It was Councilman Sid Stahl who mentioned the
commuter tax during a near raucous public forum
on city property taxes Monday night, and
we have already been talking read high among
ourselves about the possibility
of some kind of a commuter tax or some
other source of the revenue.
Well over 100000 residents of towns
like Plano or Richardson in Highland Park,
Daily Drive to downtown Dallas to work.
But the idea of a commuter tax failed when
first brought up seven years ago by former
Mayor Pro Tem George Allen.
The council did not
want to do anything,
in my judgment, that
would cause the giants of industry
who get these tremendous salaries, the
public utility offices, they didn't want
any of those people affected and affected,
all of them.
Had it
passed. Among those who would be most affected
by the commuter tax, there's still a wide
variety of opinion.
Certainly, people living outside of Dallas
are using the services of Dallas.
And I feel morally, you know,
we should pay something.
I think it's unfair.
I think we have enough taxes.
Don't you? Do you think a commuter tax is fair
that I
went in recent years as more and more Dallas
homeowners realize the extent of their property
tax increases to pay the massive cost of
running the city. Attention is turning to the
suburbs for help, and that possibly could
come in the form of a commuter tax. Bob Leder,
Channel 5 Action News, Dallas.