No to sales tax, yes to business tax

Jul 10, 2025
Jul 10, 2025
4

Editor,

Friday’s report regarding a regional transit measure is disappointing. Vote no. We don’t need another regressive transportation funding measure. Our taxes are already too high.

(4) comments

Terence Y Jul 10, 2025 8:58am

Thanks for your letter, Mr. Hough. In addition to saying no to a sales tax increase, I’d recommend saying no to an increase in business taxes, also. Businesses can pick up and leave and relocate to a fiscally managed state so increasing business taxes may result in fewer businesses. Waste needs to be removed from transportation projects and transportation agencies. Why operate at 100% capacity when there’s only 50% ridership? For union workers, of course, but not for efficiency. A sales tax increase would pay for ever-increasing salaries, pensions, and benefits.

easygerd Jul 10, 2025 9:32am

The MTC (with board members David Canepa, Gina Papan) could start sending the money from bridge tolls that were supposed to go to public transit to these agencies. Apparently they move bridge toll funding into a slush fund used for car-centric projects and real-estate deals.

MTC needs to be audited.

And yes, businesses should be paying more for transportation projects. Businesses have been behind the 101 express lane project and the expensive Ferry service in Redwood City. Facebook and Google both tried private ferry service in RWC, both failed due to cost - then they switched tactics and made Redwood City pay for it.

Why is the public paying for something that mostly benefits rich businesses?

Make them think more about where they put their offices and how they imagine commutes.

edkahl Jul 10, 2025 4:46pm

I say no to both taxes - why throw good money after bad money. Every one including businesses have more productive uses for the money that willl better grow our economy, jobs and income. Transit is loosing money because there's less demand for it due to the ability to work for home and else where.

easygerd Jul 10, 2025 9:33pm

car centric infrastructure is losing even more money. Billions of dollars every year that aren't covered through a 3 cent gasoline or a miniscule vehicle license fee that actually pays for education but hardly for police and emergency services.

And let's not even talk about how much money Redwood City had to spend to "harden" its 4th of July parade against the possibility of terrorists in cars breaking through barricades and running people over. And all these old concrete bridges from the 60s and 70s need to repaired now or in the near future.

Solid public transit is must-have, ADA relevant solution. Car-centric infrastructure is a boondoggle no one ever mentions but we all pay for dearly.

The reason why public transit doesn't make money here is sitting on the board of every single one of those 28 transit agencies. Politicians on these boards are not their to promote public transit, they are there to sabotage and reroute the funding.

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