As reported here, King County executive Ron "King" Sims wants to boost the county sales tax by one tenth of one percent to pay for improvements in bus transportation, raising the sales tax on goods and services from 8.8% to 8.9% in King County.
Improved bus service is all well and good, but I have some problems with this idea.
The first problem I have with this is, of course, raising a current tax above its' current level to pay for something, when absolutely no effort has been expended in making the system that this additional source of funds is for, more efficient in its' operation. But then again, we are talking about a government agency here, so the "natural thing to do" is to look for more money coming in, rather than looking for better ways to spend what they already receive.
The other problem I have is that a higher sales tax on goods and services harms those who can least afford to pay this, and this in turn, is bad for our economy. Those who are already lining up to say this is a "good idea" say that a one tenth of one percent increase in the sales tax would only have a "marginal impact" on the average household, but I beg to differ with that premise. In this day and age, with personal debt escalating out of control, rising energy and food costs, and astronomical housing costs, the "average household" is already cash strapped, and any increase in any tax - no matter how small - will have a direct, and definite impact on the budget of the "average household" (if they actually have a budget, that is). Much as I hate to admit this, this increase in the county sales tax rate will probably sail through the county council, however ill advised it may be, much to the detriment of the "average household".
Efficient bus service is not something high on the "to do" list of Ron Sims, while increasing taxes apparently is.
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