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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Afternoon Jolt: Zoos, Aquariums, and Loopholes—Oh My!

Jolt, Politics, This Washington   January 25, 2011 at 4:25 pm Afternoon Jolt

Today’s Loser: State Representative Reuven Carlyle (D-36, Queen Anne, Ballard, Magnolia).

According to The Olympian, a bill sponsored by State Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-36) would exempt zoos and aquariums from paying the sales tax and the business and occupation tax, keeping them in business for all the kiddies (when they’re not jumping adorably and holding campaign signs, that is).

Just last week, we gave Carlyle mass props last week for his work to close tax loopholes as an alternative to raising revenue for the catastrophic state budget. It seems that Carlyle’s judicious loophole-hunting doesn’t extend to zoos and aquariums.

Spokesman for SEIU 775 Adam Glickman slammed Carlyle on the proposed recreational spending:

“I took 5 kids to the Woodland Park Zoo on Saturday, and the animals all seemed pretty healthy and well-fed, which is more than you can say for hundreds of thousands of low-income seniors and children under the proposed cuts to services… [it's] hard to imagine how this is a high priority when we’re cutting kids off health care and slashing home care services for vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities.”

(For PubliCola’s coverage of cutting off health care and slashing home care services, click here and here.)

Rep. Carlyle did not immediately return calls for comment, but he told Jordan Schraeder at the Olympian that “some tax exemptions make 100 percent perfect sense.”

Today’s Winner: Children of state legislators who enjoy the occasional outing to a zoo or aquarium.


  • Reuven Carlyle

    Ok, let’s rumble:

    Here’s why it’s good public policy to change state law to treat Woodland Park Zoo and Seattle Aquarium the same as Seattle Art Museum, Burke and other cultural institutions statewide: Today, they are treated unequally by Olympia.

    Due to a long-standing omission, zoos and aquariums pay B&O taxes but museums, art facilities and other cultural institutions do not.

    First, state law exempts ALL cultural institutions from paying B&O tax. When the law was written zoos and aquariums were owned by local governments–not non profits–so they were not included in statute logistically. That was in the 1970s. Time to update state law and make it fair.

    Second, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Aquarium, Port Defiance Zoo are not asking for any special benefits or special exemptions–they are asking only to be treated the SAME as all other NON PROFIT cultural institutions statewide.

    So, either we tax all cultural institutions or none–but we can’t pick winners and losers based upon 1970s statutes. Zoos and aquariums are inaccurately singled out to pay this B&O tax and it’s unfair, unwise and unjustified.

    I’m working to help bring real transparency to how our 567 tax exemptions operate. Yes, we need courageous honesty about the value, return on investment and equity of tax exemptions. And this tax exemption is fully consistent with that philosophical approach. It’s good public policy and I stand by it without reservation.

    Besides, my kids love the zoo.

    Your partner in service,

    Reuven Carlyle
    State Representative
    36th Legislative District–the heart, soul, passion and spirit of Seattle

  • Anonymous

    I agree that its a good idea, these are important parts of our community, but I just don’t think that now is the right time to be doing it given the massive short falls that we are experiencing. In a couple years sure, but right now we have to raise all the revenue we can. They have functioned just fine this way for years and can for a couple more.

    Had the voters not been so shortsighted and rejected new revenue it would be one thing, but they did.

    I love the the efforts to close tax loop holes!

  • Punk Ass Bitch

    You could achieve the same equity by extending the B&O tax to other cultural institutions. Why do you think it is better to make these institutions operate tax free than it is to prevent some of the painful budget cuts that will be made this year.