# Seattle Mayor Proposes $0.51 Tax on Local Rideshare



## Lissetti (Dec 20, 2016)

*Mayor Durkan proposes 51-cent tax on Uber, Lyft rides in Seattle to fund streetcar, affordable housing*









A Lyft passenger is picked up on Sixth Avenue in Seattle on Wednesday. Mayor Jenny Durkan is considering a tax on rideshare trips that would in part help pay for the streetcar. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

By
Heidi Groover
Seattle Times staff reporter 

Seattle would charge a new 51-cent tax on each Uber and Lyft ride in the city, and use some of that money to finish the downtown streetcar, under a proposal released Wednesday by Mayor Jenny Durkan.

Expecting about $25 million a year from the tax over five years, Durkan proposes filling the $56 million budget shortfall for the streetcar, funding affordable housing and creating a new way for Uber and Lyft drivers to appeal sudden deactivations -sudden removal - from the apps.

Durkan's office also plans to set a minimum pay rate for Lyft and Uber drivers, but will first study the issue before determining details. With City Council approval, both the tax and wage rules would start next July, Durkan said.

The plan - long under closed-door discussion in the mayor's office - marks an attempt by Durkan to translate the ride-hailing vehicles often seen circling downtown into revenue, revive the beleaguered streetcar project and placate multiple interest groups, including labor advocates who say drivers are being mistreated.

"Make no mistake about it: This provides a valuable service for a lot of people &#8230; but it also places burdens on the city," Durkan said Wednesday. "At the same time, no business should benefit by not treating its workers fairly."

Uber and Lyft slammed the tax proposal, saying it will drive up costs for riders. "Drivers will also lose, as their earnings decrease with fewer overall rides," said Lyft spokeswoman Lauren Alexander in a statement.

Durkan acknowledged the new tax could increase passenger fares but said she didn't expect that to reduce ridership.

Reactions from driver groups were mixed, with some supporting the pay and deactivation measures and others calling the proposal a "regressive tax" wrongly aimed at projects not directly related to Uber and Lyft drivers.

Uber and Lyft gave about 24 million rides in Seattle last year, half of them starting or ending downtown, according to Durkan. The city expects that number to grow to 28 million this year and continue to rise.

Seattle already charges 24 cents a trip to cover licensing for transportation network company (TNC) drivers and to support taxi wheelchair accessibility. The new tax would effectively triple that to a total of 75 cents per ride.

The city may reduce the 24-cent fee but leave the total charge at 75 cents, directing a larger share to the new programs.

The total fee would be less than a $2.75 fee in New York City, similar to a 72-cent fee in Chicago and higher than the 20-cent fee in Massachusetts.

Over the next five years, the proposal would direct $56 million to the streetcar, $52 million toward affordable housing and $17.75 million for a new Driver Resolution Center.

Michael Wolfe, executive director of the Uber-funded group Drive Forward, called the fee a "misguided regressive tax proposal that will only harm drivers and riders. It will make a transportation option Seattleites rely on every day less affordable."

Durkan's announcement essentially punts on questions about driver pay.

Drivers describe vastly different hourly pay, and some work full time while others use the apps to make extra cash. While Uber says Seattle drivers make a median of between $19 and $21 an hour before expenses, Uber driver Shire said that considering expenses and full-time work, "the driver community, they are low poverty level."

Shire said drivers need a higher per-mile rate from the companies.

Because drivers are classified as independent contractors, they are not guaranteed Seattle's minimum wage, which is now $16 for large employers, and must pay their own expenses like gas. They are also not paid for the time spent on the way to pick up a passenger or circling waiting for rides, which the city could seek to change.

Durkan said the city will soon begin a study of driver pay in Seattle and then release a detailed proposal for ensuring drivers make Seattle's minimum wage.

For now, Durkan will send the tax proposal to the City Council as part of her 2020 budget, where its fate is unclear.

https://uberpeople.net/threads/mayor-durkan-proposes-0-51-tax-on-rideshare.356239/#post-5479053
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattl...o-fund-downtown-streetcar-affordable-housing/


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## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

Lissetti said:


> *Mayor Durkan proposes 51-cent tax on Uber, Lyft rides in Seattle to fund streetcar, affordable housing*
> 
> View attachment 366138
> 
> ...


Why is the streetcar failing?


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## Cold Fusion (Aug 28, 2019)

Uber won't increase passenger fares.
that would be unfair to Uber's clients.

Khosrowshah will deduct the tax from the driver's earnings.✔
after all,
Drivers have a history of protesting Decreased earning by:
accepting the next ping ?
while newbies sign up by thousands


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Lissetti said:


> *Mayor Durkan proposes 51-cent tax on Uber, Lyft rides in Seattle to fund streetcar, affordable housing*
> 
> View attachment 366138
> 
> ...


" AFFORDABLE HOUSING "!!!

W.T.F
does Uber have to due with 
" AFFORDABLE HOUSING "?

TAX POLITICIANS !


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## Cold Fusion (Aug 28, 2019)

tohunt4me said:


> WTF does Uber have to due with
> " AFFORDABLE HOUSING "?


NOTHING....since most west coast drivers live in their Prius'


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## troothequalstroll (Oct 12, 2019)

.51 tax per ride means the city will make more per ride than the driver lol

anywho
setting minimum rates they can pay driver is what states have done for half a century 

dont they have a puc thats already studied this & figured out the numbers for cabs lol? guess another few million for a study priceless

funny its taking so long all this lobbying & lawsuits is pointless almost all problems go away when cities say you have to pay drivers 100% per mile, per ride, per minute not a penny less all the other nonsense you want to try & incorporate knock yourself out

common sense sure aint common


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## mbd (Aug 27, 2018)

Trillion dollar companies Amzn and Msft... trillion is 1 and 12 zeroes ?
Then add BA , Sbux and other... and they have budget shortfall ?
Avg house in Seattle around 750k?


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> W.T.F
> does Uber have to due with
> " AFFORDABLE HOUSING "?


The default solution to any problem to a Socialist is tax.
Pass a law ... and tax it.


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## tmart (Oct 30, 2016)

Yeah that'll fix things, Uber will just just drive down the per mi pay rate down to cover. Meaning drivers struggling to pay their bills already -- will pat for this increase and not Uber


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

tmart said:


> Yeah that'll fix things, Uber will just just drive down the per mi pay rate down to cover. Meaning drivers struggling to pay their bills already -- will pat for this increase and not Uber


Well ... that's the drivers fault.
If ya'll stupid enough to do that, you deserve what you get.


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## tmart (Oct 30, 2016)

UberBastid said:


> Well ... that's the drivers fault.
> If ya'll stupid enough to do that, you deserve what you get.


Yes because when anyone ever gets a pay cut it's their own fault???


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## Wolfgang Faust (Aug 2, 2018)

Lissetti said:


> *Mayor Durkan proposes 51-cent tax on Uber, Lyft rides in Seattle to fund streetcar, affordable housing*
> 
> View attachment 366138
> 
> ...


Is there poo poo and needles decorating the streets up there too, like SFO?


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

tmart said:


> Yes because when anyone ever gets a pay cut it's their own fault???


Pretty close: Let me fix it for you ...

Yes because when anyone ever gets *accepts* a pay cut it's their own fault???


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## troothequalstroll (Oct 12, 2019)

UberBastid said:


> Well ... that's the drivers fault.
> If ya'll stupid enough to do that, you deserve what you get.


yup
every driver knows its .60 a mile when they signed up if you signed up for that youre truly stupid

96% fail so almost no drivers from last year still driving the ones that did are on higher tiers and figured out how to screen, anyone still signing up past 2019 is suffering from starvation or close to being homeless

1st paycuts that went under $1.20 4 years ago x went off & its been xl only aside from turning it on for an airport rematch or to play ghost car

alls fair & all i understood i was scabbin to cab companies but it was a legal wage+ you want to scab at a loss oh well youll fail like 96% do, i also understand self preservation is hard wired so $3 an hour is better than zero, uber lyft knows this too & prey on the dumb and or desperate eitherway I dont empathize at drivers who dont excersize their rights, if you accepting and completing rides that pay less than $8-10 after the first one its on you

i start trip if its not 10+ miles i drive right on by & cancel not interested in $3-4 gross or $4-9 gross for that matter, if you are knock yourself out, 1980s paperboy $ must excite you

the rest of us cancel or ignore & you know what if every driver did theyd have 2 choices pay more or go out of business but you tell the algo please sir can i have another its going to keep feeding you & see how low it & you will go,

tldr
they keep cutting rates because idiots still accept trips if they didnt they wouldnt, those drivers just as bad as uber lyft


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## ANT 7 (Oct 14, 2018)

Seattle is slowly turning into San Franshitsco.


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## Lissetti (Dec 20, 2016)

Wolfgang Faust said:


> Is there poo poo and needles decorating the streets up there too, like SFO?


That and our homeless population is in the epidemic levels. Second only behind SF. Just last week I was late to work because one lane of the freeway was shut down because construction equipment was parked all along the shoulder. Why? Because the city was getting ready to tear down all the homes made of pallets and scrap wood by homeless folks and evict them from their little shanty town they had all summer. I looked over to see lines of police officers standing in the field watching as the homeless people were made to gather all their belonging they could carry, and bulldozers stood ready in the back ground.

All this was bulldozed by the next day. 




































https://www.seattletimes.com/seattl...encampments-now-the-city-says-he-has-to-move/


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## DriverMark (Jan 22, 2018)

Lissetti said:


> That and our homeless population is in the epidemic levels. Second only behind SF. Just last week I was late to work because one lane of the freeway was shut down because construction equipment was parked all along the shoulder. Why? Because the city was getting ready to tear down all the homes made of pallets and scrap wood by homeless folks and evict them from their little shanty town they had all summer. I looked over to see lines of police officers standing in the field watching as the homeless people were made to gather all their belonging they could carry, and bulldozers stood ready in the back ground.
> 
> All this was bulldozed by the next day.
> View attachment 367008
> ...


Wonder if he invested as much time in a job/career as he did building that pallet house where he might be. 2 1/2 years he spent living there. Probably could have accomplished a lot in 2 1/2 years ...... oh, he's a meth user (sigh). Had a job, but missed work. If you want to be a success, I tell my kids, JUST SHOW UP! Be dependable. Surprising how many people can't even do that one... simple... thing... Guys like this are his own worse enemy. Drug addiction... hard life to live.


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## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

In Portland a while back both companies silently raised the Booking Fee from 2.49 to 2.99. Fifty cents. They didn't seem to have any problems doing that, and they didn't complain about how it would decrease ridership of cost drivers their income.


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## Lissetti (Dec 20, 2016)

DriverMark said:


> Wonder if he invested as much time in a job/career as he did building that pallet house where he might be. 2 1/2 years he spent living there. Probably could have accomplished a lot in 2 1/2 years :frown:...... oh, he's a meth user (sigh). Had a job, but missed work. If you want to be a success, I tell my kids, JUST SHOW UP! Be dependable. Surprising how many people can't even do that one... simple... thing... Guys like this are his own worse enemy. Drug addiction... hard life to live.


I have often drove by those pallet houses and admired them. This was just one person's story. There were truly some remarkable homes with even patios and balconies. One was even off the ground on stilts. Another was two level. I know these people have true carpentry skills from what I've seen, but will that suffice in a city where high tech is king? Yeah we have lots of construction, for now...but those bids often go to well known construction companies just as Turner, Sellen, and Anderson.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Lissetti said:


> Yeah we have lots of construction, for now...but those bids often go to well known construction companies just as Turner, Sellen, and Anderson.


Then, Turner Sellen and Anderson must need people who can swing a hammer ...
Sorry, I can't help it -- my brain is just wired for capitalism.


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## Minty11 (Apr 6, 2017)

Customers dont respect 50 cents if the fare goes up 50. cents who cares it wont reduce ridership !!!!! So pile it on customers wont even notice!!!! It doesnt affect drivers the take home wont change so uber stop feeding this fake propaganda to drivers!!!!! I mean uber treats drivers like they are stupid....in some ways we all are stupid...but starting to think some are more stupid. Why is there so much upheaval abt 50 cents?


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## troothequalstroll (Oct 12, 2019)

DriverMark said:


> Wonder if he invested as much time in a job/career as he did building that pallet house where he might be. 2 1/2 years he spent living there. Probably could have accomplished a lot in 2 1/2 years ...... oh, he's a meth user (sigh). Had a job, but missed work. If you want to be a success, I tell my kids, JUST SHOW UP! Be dependable. Surprising how many people can't even do that one... simple... thing... Guys like this are his own worse enemy. Drug addiction... hard life to live.


why to support this 100% corrupt system? uber lyft pay $3 an hour is beyond illegal, if he had a trade the construction biz going with the immigrants not getting union wages, amazon walmart as of last year were paying 11 an hour lol in 1995 in high school warehouse paid that

get high
camp
ef the system
cant take it with you
why work to make criminal dirtbags rich


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## peteyvavs (Nov 18, 2015)

Another idiot politician wants to tax those who are making below minimum wage and yet give loopholes to people like Bill Gates.


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## troothequalstroll (Oct 12, 2019)

Minty11 said:


> Customers dont respect 50 cents if the fare goes up 50. cents who cares it wont reduce ridership !!!!! So pile it on customers wont even notice!!!! It doesnt affect drivers the take home wont change so uber stop feeding this fake propaganda to drivers!!!!! I mean uber treats drivers like they are stupid....in some ways we all are stupid...but starting to think some are more stupid. Why is there so much upheaval abt 50 cents?


.50 
20 rides a day
$10 per day
$300 a month
pays car note or covers gas or feeds you
it adds up
most drivers at this point are stupid and or desperate

meanwhile
.50 x 20 million rides per day 
10 million per day
new 70 million dollar mansion, cocaine, hookers per week, maybe another 25 million dollar vegas party every 3 days, or 4 new 15 million dollar staircases per day, 2 new 34 million dollar condos per week

u think the city or uber lyft deserves it?

youre either on labors side or the evil side
amerikkka ef yeah


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## peteyvavs (Nov 18, 2015)

UberBastid said:


> Then, Turner Sellen and Anderson must need people who can swing a hammer ...
> Sorry, I can't help it -- my brain is just wired for capitalism.


Capitalism is great as long as those who are reaping the benefits aren't exploiting the people who made them rich, like Dara.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

peteyvavs said:


> Another idiot politician wants to tax those who are making below minimum wage and yet give loopholes to people like Bill Gates.


Well sure.
Bill Gates donates a lot of money to his re-election campaign - minimum wage idiots don't.


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## Minty11 (Apr 6, 2017)

It doesnt affect your bottom line so why do you care?

QUOTE="troothequalstroll, post: 5500227, member: 187250"]
.50
20 rides a day
$10 per day
$300 a month
pays car note or covers gas or feeds you
it adds up
most drivers at this point are stupid and or desperate

meanwhile
.50 x 20 million rides per day
10 million per day
new 70 million dollar mansion, cocaine, hookers per week

youre either in labors side or the evil side
amerikkka ef yeah
[/QUOTE]
Ihbbbbbb


troothequalstroll said:


> .50
> 20 rides a day
> $10 per day
> $300 a month
> ...


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## peteyvavs (Nov 18, 2015)

UberBastid said:


> Well sure.
> Bill Gates donates a lot of money to his re-election campaign - minimum wage idiots don't.


You call it donations, it actually is a tax write off.


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## troothequalstroll (Oct 12, 2019)

Minty11 said:


> It doesnt affect your bottom line so why do you care?
> 
> QUOTE="troothequalstroll, post: 5500227, member: 187250"]
> .50
> ...


Ihbbbbbb
[/QUOTE]
lol i care because i dont let evil dirtbags exploit me

finders fees, connection fees are 10% not 50-90% of fare for doing no work, risking no life, burning no gas

shill goes on ignore buh bye youre either a child, slave, or shill


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## Minty11 (Apr 6, 2017)

50 cents added doesnt make a difference to drivers. As far as the govt taking the money dont worry about its above your pay grade!!!! Govt should tax uber they have have caused alot of disruption to alot of things.

So your saying 50 cents should go to the driver but that's not even on the table. This is a separate issue. You should be worried about the minimum wage but this $0.50 tax doesnt affect you it only affects Uber. Uber uses the streets so it needs to contribute to the City in some way.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Minty11 said:


> Uber uses the streets so it needs to contribute to the City in some way.


Uber doesn't use the streets.
I do.

And I pay a LOT of taxes to use those streets every time I pay for a gallon of gas, a set of tires, an oil change, buy a car, license the car.


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## Minty11 (Apr 6, 2017)

Actually since Uber started there has been so much traffic congestion so you're on the streets because of the Uber app so they need to contribute more. Why are you try to save Uber a dollar


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Minty11 said:


> Actually since Uber started there has been so much traffic congestion so you're on the streets because of the Uber app so they need to contribute more. Why are you try to save Uber a dollar


Who are you talking to ... me?

Unlike the vast majority of the citizens of Seattle, I tend to opt towards the side of freedom. Economic freedom being one of the most important.

Uber is a business. One of many that contributes jobs - I assume you rely on the existence of Uber to one extent or another. If I see that a gov't is treating a business and thru it, individuals unfairly I speak up. No matter how evil that business is ... if it can happen to Uber, it can happen to you.

If Macy's opens a new store and that causes traffic jams, should the city add an extra tax to Macy's sales receipts? And not add one to WalMart? Is this fee also going to be charged to the taxi companies? Why not?

It is to my advantage as a free American to help everyone stay free, not just me.

Uber does not have one car on the road. The taxes people pay for using streets and highways should be enough. They are enough. They are too much. If they're not enough - they should raise the gas taxes to cover the costs because it's the people using

But a tax isn't going to reduce traffic. 
And it isn't going to improve the streets.


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## Minty11 (Apr 6, 2017)

Wow nice that you are fighting for uber so hard...its pointless they have billions to spare. Don't compare yourself to a big company you make it sound like if the government's doing it to Uber one day they'll do it to me. You're not even on the radar okay this is a billion dollar company. why don't you focus on your own pay. Or you're just being brainwashed by Uber who's trying to make it sound like this $0.50 tax will reduce ridership.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

I'm not fighting for Uber.
I'm fighting for freedom.
Freedom from an oppressive government.
I don't care who they oppress ... I am against it.


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## Minty11 (Apr 6, 2017)

Opress an opresser is fine with me!!! Opress an opress makes the whole world OPRRESSED! Lol


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## DriverMark (Jan 22, 2018)

troothequalstroll said:


> Ihbbbbbb


lol i care because i dont let evil dirtbags exploit me

finders fees, connection fees are 10% not 50-90% of fare for doing no work, risking no life, burning no gas

shill goes on ignore buh bye youre either a child, slave, or shill
[/QUOTE]

Avg $25/hr last week. Probably avg out to $20/hr after expenses. I'm just slaving away I guess........


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## VanGuy (Feb 15, 2019)

DriverMark said:


> Wonder if he invested as much time in a job/career as he did building that pallet house where he might be. 2 1/2 years he spent living there. Probably could have accomplished a lot in 2 1/2 years :frown:...... oh, he's a meth user (sigh). Had a job, but missed work. If you want to be a success, I tell my kids, JUST SHOW UP! Be dependable. Surprising how many people can't even do that one... simple... thing... Guys like this are his own worse enemy. Drug addiction... hard life to live.


Once upon a time I owned a convenience store and had an employee with attendance issues. After I fired her, her drug dealer would occasionally come around the store because she still owed him money. When she was coming to work she was getting her drugs delivered there and was doing them in the bathroom.

Awesome.


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## troothequalstroll (Oct 12, 2019)

DriverMark said:


> lol i care because i dont let evil dirtbags exploit me
> 
> finders fees, connection fees are 10% not 50-90% of fare for doing no work, risking no life, burning no gas
> 
> shill goes on ignore buh bye youre either a child, slave, or shill


Avg $25/hr last week. Probably avg out to $20/hr after expenses. I'm just slaving away I guess........
[/QUOTE]
congrats i avg 50$+ hr after expenses

me me me is dull dull dull though im 1%, 96% fail by design theyre being exploited & preyed upon

i figured it out, you figured it out, to do so my ar is less than 10% cr over 40% because 90+% of the app requests are attempts to human traffic me

thats a fact & in no universe is it legal to attempt or defaud labor into working for free by sending blank contracts to dumb and or desperate people that coerce free labor, threaten them for refusing to work for free, or paying labor with points, worthless rewards, stars, badges, coupons, & manipulate them into playing games, goingbon quests, challenges, streaks, or trying to bribe them with bonuses that come out of the money they earn in the first place lol

a bonus from my money haha

dumb & desperate have rights


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