June 23, 3:39 PM 1
Is the Problem the Head Tax? Or a $4.2 Billion Tunnel?
Greg Nickels today announced he would eliminate the “head tax” on Seattle businesses, which currently collects $4.7 million a year for street repair and walking and biking improvements.
If Nickels really cared about taxes, transportation, and local businesses, he would stop championing the $4.2 billion tunnel project, which includes a $930 million commitment from Seattle residents in new taxes, utility rate increases, and local fees. Even worse, the state legislature has passed a law requiring Seattle to pay for all cost overruns, which on a project like this could run into billions of dollars.
“What a shell game” says McGinn. “Nickels puts out a press release saying he is cutting taxes, but at the same time he favors the biggest boondoggle this city’s taxpayers may ever see.”
The tax is only $25 per employee, and an incentive allows any business to avoid the tax for each employee that walks, bikes, or uses transit.
Mayoral candidate Joe Mallahan also supports eliminating this important source of $4.7 million in revenues for transportation investments.
Nickels and Mallahan are both following the lead of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, which has actively opposed the head tax since its inception and supports the $4.2 billion dollar Viaduct Tunnel.
McGinn opposes the Viaduct Tunnel. Nickels as well as the other major mayoral challengers Drago and Mallahan support the tunnel.
The Tunnel? let’s get rid of it! How can that be a good option. An elevated option is the best choice IMHO. Let’s forget the view - it’s been blocked for decades anyway. The tunnel is NOT designed for much more than current capacity. There is NO EASY WAY to increase capacity short of digging another tunnel. We need capacity to handle the needs and surface streets will NOT suffice. Let’s stop the madness and build the elevated structure that is much less expensive and can be built to handle today’s capacity as well as the future. Mayor McGinn, please oppose the tunnel and let’s build something that we can afford! Build a replacment viaduct!