August 12

Car tabs to rise $20 – without voter approval – to keep buses running

Uncategorized

2  comments

Updating our Thursday post on paying more to register your vehicles, the King County Council this morning announced an agreement to let a super-majority of the council increase vehicle licenses by $20, without going to voters.

The money will go to fend off cuts in service by Metro buses, including several routes serving Maple Leaf and the Northgate Transit Center. An official council vote is expected Monday.

The deal settles a standoff between County Council members from Seattle, which needs more bus service – or at least to keep the service it already has, and suburban cities, where buses often run with few passengers. Part of the deal eliminates the downtown free-ride zone for buses. Another part gives $20 in free bus passes to any taxpayer who gets hit with the $20-per-car charge.

Our news partners The Seattle Times are updating the story here. Erica Barnett at Publicola is updating here. There’s also a background piece on the issue in Crosscut last month here.

Still to come: How much more money will the Seattle City Council ask voters to pay for vehicle registration? That council is expected to vote Monday on an increase of up to $80 per vehicle – but this time it is expected to be on voters’ ballots.

About the author 

Sara W

You may also like

Sephora coming to Ballard Blocks 2

Sephora coming to Ballard Blocks 2

Self-Defense Class

Self-Defense Class

Fall Budget // Accountability Partners on SPD’s Crowd Control Policies // Internet for All // COVID Rental Assistance // Community News You Can Use

Fall Budget // Accountability Partners on SPD’s Crowd Control Policies // Internet for All // COVID Rental Assistance // Community News You Can Use

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. I’m convinced the City/County have enough money. They just waste it on poor staffing and efficient systems. We shouldn’t let them have anymore of our money until start stewarding what they have.

  2. I think it is a wonderful compromise. You get the $20 in bus tickets for your money or you can donate them to charity. I am so happy my bus won’t be eliminated now!

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

Subscribe to our newsletter now!