$30 Car Tabs Struck Down (Seattle: buy, income tax, living)

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by PartIrish

rkcarguy, You once again indicate that portions of I-1639 are unconstitutional--which court has so ruled? In fact, the constitutionality of the law was upheld by a WA court in August:

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...n-regulations/

If that changes on appeal, then so be it, but your comment that law enforcement officers are selectively not enforcing the law because 'they believe' it is unconstitutional is frightening, and flies in the face of separation of powers under our federal and state constitutions. It is not for police to decide which laws are constitutional--it is their job to enforce them.

The age limit being raised to 21 to buy an "assault rifle" is in direct conflict with Federal Law, adult age being 18. You can join the Army and go serve and die in battle with a fully automatic weapon, but can't purchase a semi-automatic anything to defend yourself and your home especially in this age of riots and defund the police rhetoric?
Also, the measure vastly broadened the scope of "assault rifle" to include any semi-automatic rifle (one trigger pull = one bullet fired), including the Ruger 10/22, which has been many a kids first plinking gun for generations. I-1639 surrendered privacy rights (when applying for the background check), and allows the state to "verify that owners are continuously eligible, at least on an annual basis, to continue to own those weapons" in red flag law style. So some neighbor that doesn't like guns sees you cleaning your gun on your picnic table in the backyard, reports that you're conspiring to go shoot up something, and the LEO's show up and you can say bye-bye to all your guns and 2A rights. It also leaves owners wide open for gov't tracking who owns what for potential purposes of future mandatory gun confiscation.
There are still lawsuits pending against I-1639, but in classic Washington authoritarian style the measure is in force until proven unconstitutional, and if/when it is they will take zero accountability for any ill effects in the meantime.

[509]

Originally Posted by Seacove

....I get it, I really do. I would be more sympathetic if they weren't being so heavily subsidized by the county they resent. I go to eastern Washington exactly never, but my tax dollars do.....

First....thank you for never going to eastern Washington. Can you pass the word to your neighbors?? Traffic is heavier in Wenatchee on weekends than weekdays even with the pandemic!!!



Even worse....are all the western Washington refugees moving over here!!! I have a hard time...I am a immigrant to the US. My family escaped one hell hole to another across the entire planet until we landed in the US.


So I understand fleeing Seattle and western Washington for eastern Washington.


Oh, BTW.... yes, by a small margin your general tax dollars subsidize eastern Washington. BUT eastern Washington gas tax and transportation taxes subsideize western Washington. Do you like that tunnel in Seattle?? The 520 Bridge??



But thanks for not moving over.....tell your friends and neighbors.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by 509

First....thank you for never going to eastern Washington. Can you pass the word to your neighbors?? Traffic is heavier in Wenatchee on weekends than weekdays even with the pandemic!!!
Even worse....are all the western Washington refugees moving over here!!! I have a hard time...I am a immigrant to the US. My family escaped one hell hole to another across the entire planet until we landed in the US.
So I understand fleeing Seattle and western Washington for eastern Washington.
Oh, BTW.... yes, by a small margin your general tax dollars subsidize eastern Washington. BUT eastern Washington gas tax and transportation taxes subsideize western Washington. Do you like that tunnel in Seattle?? The 520 Bridge??
But thanks for not moving over.....tell your friends and neighbors.

That's true. Before the state conveniently removed all this data from their website, it shows most counties bleed a lot of their transportation tax $$$ to the Seattle area, which gobbles up more than 30% over what they pay in. Eastern WA counties, on the other end of the spectrum, saw as low as 38 cents for every $1 in transportation taxes collected.
The weight fee on our car tabs (statewide) also subsidizes almost half of the ferry system, which I can't even get aboard anymore in the summertime/weekends without making reservations months in advance.

[thatguy950]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

That's true. Before the state conveniently removed all this data from their website, it shows most counties bleed a lot of their transportation tax $$$ to the Seattle area, which gobbles up more than 30% over what they pay in. Eastern WA counties, on the other end of the spectrum, saw as low as 38 cents for every $1 in transportation taxes collected.
The weight fee on our car tabs (statewide) also subsidizes almost half of the ferry system, which I can't even get aboard anymore in the summertime/weekends without making reservations months in advance.

Let’s not forget the shady accounting (or should I say non-accounting) of the state’s general fund. There is essentially no traceability there and can be a tool for whatever party holds the keys to the kingdom to rob Peter to pay Paul.

Not to mention it allows counties to claim they send $x to Y counties for whatever amount they want because it’s a pot of money that said counties to claim the state’s cut of the sales tax as “their” own money, when in reality they never had claim on the whole amount, but rather just the % above what already is mandated by the state.

The whole thing could use an overhaul so whatever party is the majority doesn’t abuse the funds, trust me this is the type of thing that drivew CPAs nuts

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by 509

First....thank you for never going to eastern Washington. Can you pass the word to your neighbors?? Traffic is heavier in Wenatchee on weekends than weekdays even with the pandemic!!!

Even worse....are all the western Washington refugees moving over here!!! I have a hard time...I am a immigrant to the US. My family escaped one hell hole to another across the entire planet until we landed in the US.

So I understand fleeing Seattle and western Washington for eastern Washington.

Oh, BTW.... yes, by a small margin your general tax dollars subsidize eastern Washington. BUT eastern Washington gas tax and transportation taxes subsideize western Washington. Do you like that tunnel in Seattle?? The 520 Bridge??

But thanks for not moving over.....tell your friends and neighbors.

You say this all the time but I don’t know anyone moving to eastern Washington. If there are six cars instead of three, traffic has doubled but most would not call that traffic. Idaho is right next door. Enjoy the income tax.

[PartIrish]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

The age limit being raised to 21 to buy an "assault rifle" is in direct conflict with Federal Law, adult age being 18. You can join the Army and go serve and die in battle with a fully automatic weapon, but can't purchase a semi-automatic anything to defend yourself and your home especially in this age of riots and defund the police rhetoric?
Also, the measure vastly broadened the scope of "assault rifle" to include any semi-automatic rifle (one trigger pull = one bullet fired), including the Ruger 10/22, which has been many a kids first plinking gun for generations. I-1639 surrendered privacy rights (when applying for the background check), and allows the state to "verify that owners are continuously eligible, at least on an annual basis, to continue to own those weapons" in red flag law style. So some neighbor that doesn't like guns sees you cleaning your gun on your picnic table in the backyard, reports that you're conspiring to go shoot up something, and the LEO's show up and you can say bye-bye to all your guns and 2A rights. It also leaves owners wide open for gov't tracking who owns what for potential purposes of future mandatory gun confiscation.
There are still lawsuits pending against I-1639, but in classic Washington authoritarian style the measure is in force until proven unconstitutional, and if/when it is they will take zero accountability for any ill effects in the meantime.

Your arguments above are political arguments, not constitutional arguments. We have age restrictions for the purchase and consumption of alcohol, why not for automatic weapons?

If the Supreme Court decides differently (and they well could), that will be a new circumstance. But for now, the lower courts have upheld the constitutionality of the law. And back to my original point, I expect law enforcement to enforce the laws--not to pick and choose which laws they decide are worthwhile. Anything less is an affront to our constitution.

[Transmition]

Originally Posted by 509

Oh, BTW.... yes, by a small margin your general tax dollars subsidize eastern Washington. BUT eastern Washington gas tax and transportation taxes subsideize western Washington. Do you like that tunnel in Seattle?? The 520 Bridge??

There's no small margin about it. The excess taxes raised in King County alone (but not spent there) are more than the entire DOT budget for the whole state. And you're still complaining that the paltry sums collected by the DOT is Eastern Washington are subsidizing King County.



Eastern Washington subsidizes Western Washington transportation to a tune of $1.3 million.

Western Washington subsidizes Eastern Washington in total taxes to a tune of $1.4 billion. That's a thousand times more. Are you willing to give up one for the other?

[pnwguy2]

I am tired of these western vs eastern arguments. They are silly. The state performs as a singular government. Don’t like it? Then petition for a divide. Guess what it won’t happen. Eastern WA is essential to Western’s economy. Western’s low utility rates are due to dams in eastern. In addition, the Agriculture of eastern is a huge barometer of state health. So just shut up and appreciate the entirety of the state and how it exists as the 2nd largest State in the entire Western US.

[Botev1912]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

I am tired of these western vs eastern arguments. They are silly. The state performs as a singular government. Don’t like it? Then petition for a divide. Guess what it won’t happen. Eastern WA is essential to Western’s economy. Western’s low utility rates are due to dams in eastern. In addition, the Agriculture of eastern is a huge barometer of state health. So just shut up and appreciate the entirety of the state and how it exists as the 2nd largest State in the entire Western US.

That's because people only care about themselevs and nobody else matters. That is also the reason the US is going backwards.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by PartIrish

Your arguments above are political arguments, not constitutional arguments. We have age restrictions for the purchase and consumption of alcohol, why not for automatic weapons?

If the Supreme Court decides differently (and they well could), that will be a new circumstance. But for now, the lower courts have upheld the constitutionality of the law. And back to my original point, I expect law enforcement to enforce the laws--not to pick and choose which laws they decide are worthwhile. Anything less is an affront to our constitution.

You realize that automatic weapons are machine guns, right? They are already illegal in many states all-together, and require a federal background check and tax stamp if in a state where legal.
Semi-automatic is one trigger pull = one bullet fired, of which most hand guns and 1 in 4, if not more, rifles and shot guns already are.
Also, Sheriff's are sworn in to protect the citizens and uphold their **Constitutional Rights** (Federal). They are the last, if not only line of defense against shoddy state regulations that trample the peoples 2A rights.