With all of the media coverage lately of the Regional Transit Authority impact on vehicle license tab renewal costs I opened the one which arrived today with trepidation. Glad I was sitting down and somewhat prepared.

For my 2011 Ford Edge: $329.75 (without the Park's $5).

Of that $329.75 the Regional Transit Authority tax is $226.00, $45 is vehicle weight fee and $20 is city road repair fund. Only $30 is State license fees.

Just the RTA? $226/$329.75 = 69%.

If I read it correctly the $226 represents a 1.1% on the value of the vehicle. That means they figure that my six year old vehicle is worth $20,545. Even with its low mileage NADA gives it a clean retail value of $13,600 so RTA has it overvalued by $6,945 or 51%. Apply that .011 tax to the overvalue of $6,945 and they are in my pocket for an "extra" $76.40 and that doesn't include my other tax contributions.

I truly feel sorry for the county employees and private agents who have to face the public.

Edit: And I won't even whine (well, a little) over the fact that even if I live long enough to see it completed I'll be too over the hill to make use of it.

Got mine this week. Went up nearly $200.00 on my 2014 rig.
$266.00 to RTA.

I'm waiting to see what they value my 1999 Ford Exploder with 208K on it.
It had a $29K MSRP on it when I bought it new. Probably worth maybe $1K at best now.
I'll be dead by the 2041 estimated completion date. Maybe my friends can ride the part that might be done to my funeral.
SF

Please tell me only the guys with Pugetropolis zip codes are getting dinged with the RTA tax... please?

You are safe (for now).

It should be noted that the Pierce Co. voters gave this a big thumbs down but were outvoted by the King and Snohomish County voters.

And while I was digesting my "RTA contribution" to this project folks in Seattle were unveiling a proposal to cover a big portion of I-5 through the city with a lid to make green space. Maybe what they should be making is a viaduct with express lanes both ways and no access from/to surface streets. Yup, straight through and no stopping!

This crap is exactly how Trump was elected.

Yup, I do a fair bit of business in King county, and its a fukked up mess. To be fair, the peoples republuic of multnomah county seems to be in a close race with it.

Rainbow sidewalks, safe injection sites and port-a-bum chitters don't pay for themselves ya know...

there should be a law that if they are going to over value you rig they have to buy it from you at their set value.

I like it! ^

They would sure pull out a different valuation chart then!

I love their excuse - "We already made commitments for the money we're stealing from you so we can't backtrack now" I'd love to see someone try that with a judge.