Ok...

If Tim will write an initiative to the people, something like this:

I-700 (thereabouts)

The Transit Gas Tax fund initiative, AKA, 1 penny for Transit...

Be it resolved,

Public Transportation is a necessary service, which makes it possible for the poor to search for employment, take care of necessities, and be a functioning member of society. Public Transportation also has a positive effect on traffic congestion, especially in large urban areas.

Further,

It is in the interest of the people that a 1 cent per gallon tax on commercial nonexempt fuel be levied to provide funding for public transportation services (to be defined).

Anyway, tell me what you guys think...

-- Brian Bradford (bbradford@tcfn.org), August 31, 1999

Answers

Brian:

The Transits may ask the voter right now for up to 2.3 cents a gallon for transit funding. They may also ask for up to 0.6 of 1% of the sales tax for funding.

All they need to do is to make their case to the voters in their service area. The B-F transit now takes 0.3 of 1% (which amounts to 3.75% of all the sales tax collected in their service area).

The transit could also make up the difference by better management. It costs $4.80 everytime someone boards a B-F bus. If the person pays the full fare of $0.50, the taxpayer pays the remaining $4.30.

The Olympian newspaper has endorsed I-695 because of the wasteful management that exists in the transit system.

-- RD (Monte) Benham (rmonteb@aol.com), August 31, 1999.

If I'm not mistaken, Spokane tried to implement the local option tax. Not too long ago. It was slaughtered.

BTW, why is it that EVERY community hasn't implemented this tax? I mean, it would provide so many WONDERFUL, and NEEDED services, and enable local transit outfits like my beloved C-Trans to build up even LARGER balances in their banks!

Who could POSSIBLY oppose such a tax?

Westin

(Sarcasm switch now in "off" position)

-- Westin (86se4sp@my-deja.com), August 31, 1999.