Considering the current Senate rules for holding up legislation, saying that the Democrats "control" congress is laughable. Anything less than 100 Democrats in the Senate isn't "control" when any one senator can stop any bill. The Republicans have repeatedly refused to negotiate, compromise, or find consensus since day one of Obama's term. The only thing they've done is stuck to their plan to make Obama a one term president not matter what it takes. They've willingly kept us in a recession purely for their own political gain. Mitch McConnel and friends are scumbags ruining the lives of decent Americans simply to put a few more lobbying dollars in their pockets and score another term.

You don't like some of the stuff the government spends money on, well tough cookies! I'd rather that not one dime of my taxes go to protecting monopolies or funding defense contractors or to give tax breaks to churches, but you know, there's not much I can do about that. Like it or not, but the rest of society also has interests, and they may not alway align with yours, but you have to accept it anyways. Thats the price of living in an advanced civil society.

Your entire position of "I don't personally care for it, so nobody should" smacks of selfish ignorance typical of a child.

The article is about Seattle planning new bike improvements. The bulk of the comments on here are to the effect of "duh, bikes don't pay taxes, why should taxes pay for bike stuff". I'm pointing out the idiocy of those comments by pointing out that bike riders absolutly pay their fair share, and if anything pay more than they get back in bike infrastructure.

Forgive me that this is soo confusing to understand, let me break it down:
Roads are funded through taxes.
State roads are funded through gas taxes, license tabs, and other state taxes.
Seattle City roads are funded through property taxes.
3% of the Seattle road money goes to bike improvements.
More than 3% of Seattle rides a bike at least once in a while.
100% of people in Seattle pay property taxes in one way or another.
More than 3% of the people in Seattle are getting only 3% of the transportation budget, I'd say that's paying more than they're getting back.
You say you want 0% of your tax dollars going to bike improvements.
You say bike improvements should be paid using tab and license fees.
I say what about the people who don't drive who'd say the same thing; that they want 0% of their tax dollars to go to NON bike or pedestrian improvements.
I say that it's unfair for the city to tax bikes with licence fees when they're not also taxing cars as well.

I'm not getting off topic. People who don't drive or cycle still have to pay property taxes and are therefor paying for roads they don't use just like you're paying for bike lanes you don't use. Should we say the same thing about road funding for cars; that only people who drive should pay for the roads? If so you'd be looking at a massive drop in roads funding. Believe it or not, not everyone drives a car in Seattle, but they still have to cough up money for the roads, how do you think they feel?

You don't understand, they already do pay for these improvements. The cost of this is 3% of the roads budget. Way more than 3% of the people in Seattle rides bikes and pay those taxes. Therefor, they are already paying more than their fair share. You know who else is paying more than their fair share, people who don't own cars at all, they still have to pay property taxes and pay for the roads, yet they don't even drive. You know who else pays more, People who don't drive or bike, why should they have to subsidize your roads?

You see them as a target? What, like you're just waiting for the chance to murder somebody?

The fact that anybody would vote up that comment makes me sick to my stomach. You people need to get a grip on reality.

Such broad generalizations. I think that people who drive cars are inattentive, impatient, lunatics who actively seek out confrontation. They have zero regard for human life as they pilot their multi-ton murder weapons around all the while arrogantly railing against the slightest annoyance or delay like pathetic spoiled children.

Funny, as a frequent pedestrian, I'd say the same thing about cars.

Ask me how many times I've almost been hit this week? Guess how many of those time were bike riders?

License fees and tabs are STATE taxes, they go to STATE roads and highways. Seattle streets (which is what the article is talking about) are paid for with property taxes. Tell me, what about the people in Seattle who don't own a car yet still pay property taxes either directly or through rent and higher prices for goods. What about them? They don't drive at all yet still pay for all the roads, are they not paying their fair share???

Besides, what are you really suggesting? That we force little Sally to cough up her lifetimes worth of allowance so she can take her little bike with training wheels out for a spin on the Burke-Gilman?

They do pay for it. Bike improvements are only 3% of the roads budget, do you think that less than 3% of people in Seattle ride a bike?