Tough from Colossal Katie. Using a car tab tax rather than a sales tax would be less regressive, and would disincentivize driving while expanding the alternative. Disappointing she caved to the car lobby before even making a proposal:
Under the state law that authorized the transportation benefit district, the city could also propose a vehicle license fee of up to $60—a tax on drivers that would directly fund the city’s primary alternative to driving. Asked why she didn’t do so, Wilson said she believed a license fee increase might prove too “controversial” to pass.
“I think we’ve seen car tab measures rouse more organized opposition, and I think we wanted to stick with something that we were really confident Seattle voters were going to be able to enthusiastically get on board with.”