Proposed King County Congestion Fee is a Regressive Tax

In order to obtain emergency funding for public transit, the King County Council, specifically, Larry Phillips, has proposed a congestion fee of $20 to be charged for every automobile.  I am writing in strong opposition to this fee and hope that others will also oppose this regressive tax and testify at the upcoming hearings unless a poverty wiaver is added.  There are about 80,000 persons in Washington State whose unemployment benefits have run out and whose lives are in crisis.  Add to this senior citizens living on fixed incomes and keeping their old cars running.  And consider next all of the homeless who live in their cars. 

Although Phillips is a liberal councilman, he appears to be turning a deaf ear to the problem of charging an individual with a $200,000 income and a new luxury car the same tax as persons living below the poverty level.  This isn’t coming from the Republicans. This is coming from so-called liberals.