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Text of the Ordinance that Would Repeal the Commuter Tax

Friends of Seattle's picture

Here is the text of the City Council Bill 116592, the ordinance that would repeal the commuter tax (officially known as the "Employee Hours Tax"). Tim Burgess is the sponsor; the co-sponsors are Sally Clark, Richard Conlin, and Bruce Harrell. The full text is below the jump.

 


AN ORDINANCE repealing Chapter 5.37 of the Seattle Municipal Code
(Employee Hours Tax), effective January 1, 2010.

WHEREAS, in 2005, the City adopted Resolution 30790 approving the
Transportation Strategic Plan with key themes of improving safety,
preserving and maintaining transportation infrastructure, and providing
mobility and access through transportation choices; and

WHEREAS, the City convened a Citizens Advisory Panel and conducted five
public workshops to gather ideas for transportation improvements and the
means to fund them; and

WHEREAS, on August 7, 2006, the City Council passed Ordinance 122191,
which created an "employee hours tax" to provide partial funding for
transportation improvements; and

WHEREAS, on the same day, the City Council passed Ordinance 122192, which
created a "commercial parking tax" to provide additional funding for
transportation improvements; and

WHEREAS, the employee hours tax has generated less revenue than expected
due to the exemptions provided for employers with workers who commute by
mass transit, bicycle, or walking, and the tax has been difficult for
employers and the City to administer due to the exemptions and the
difficulty of tracking employee hours appropriately; and

WHEREAS, the commercial parking tax has generated more revenue than
expected due to the discovery of many parking operators who had not
previously been identified as such; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council wish to support economic development
and especially to encourage job growth in Seattle; and

WHEREAS, the higher than expected commercial parking tax revenues would
largely offset the loss of employee hours tax revenues, allowing important
transportation projects to proceed; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:

      Section 1.  Chapter 5.37 of the Seattle Municipal Code (Employee
Hours Tax), as last amended by Ordinance 122561, is hereby repealed,
effective as of January 1, 2010.

      Section 2.  Tax obligations under Chapter 5.37 for 2009 and prior
years remain due and payable as scheduled.  The effect of this ordinance
is prospective only and shall apply to tax liabilities that would have
been incurred in 2010 and subsequent years.

      Section 3.  This ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty
(30) days from and after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved
and returned by the Mayor within ten (10) days after presentation, it
shall take effect as provided by Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.