Last week the Mayor’s Office officially transmitted to the City Council its “Fare Share” legislation, imposing a tax on Uber and Lyft rides and enforcing a minimum wage for drivers. A close read of the bills reveals some interesting details and nuances.
Category Archives: tax
Mayor proposes increasing tax on Uber & Lyft rides, minimum wage for drivers
(update below)
Tomorrow morning, Mayor Durkan will unveil another of her 2020 budget initiatives: increasing the tax on Uber and Lyft rides in the city. In combination with that, she will announce a proposal to institute a minimum wage for Uber and Lyft drivers.
Mayor Jenny Durkan and Deputy Mayor Shefali Ranganathan briefing the press on the proposed new tax on Uber and Lyft rides and minimum wage for TNC driversContinue reading Mayor proposes increasing tax on Uber & Lyft rides, minimum wage for drivers
Heating oil tax voted out of committee
This afternoon, the Council voted Mayor Durkan’s proposed tax on heating oil out of committee, setting it up for final approval next Monday.
Update on Transportation Impact Fees hearing
Last week I reported that the City of Seattle’s Hearing Examiner had reopened the hearing on the city’s SEPA Determination of Nonsignificance, the first step in establishing Transportation Impact Fees in Seattle. Hearing Examiner Ryan Vancil asked the parties to come back in so he could pose some additional questions to them that he felt weren’t thoroughly briefed in their filings to-date.
That meeting was this afternoon; it lasted only twenty minutes, enough time for Vancil to lay out his four questions and for the parties to agree on a schedule for additional briefs.
Continue reading Update on Transportation Impact Fees hearing
Hearing Examiner reopens hearing on Transportation Impact Fees
Yesterday, Seattle Hearing Examiner Ryan Vancil informed the parties in an appeal related to Transportation Impact Fees that he was re-opening the hearing “to address a narrow question of law not fully briefed by the parties in their closing arguments.”
Continue reading Hearing Examiner reopens hearing on Transportation Impact Fees
Mayor floats proposal for heating oil tax
Last Friday, the Council had a first committee hearing on Mayor Durkan’s proposed new tax on heating oil. The details turn out to be very interesting (in a good way).
Durkan vetoed the soda tax bill; here’s what happens next
Last Friday Mayor Jenny Durkan vetoed the ordinance setting new restrictions on how Sweetened Beverage Tax revenues can be spent. Vetoes are incredibly rare in Seattle City Hall, so that sent everyone (including me) scrambling to the City Charter to see what happens next. Yes, we all know in theory how it works, but the details matter.
Continue reading Durkan vetoed the soda tax bill; here’s what happens next
Mayor announces pair of affordable housing measures
This morning, Mayor Durkan held a press conference to announce two measures to help address the ongoing housing crisis in the city.
Continue reading Mayor announces pair of affordable housing measures
Council passes restrictions on soda tax and AirBnB tax spending
This afternoon the City Council passed, each by a 7-1 vote, a pair of bills that set up separate funds into which the Sweetened Beverage Tax and Short-term Rental Tax revenues must be deposited, along with stricter rules for how the revenues may be spent — despite a threat from Mayor Durkan to veto the bills.
Continue reading Council passes restrictions on soda tax and AirBnB tax spending
Ferguson urged by legislator to defend statewide ban on taxing net income
Today Washington State Senator Steve O’Ban sent a letter to Attorney General Bob Ferguson urging him to defend the state law prohibiting taxes on net income, after a Court of Appeals invalidated the law on Monday.
Continue reading Ferguson urged by legislator to defend statewide ban on taxing net income