Amid outcry over high car tab fees, competing plans proposed to lower bills

After an outcry by some car owners upset about paying higher car tab fees to fund the Sound Transit 3 expansion, legislators are working on competing plans to lower those bills.

The addition of taxes from Sound Transit 3 more than tripled the existing fee for drivers in Pierce, King and Snohomish counties who are within the Sound Transit district. (See if you’re in the district at this link).

With the vote to extend light rail, district residents have committed to paying the increases on car tabs, property and sales for the next three decades.

Owners of a $10,000 car would see their tab fee jump from $30 a year to $110. Add that to other fees such as a state weight fee, transportation benefit district fees and others, and some drivers are being hit with a bill much higher than last year’s.

The new car tab fees apply to tabs that expire after March 1.