Posted on 11/05/2004 3:41:28 PM PST by truth49
Sound Transit can continue to collect its motor-vehicle excise tax, even though the tax was repealed by Initiative 776 two years ago, a judge ruled today.
King County Superior Court Judge Mary Yu agreed with Sound Transit's argument that ending the tax now would unconstitutionally interfere with a contract it signed with purchasers of agency bonds in 1999.
In that contract, Sound Transit promised to keep collecting the 0.3 percent tax until the bonds are paid off. That isn't scheduled to occur until 2028, and over the next 24 years the tax will generate far more revenue than the $350 million the agency owes the bond holders.
But "this court has no authority to order early retirement of the bonds, nor the power to direct how Sound Transit spends the (excise tax) funds," Yu wrote.
I-776 sponsor Tim Eyman has indicated Yu's ruling will be appealed to the state Supreme Court.
Initiative 776, approved by state voters in 2002, repealed two other vehicle taxes in addition to Sound Transit's levy of $30 on each $10,000 of vehicle value. The state Supreme Court upheld the measure's constitutionality a year ago; the other two taxes are no longer collected.
But the high court didn't rule on the initiative's impact on Sound Transit, referring that question to Yu.
The judge also rejected arguments by Eyman's Permanent Offense organization and other I-776 supporters that Sound Transit's formation violated state law, meaning the agency never had the authority to sign contracts.
The motor-vehicle excise tax accounts for about 20 percent of Sound Transit's tax revenue. The agency has said loss of that money would probably mean cuts in transit service and capital projects, but would not affect construction of its Seattle light-rail line, as Eyman had claimed during the I-776 campaign.
Millions vote yes, 1 judge votes no
The noes have it.
Democrats.
Another example of the vehicle owners subsidizing mass transit.
"The motor-vehicle excise tax accounts for about 20 percent of Sound Transit's tax revenue. The agency has said loss of that money would probably mean cuts in transit service and capital projects, but would not affect construction of its Seattle light-rail line, as Eyman had claimed during the I-776 campaign."
Vehicle owners benefit by less traffic congestion and greater availability of parking spaces.
While the Nation voted "values" and for the conservative, the Soviet of Washington re-elected all their communists and traitors.
It is no surprise this move was made now.
Seattle, WA: Communists nullifying the vote of the people with extra judicial activism.
Their time will come.
"...Washington State government not listening to the will of the people regarding taxes..."
You would think that the dim-visioned Sheeple in Seattle and in Washington State would somehow get some vision from all of this and other lessons and vote for Republican candidates and judges who will listen to their will regarding taxes and many other issues.
Well, Jim Johnson, a conservative, won election to the state Supreme Court this year so maybe by the time this case makes it up for review the voters will be redeemed.
Do you even know anything about Washington State, or it's traffic problems? No? Didn't think so.
It's all fine and good for you to support something that has zero affect on yourself, but quite frankly the thing is, you don't live here, you don't deal with the traffic OR the transit system, so until you do, your opinion on it means squat.
Thanks, that sounds like a good start.
Please write a 300 word essay comparing and contrasting Washington States traffic problems with other regions of the United States so that we may be enlightened.
Well, first of all, Seattle will NEVER solve it's traffic problems because the damn city was built in the wrong spot, and no light rail or bus system is gonna fix it.
Nothin more be said. But, I'll keep your opinions in mind as I'm sitting in traffic on the way to work, looking over at the hardly-used HOV lane, and the nearly empty buses...
That time can't come soon enough for me. This is a nice place to live except for all the lefties.
Don't forget the Sounder train, that goes nowhere near any bus lines.
Yup. There is that, too...
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