I see where Scranton officials want legislation enabling them to whack people with a commuter tax. The city would get a bite of your pay check if you work in the city and live somewhere else. That's in addition to the $52 local services tax.
Commuters will argue that they already pay to park. They shop at city stores and eat at city restaurants. If there were no commuters, there would be no Scranton. That's all well and good.
I lived through this the last time Scranton had a commuter tax, about twenty years ago, while I was working at a TV station headquartered at 415 Lackawanna Avenue.
Commuters hated it then, and I'm going to shimmy out on a limb to say sentiment has not improved with age.
Working in Moosic means I escape the tax this time around, but let me tell you some of the aggravating issues.
Scranton is having massive financial problems. I feel most people wouldn't mind kicking a little if they knew the money was going to be put to good use.
What do you get for your tax dollars? Surly public employees (although some are excellent), unresponsive elected officials, bad management, cronyism, potholes, weeds, litter, and a lot of waste. A lot of waste! Scranton has now been financially distressed for DECADES, and there appears to be little progress toward getting the city back on track.
There will be less opposition to a commuter tax if people feel their money won't be squandered. Scranton, at least right now, doesn't appear to be prepared and equipped to make that guarantee.
It's like increasing the allowance for an irresponsible child.
