Westside Story – Tacoma Taxation Without Representation

Tacoma greed is at full speed.

I recently received notice from the City of Lakewood regarding a Public Hearing to consider a Resolution expressing opposition to the City of Tacoma’s Proposition No. 3. If you are a Tacoma Power customer living in the City of Lakewood, I encourage you to attend the hearing.

Notice of Public Hearing: Monday, September 21, 2015, at 7:00 PM. Lakewood City Council Chambers, 6000 Main Street SW, Lakewood, WA 98499.

If the City of Tacoma passes Proposition No. 3, City of Lakewood residents will be forced to pay a Tacoma 1.5% tax, which Tacoma plans to sneak into our Tacoma Power bills.

There is no argument about Tacoma roads being in such poor shape, parts of the city look like a bombed out third world country.

In fact I suffered a face-plant in the Tacoma crosswalk located on 6th Avenue at Pine Street while walking from Starbucks to my car. Crosswalks, which we normally think of as a safety zones are not safe in Tacoma. Part of the roadway had sunken away causing me to stub my toe on a piece of roadway that was over 1” higher than the surrounding surface.

I support the idea that Tacoma needs to repair their crumbling infrastructure.

I do not support Tacoma’s immoral decision to attempt to force City of Lakewood residents to pay for the City of Tacoma’s road repair bill. Once Tacoma has their foot in the door, what is to stop them from simply adding a tax equal to 100% of our power bills?

Tacoma, your proposal has to be one of most ignorant and immoral ideas ever to come out of Tacoma since the time you ran the Chinese railroad workers out of town back in 1885. Shame on you then and shame on you now.

In Lakewood, we pay our own bills. Recently Lakewood City Council voted for a road improvement taxation proposal whereby each citizen pays $20 every time they renew their license tabs for their vehicles.

Recognizing the City of Lakewood needs more road funds, we developed an equitable solution whereby we responsibly pay for our own road repair bills. We never even thought of conning Tacoma residents into helping us pay for our roads.

I hope our City of Lakewood City Council fights the Tacoma money grab tooth and nail. If Lakewood is not successful, then it may be time to arm ourselves with lawyers and take Tacoma to court.

If our efforts fail to defeat this preposterous proposal, then Lakewood should consider fighting stupidity with stupidity.

TOLL BOOTH

Step 1: Build a rock wall 8’ high that completely surrounds the City of Lakewood. Using rock thematically makes sense because we already have rock walls near Western State Hospital and Fort Steilacoom Park.

The Romans used the wall idea back in 122 AD when they built the Hadrian Wall. East Germany had their Berlin Wall. Of course there is the world famous Great Wall of China.

Step 2: Erect toll booths on all roads leading from Tacoma into Lakewood.

To make my idea crystal clear allow me to provide you with another world famous SWS cartoon.

BOYCOTT

I started spending money in Tacoma back in 1959. I have always spent a lot of money in Tacoma on products, services and associated city taxes. If Tacoma decides to levy a tax on my Lakewood power bill to pay for Tacoma street repairs, I will boycott Tacoma and Tacoma businesses. This is not just an idea, it is a non-criminal threat. I will be encouraging everyone I can reach to do the same.

Tacoma taxation without representation will not pay, it will cost Tacoma.

Come on Tacoma. Do the right thing.