Dear Supporter,
The City of Seattle is deciding how to balance the budget in 2010 this month - but the Mayor's prosals do not go far enough to implement the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans. We need your voice to save funding for new lanes, trails and sidewalks.
Join us tomorrow evening (Wednesday, October 7th) at the Whitman Middle School auditorium,
9201 15th Ave NW at 5pm to tell the City Council to preserve funding for important bicycle and pedestrian projects.
The mayor's budget includes a repeal of the Employee Hours Tax. This tax is one of the funding sources of the Bridging the Gap project, which is critical for the improvements in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans.
The $25 per year tax only applies to solo car commuters - it exempts small businesses and people who take the bus, carpool, walk or bicycle to work.
Now is not the time to give away more than $4.5 million in revenue for bicycling and walking. And repealing this tax simply adds more to Seattle's $70 million dollar budget shortfall.
"Head tax" opponents have suggested a dedicated fund for the Bike and Pedestrian plans, but this is entirely absent from the current proposed budget.
You can help us send a message. We must keep funding sources for the Bicycle Master Plan and the new Pedestrian Master Plan to build healthier communities and provide safer places for people to ride and walk.
Please join us tomorrow:
Wednesday, October 7th
Whitman Middle School- Auditorium
9201 15th Ave NW
5:00 PM Sign-in
5:30 PM Public Hearing
If you can't make it, please contact your councilmembers at: http://www.cityofseattle.net/council/councilcontact.htm
Thanks for your advocacy!
