Proposed tax increase is filled with potholes

Published 9:00 pm Friday, May 31, 2002

Traffic, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, just keeps getting worse. The state has got to come to our rescue. The plan, as you may have also heard by now, is to raise the gas tax by nine-cents a gallon and let the voters decide. Voters cannot say they will go for 10 cents, because they want it done faster, or that they would be more comfortable with eight because they are a little short. The Legislature could have proposed that, but we get to vote up or down on the 9-cent per gallon proposal.

If my information is correct, that’s not even half of the tax increase we will end up giving ourselves. The tax on cars will go up, and there will be bonds issued that somebody will have to pay – guess who? Maybe we can leave them to our kids. Best of all, none of this money is dedicated to fix the highways. Lawmakers can vote to spend it any way they wish.

Residents in Snohomish, King and Pierce Counties can vote to raise an even larger amount to fix county roads. I had at first thought that each county would have its own election and the county government would spend the money – not so. We all vote in one election and a board – kind of like the one that runs Sound Transit – will spend the money.

Now, if you’re like me, you have been wondering where King County is going to get the money to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct – surely you don’t think they might – naw, they will choose instead to help Arlington or Gold Bar with their problems.

This plan could really help relieve the traffic problem. If enough people can’t afford the higher taxes and decide to move away, that might help. The one thing I can’t understand is: where is the media?

Snohomish