Seattle is dying

[PNWbrit]

I don't know that the entire rest of the state is against transit or transportation/road spending but, clearly, enough were. I know I voted against I-976 but that's normal. I generally vote against public initiatives in principle and I never vote for any Eyman initiatives, mostly because he's just a total tool and scammer.

I know our local Chamber was pushing hard against I-976 as well as the AGC. For economic development, we need the transit and transportation, especially related to the N-S Corridor work that won't be complete until 2029. It may be much longer, now that 'the people' have spoken. Short-sighted, stupid outcome.

Commonlaw's loafer budget is restored though.

Bringing this back from fine dining options and our fleets of autobahn crushers.

As I got to work this morning at downtown tower there were six cops standing around with their thumbs up their asses while some tweaked out homeless dude rolled around on the steps of the building. 20 minutes later they were still there. So were their thumbs. So was homeless dude except he was now laying in a puddle of his own vomit.

Remember when SPD would charge batons waving at WTO protesters or punch teenage jay walkers?

[Art Shirk]

There is almost no seattle issue more important to me than transportation and I have been paying to fund it for decades. This isnt a binary issue where residents either pay what is imposed and get lumped into the camp that cares about infrastructure and community, or they vote against the increased costs and get lumped into the camp that wants more loafers at the expense of their fellow city dwellers. Live through the history of the link light rail and viaduct project botches, and then tell me you won't get a little suspicious about where you money is going and who is looking after the fiduciary relationship between the taxpayer and the government.

I can still pay a fair share via all the other avenues of taxation but smell bullshit when I see it and call it out with my vote. The answer to our problems isnt charging people $400 a year to drive 15 year old cars.

[Buster Highmen]

Maybe those extra restaurant fees will cover things?

[Mofro261]

There is almost no seattle issue more important to me than transportation and I have been paying to fund it for decades. This isnt a binary issue where residents either pay what is imposed and get lumped into the camp that cares about infrastructure and community, or they vote against the increased costs and get lumped into the camp that wants more loafers at the expense of their fellow city dwellers. Live through the history of the link light rail and viaduct project botches, and then tell me you won't get a little suspicious about where you money is going and who is looking after the fiduciary relationship between the taxpayer and the government.

I can still pay a fair share via all the other avenues of taxation but smell bullshit when I see it and call it out with my vote. The answer to our problems isnt charging people $400 a year to drive 15 year old cars.

Monorail! Monorail! Monorail!

[Buster Highmen]

Monorail! Monorail! Monorail!

Nah, too visionary.

[PNWbrit]

$400 a year to drive 15 year old cars.

Doesn't really seem that unreasonable to me sounds like it's probably something fancy.

[GeezerSteve]

Tim Eyman's initiatives are a cultural own-the-libs test, the legacy of Seattle voters' self-imposed wound of killing federally funded mass transit in 1968 and again in 1970. The fed money went to Atlanta to build MARTA.

[Art Shirk]

Tim Eyman's initiatives are a cultural own-the-libs test, the legacy of Seattle voters' self-imposed wound of killing federally funded mass transit in 1968 and again in 1970. The fed money went to Atlanta to build MARTA.

Yeah we screwed that one up early and once we wised up, whatever plans we have won't match growth. Add in Eyman hamstringing any already hamstrung department and the whole history has been a trash fire.

I get the irony with that last statement and my ire over the tabs, but as with many things voters usually only get a menu with two equally stupid and extreme options. Pick one and hope the lawsuits get us somewhere in the middle eventually and with a small dash of accountability.

[Buster Highmen]

Seattle voters can always vote down the latest in corporate welfare spectator sport venues only to have their vote overturned in the Legislature.

[GeezerSteve]

. . . voters usually only get a menu with two equally stupid and extreme options.

In 2010 WA voters were presented with a progressive income tax starting on households making $400K -- and they soundly defeated it 64% to 36%. Those margins were nearly identical to defeated measures in 1975 and 1982.

WA's regressive taxation is very frustrating to me, a small businessman and a small biz attorney for 33 years. WA's B&O tax is the most regressive tax possible on small biz, a real small biz killer. For 30 years I have tried like hell to inform and persuade my clients that replacing (fully or partially) WA's B&O tax with a progressive income tax and/or a progressive tax on capital gains would be a boon to WA small biz, but my plea usually falls on deaf ears and often met with the tired all-taxes-are-evil Reagan/Norquist/Eyman unthinking knee jerk response.

[GoldMember]

^^ You're right about the B&O tax. I've railed on that for years. On the income tax, though, remember that Christine Gregoire was one who was trumpeting to other businesses outside the state that they should move here since we don't have a state income tax. It's been fought to some extent on both sides of the argument.

[GeezerSteve]

Yeah, Christine Gregoire successfully used income tax fearmongering in her race against Ron Sims. A reliable source tells me that she always privately supported a progressive income tax. But politics is politics and fearmongering works.

[GoldMember]

Yeah, Christine Gregoire successfully used income tax fearmongering in her race against Ron Sims. A reliable source tells me that she always privately supported a progressive income tax. But politics is politics and fearmongering works.

Oh, I'm certain she personally supported an income tax but she was keenly aware that the majority of voters in the state were solidly against it. Don't wave the flag of an unpopular issue when you depend on those votes to keep your job. Politics 101.

[dunfree]

Big infrastructure projects are costly and time consuming and prone to cost overruns. That's almost a global constant - it's by no means unique to Seattle. Deal with it, or accept the alternative. You aren't going to get perfect and it's almost never in the middle.

[AK47bp]

So wise ^


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[dunfree]

^ says the dude who thinks dealing with the shitass traffic to get to oregon to save a couple $ from the 'couv is a good deal. crossing the columbia is great example of stupid failures of transport planning in the PNW. the charm of the PNW was it's parochialism, it's also the achilles heel, and it's amazing how parochial all of the "worldly" immigrants are.

[Art Shirk]

Big infrastructure projects are costly and time consuming and prone to cost overruns. That's almost a global constant - it's by no means unique to Seattle. Deal with it, or accept the alternative. You aren't going to get perfect and it's almost never in the middle.

I do deal with it by paying what I owe and using my vote to send whatever small message I can. Every city has overruns but Seattle’s were especially laughable and shortsighted. Calling that out can be an independent exercise. No need to put people into one of two buckets, HC.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[AK47bp]

^ says the dude who thinks dealing with the shitass traffic to get to oregon to save a couple $ from the 'couv is a good deal. crossing the columbia is great example of stupid failures of transport planning in the PNW. the charm of the PNW was it's parochialism, it's also the achilles heel, and it's amazing how parochial all of the "worldly" immigrants are.

What in tarnation you talkin bout?

How is paying no income tax and no sales tax a bad deal for an individual?

Dumbass.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[wooley12]

Suckier public services and roads. It's a trade off. And as someone said somewhat screwed up muli billion public works projects are the norm. Has been since before the Hoover Dam.

[Ted Striker]

Did they ever tear down the bridges to nowhere, aka 520 ghost ramps at the Washington Park Arboretum?

[wooley12]

And spend hard working taxpayer dollars? The off ramp to nowhere still exists where I'd take my dates to watch the sun set in 1966.

[dunfree]

Every city has overruns but Seattle’s were especially laughable and shortsighted. Calling that out can be an independent exercise.

No - they really weren't for a city of Seattle's aspirations. Not even close to laughable. Y'all assign yourself into the bucket of people who value their time at $0 when stuck in traffic and only think of opportunity cost as something that happens with your money. There's been 50 years of infrastructure and traffic projects Seattle had a chance at and they've voted for lower taxes and shitty traffic. that's your choice, that's your bucket.

[char_]

AK47- have you actually commuted over the Columbia I5 bridge?

That thing should have replaced 20 years ago.

[AK47bp]

AK47- have you actually commuted over the Columbia I5 bridge?

That thing should have replaced 20 years ago.

Oh yea. Its a big hunk of iron shit.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[char_]

No one in their right mind is driving over the Columbia to Portland to save a buck on routine purchases. That is probably a net negative excursion by the time you drive there, sit in traffic and then go home.

My parents have lived in the area for like 30 years, they avoid crossing the river at all costs. I guess if you are buying a one time, large purchase it might make sense.