The Enemy of My Enemy is my Friend

This post originally appeared on Orphan Road.

The Seattle Times editorial board is generally opposed to taxes. People who use Zipcar/Flexcar are specifically opposed to the extra-high taxes they pay to use that service. So, naturally, the two agree that taxes on car sharing services are bad.

(Mike from CIS reports on the bill after spending the day in Olympia)

I’m generally supportive of the view that the state should incentivize car sharing. But I gotta say, I find the exorbinant taxes we levy on people who don’t vote — 9.7% on car rentals, a staggering 15.6% on hotels, etc. — kinda annoying. I can’t say I blame the legislature too much. It’s hard to raise revenue, and apparently Tim Eyman neverrents a car or stays in a hotel in Seattle, so that’s what gets taxed. And the revenues do fund worthy local institutions, after all.