Ride Share and Alcohol Taxes to Fulfill Metro Commitment

Taxes will increase in D.C. on alcohol and ride-sharing services such as Lyft and Uber in order to contribute to the city’s Metro bus service, beginning October 1, 2018.

Ride-sharing services will have taxes increased to 6%, which is a sizeable increase as it currently stands at 1%. Alcohol purchased at a liquor store will increase to 10.25% from the current 10%. Sales tax for the city will also be raised to 6 from 5.75%. Other slight increases in taxes, including restaurant meals (from 10 to 10.25%) and hotel sales (from 14.8 to 14.95%), will also apply.

D.C. is one of the three jurisdictions in the area that is accountable for yearly monetary Metro transportation support. Virginia pays $167 million, Maryland pays $154 million, and D.C. is responsible for $178.5 million of the funding each year.

The tax increases should make up for the remainder of what D.C.’s city savings was not able to cover – which already was a substantial $100 million that was being saved in the city budget.

The minuscule adjustments in taxation are already getting disapproval from residents who are upset that the public was not consulted prior to any of these preliminary decisions. Some residents feel they are even being punished; however, Council insisted that increasing taxes is fair because ride-sharing commodities contribute to heavier traffic and they also wear down the streets.

Funding the metro is important because statistics have revealed how populated cities that have public transportation available have fewer incidents of DUI accidents and arrests than metropolitan areas without similar alternatives.

Low rates of DUI fatalities are reported in New York City (about 2.65 for every 100,000 citizens), Philadelphia (6.98 for every 100,000 citizens), and San Francisco (2.54 for every 100,000 citizens). These cities have low rates of DUI fatalities because they offer plenty of choices for public transportation, which should make metro funding a no-brainer.

Rather than being forced to find a safe ride home, public transportation ensures that people only have to make it to a bus stop, wave down a cab, or contact a rideshare. These options are typically offered in major cities 24/7.

“The data makes it easy to see that the numbers of people who drive while intoxicated is reduced if a metropolitan area provides suitable public transportation. It would be difficult for activism groups or public policy to equate that degree of success,” according to Los Angeles DUI attorney.

Other cities need to take a hint from D.C. and regions that have found success through implementing methods of public transportation. Additional benefits of implementing a metro service include increasing the values of property located near the metro route, increasing access to businesses and employment, and lastly making the area overall more livable.

Optimistically, if public transportation can become more widespread, people could begin to shift their perception regarding what is and is not tolerable when it comes to chancing a DUI and even worse – risking lives.