Downtown Parking Tax

Call to action! Get involved now to stop a potential new tax on downtown!

What you need to know:

• The proposed Downtown parking tax is being considered by the City Council right now on all for-pay commercial parking in greater Downtown.
• The tax would apply only to parking paid for by the user and would not apply to businesses which appear to provide “free” parking as in suburban retail or business districts.
• No other neighborhood in the city or region would face a similar tax burden.
• Tax rate could range anywhere from $10 to $100+ per year, per space.
• Funds would be allocated for use in the operation and preservation of city streets (city-wide), implementation of the Complete Streets concept, and other transportation improvements.

Why this tax must be stopped:

• This tax would pass through directly to you as a Downtown worker or patron.
• It would increase your costs while also driving away new business to suburban areas.
• It would become another reason why suburban sprawl is cheaper than urban development.
• It would make Downtown’s top competitive disadvantage - for-pay parking - that much more expensive at a time when businesses are already struggling to stay above water.
• Not a single business or retail district does for the City what Downtown already does: a self-assessed Business Improvement District, the highest density contribution into property and sales tax in the region, direct out-of-pocket contribution to fund additional police protection, long-standing investments into capital improvements, and parking that has to be paid for by the user, both on and off-street.
• The Downtown Spokane Partnership recognizes the City has a budget shortfall and will continue to partner with the City to help find better, more progressive options on addressing challenges versus a regressive tax.
• • The DSP is committed to the plans as outlined in the 2008 Downtown Plan Update. Just as with the original 1999 Downtown Plan, the DSP will work with both the private and public sectors to identify, advocate and secure funding options and tools, which resulted in over $3.7 billion in redevelopment in the last decade.
  

What you can do: Make sure your voice is heard!

• Tell City Council that this tax is ill-advised and should not be enacted:
  
  Amber Waldref: awaldref@spokanecity.org
  Bob Apple: bapple@spokanecity.org
  Jon Snyder: jsnyder@spokanecity.org
  Richard Rush: rrush@spokanecity.org
  Nancy McLaughlin: nmclaughlin@spokanecity.org
  Steve Corker: scorker@spokanecity.org
  Joe Shogan: jshogan@spokanecity.org
• Contact DSP President Marty Dickinson: mdickinson@downtownspokane.net or Andrew Rolwes: arolwes@downtownspokane.net, 509.456.0580, with questions.
• Hear what Council members say about the tax at the September 23rd Council Study Session starting at 3:30pm at the Council Briefing Center, City Hall basement. No public comments at the session.
• Stay up-to-date on this issue by visiting this page, sounding off on the Downtown Spokane Partnership facebook page, Launchpad or subscribing to our Downtown newsletter.
• Get the word out: Distribute this flyer. Post it on public bulletin boards, Twitter, Facebook, blog and chat about what happens to your business if the tax passes. Talk to colleagues, customers and friends about what this means to your bottom line and your pocket book.
  

Click on the links below to see what others are saying and doing!

• View KHQ's Latest and comments from public
• Steve Salvatori's Letter to Council
• Greater Spokane's letter to City Council
• KXLY's September 9th Coverage
• Click here for KREM's coverage on September 8
• Click here to view KHQ's coverage of the issue
• Spokane Public Facilities District's letter to City Council
• NAI Black's letter to City Council
• Macy's Letter to City Council
• Jigsaw's letter
• Comment from Annie Matlow, private citizen: "Downtown businesses are already taxing themselves to make improvements, including enhanced parking. The proposed parking tax is the most repressive tax I could imagine. The Downtown core is a rich source of sales tax revenue which would be drastically affected by the parking tax. If you are not going to tax parking lots at suburban malls, how can you consider strangling Downtown businesses with this tax?"
• Comment from private citizen:
  • "I am currently completing negotiations with a national entertainment chain that will bring roughly 1400 people into downtown per week, with many using hotels and restaurants in the downtown area. We have been working with the Davenport to provide hotel packages for out of town attendees. GSI, the DSP and City Departments have all worked extremely hard at attracting this tenant to the downtown area over more suburban locations. The cost of parking was a major hurdle to overcome. I am certain that if this tax is put in place, they will not complete the transaction and likely locate at a free parking site, such as the Valley mall. In fact, if they hear this is being debated, I would guess they will at a minimum, choose not to commit until it is clear it does not pass. This is only one reason of many I am sure you will hear of, to ask you to stop this proposal. Thank you."
    Scot D. Auble, MAI
• Private citizen, Neil Muller's letter
• Read what the people of Seattle had to say
• We want to hear from YOU too! - Let us know your thoughts on the DSP Facebook & Launchpad pages.