NoParkingTax.com

 Seattle Times Joni Balter writes on May 25, 2006 "…Yet, if Nickels isn't careful, he will have a lasting legacy all right, one he won't like: 'Mayor Nickels? Isn't he the one who ran taxes up so high he drove out Seattle's middle class?'….”

MAYOR GREG NICKELS WANTS TO RAISE YOUR PARKING FEES 10%.  

Read what a Pittsburgh journalist writes---  

Is Seattle doomed to repeat one of Pittsburgh’s biggest mistakes?

By Jill Cueni-Cohen

At its current rate of 50 percent, Pittsburgh’s parking tax is the worst-case scenario in the country.

According to Mike Webb, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Pittsburgh-based Alco Parking, “The tax has had a terrible effect on the city. I feel it’s a terrible deterrent to businesses moving into the downtown area. Why would they select this area when they can relocate in the nearby suburbs and not be affected [by the high cost of parking]?

“Downtown Pittsburgh is a nice, relatively compact area, but I see a lot of businesses deciding they don’t need to be downtown anymore. And the weak real estate market we have here is due to the parking tax.”

Initiated in the early 1970’s by then-Mayor Pete Flaherty, the tax was instituted at a seemingly innocuous 10 percent. But once in place, the tax began to take on a life of its own; swelling to out-of-control proportions until car-dependent suburbanites like yours truly decided that shopping in downtown simply wasn’t worth the high cost of parking.

With its attractive rivers and friendly atmosphere, one the biggest things holding this great city back is its parking tax. And when Seattle’s own Nordstrom Department Store began talking to Pittsburgh’s Mayor Tom Murphy about coming to town, they suddenly pulled out of the deal and set their sights on the suburbs. Do you think the promise of free parking for all -- as opposed to costs of as much as $15 to $20 for less than three hours of shopping -- might have had something to do with their change of heart?

Pittsburgh’s suburbs are blossoming while city buildings remain vacant after losing big-name retailers like Lord & Taylor and Lazarus-Macy's in a disturbingly short period of time. Maybe the parking tax isn’t the only culprit here, but it certainly is part of the problem.

According to the findings of a 2002 task force for the Development and Revitalization of the Fifth and Forbes Area of Downtown Pittsburgh, “Interviews with downtown property owners, retailers, and shoppers confirmed a serious downtown parking problem in terms of both cost and availability… Department store managers without parking indicate frequent customer complaints and, in some cases loyal customers shop more inconveniently on Saturdays rather than preferable weekdays due to the parking problem.”

So, what’s a city to do? Pittsburgh plans to lower its parking tax to 35 percent by 2010, but will they ever eliminate it? Not likely. Because, according to Webb, a parking tax is an easy source of revenue.

“The people being taxed are not voters, they’re commuters,” he points out, adding that once it‘s in place, the rate will surely increase over time. “It’s not the end of the world to tax them, but it’s the amount -- no industry is taxed like the parking industry in Pittsburgh.”

Just mention the parking situation in Pittsburgh, and everyone begins to moan. We plan to meet in the northern or southern suburbs rather than in the city that lies between us. Because even with the rising gas prices, it’s still cheaper to go that extra mile just to not have to pay for parking.

Speaking on behalf of Seattle’s Pacific Place Shopping Center, which houses 50 merchants, marketing manager Lynn Beck is opposed to Mayor Nickel’s proposed parking tax. “We’re actually in agreement with the Downtown Seattle Association that this tax hurts downtown’s competitiveness for jobs and retail. The expense of parking is already one of the major issues keeping residents from visiting downtown, and the tax would exacerbate this. You want to keep a vibrant accessible downtown, so [affordable parking] is critical to [our merchants’] success.”

Beck points out that one of their suburban competitors, Bellevue, did away with the parking tax in order to be competitive. “The last thing we want to do is add the tax. We have to remain competitive, and the tax will make it hard for us to attract new corporations, retailers and retain shoppers.”

But who should pay for the repair of Seattle’s city streets? Are commuters and shoppers the only ones who use them?

“I understand the argument that the people using the product should pay for it,” says Webb, “but I would prefer to pay for it based on usage. Maybe a better way to go is a general sales tax. That way everyone chips in.”

One might surmise that the parking tax -- which is considerably higher than the taxes on cigarettes and liquor -- makes it a veritable sin to drive into Pittsburgh.

According to one saleswoman in Seattle’s Westlake Mall, she and her co-workers are concerned that a parking tax will not only take a bite out of their savings, but that it will scare their customers into seeking out the free parking Mecca of suburban malls.

“Once this city is finally getting back in the swing and people are utilizing downtown and shopping, I don’t get why [Mayor Nickels would] sabotage this progress by making it hard to be here,” she says. “If things are going well for the downtown businesses, then the city is already collecting revenue.

“We’re upset about it because it’s hard to find parking. and when you do, it’s already such a hassle. If we have to pay more, it’s going to make people go to the malls, where parking is free.”

According to councilmember Jan Drago’s office, city council plans to vote on the proposed tax in July, so residents and business owners should take this opportunity to voice their opinions.

“Maybe you can’t be bothered now, but it will affect you later on,” says the saleswoman. 

“I believe in a downtown. It’s the heart of Seattle, and to discourage people from coming here doesn’t make sense.” 

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Please write the Mayor and the City Council.  Tell them what you think about this proposal!  Also e-mail us at noparkingtax@aol.com  with your comments.   Let's keep downtown affordable and healthy!

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/citizen_response.htm  

Nick Licata, President  nick.licata@seattle.gov

Sally J. Clark  sally.clark@seattle.gov

David J. Della  david.dela@seattle.gov

Jean Godden  jean.godden@seattle.gov

Tom Rasmussen tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov

Richard Conlin Richard.conlin@seattle.gov

Jan Drago   jan.drago@seattle.gov

Richard J. McIver  Richard.mciver@seattle.gov

 Peter Steinbrueck  peter.steinbrueck@seattle.gov