the revenue gods from the Seattle Mayor's office and the Seattle City Council feel if you toll Seattle streets you can gain some additional revenue.  Here is an idea if you want to toll Downtown Seattle streets lets do this in exchange for property tax relief.  Let's say you pay $40 a week in tolls in using Downtown Seattle streets then you would receive $80 a week in property tax relief.  Renters would receive their relief in a monthly rental voucher.  To qualify for relief you will need to submit a copy of your toll receipts to City Hall.  City Hall would issue these credits to eligible citizens on 5th of every month.  This would be eligible for Seattle residents only.   This will make Seattle more of a livable city.  Small businesses based in Seattle who use their vehicles for business this would include taxicabs, Uber and Lyft lets say they pay $100 a week in tolls then they would receive a $400 credit on their business taxes this will make the city less expensive for small business to do business in.  Uber, Lyft and taxicabs would receive the same rebate as a regular car in exchange of not raising their fare to accommodate the toll of the Downtown Seattle streets.  Small businesses, Uber, Lyft and taxicabs that qualify would submit their tolls to city hall to receive their rebates each month.  Uber and Lyft would not be allowed to take a portion of this payment since it is the cost of doing business in Seattle.  The small business, taxicab permit owner and ride share owner must be headquartered in the Seattle city limits to qualify for the tax break which will be issued on the 10th of each month.  

Since this toll idea is get residence to use public transit since public transit is the worst polluter and ruins the roads quicker than a normal car.  We need to require a $5 raise in bus fare for every rider to pay the city for the cost of repairing the streets.  Bus riders could receive bus fare credit if they are Seattle city resident by applying for an exemption for a city sponsored monthly bus passed in exchange of paying the additional bus fare.  

Please tell your city council want to toll Downtown Seattle streets then compensate the residents who use them with tax credits.  

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