A final vote has now changed what drivers will pay every time they use two specific toll roads. For some motorists, the price will soon be cut in half. For everyone else, the bill will stay the same.
In a 6-0 vote, members of the Washington State Transportation Commission created the state’s first low-income toll discount program for the SR 509 and SR 167 Expressways.
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After checking the threshold income requirements, no one in Washington who works full time will qualify for this. This is meant for college students, high school students, or part time stay at home parents. Anyone who makes above $16 an hour working 40 hours a week won’t qualify for this. The minimum wage for Washington state is $17 an hour. People who makes below minimum wage is considered poverty not low income. Low-income is individual who makes less than median wage for Washington state. The median wage is $36 an hour or 75k a year. Anyone who makes below $17 an hour in Washington is considered poverty in my opinion considering an average meal cost $15 throughout Washington state. Washington state and the federal government needs a reality check of what is considered low income. Take Seattle for instance, their low income threshold is 90k. Anyone who earns less than 90k can qualify MFTE.
Equality really isnt feeling equal. We already give so much that we are in debt 16 billion. Communists suck, in the end maybe we should all stop working, true communism.
We should be adding bus only lanes for sound transits stride BRT system instead of subsidizing driving. If we are trying to help low income people, how about improving services that are already way more affordable than driving such as walking, biking and public transit. Increase frequencies, level boarding access, off board payments, bike racks in the bus and bus only lanes. This would also be more fair as anyone can take a bus no matter their income and they can then skip pass all the traffic. This would also help reduce traffic by getting people out of single occupant vehicles and into busses to clear up the clogged freeways.
Lets do away with the Tolls. More people work the more they pay in taxes? Not for those at the top using all the loop holes their people can find them.
If you calculate that out, $32,000 a yr is just over $16 per hour. Or 2025 min wage. So to qualify you’re most likely not working.