City officials appear ready to place a $60 car tab fee on the fall ballot when they meet on Tuesday, says Seattle Transportation Benefit District board chair Tom Rasmussen. But Mayor Mike McGinn's plan for a larger fee that funds rail looks DOA, with an amendment in the wings from Council Member Nick Licata that would explicitly ban the city from using the car-tab revenues for any high capacity transit improvements.

While several proposals have been floated, the resolution Rasmussen released today would allow the city to collect a $60 vehicle license fee for 10 years and divide the revenues as follows: 49 percent to transit, 29 percent to road repair, and 22 percent to bicycle and pedestrian improvements.

"I don’t think it will be unanimous, but I think it will pass strongly," says Rasmussen, asked if he has the votes to put it on the ballot. Possible dissenters: Council Member Harrell has expressed skepticism that voters would approve an $80 car tab fee, while council members Sally Bagshaw and Jean Godden have said they support more investment in roadwork.

The board, which comprises the entire Seattle City Council, will meet at 11:00 a.m. on August 16—the deadline to qualify for the November ballot—to take a vote. If approved by voters this fall, the measure would generate an estimate $20.4 million annually for the next decade.

But no council member appears willing to support Mayor Mike McGinn's pleas this week to charge an $80 fee that runs forever—which could fund long-term construction bonds to build a high-capacity streetcar network.

"I think only the mayor has suggested that here at City Hall," Rasmussen says. Although McGinn has asked that council members "be bold" and approve his proposal, his 11th-hour request is troubled by logistical hurdles. For instance, the city's Transit Master Plan that identifies rail corridors is still in draft form, a never-ending tax is believed to scare off voters, and an $80 price tag may seem excessive. Plus, no council member has sponsored such a resolution. "It’s writing a check for a project that has no design, no plans, no route." Rasmussen says. "I think voters would catch on really fast: Wait, what are we paying for?"

In fact, there is outright opposition to a streetcar investment. Council Member Nick Licata has filed an amendment that says "funding shall not be allocated to pay" for planning or construction of "any potential High Capacity Transit improvement" other than the two streetcar lines the city has already committed to (South Lake Union, which is built, and the planned First Hill streetcar).

One silver lining for McGinn: The council members are interested in extending the First Hill streetcar line a half mile line north of its slated terminus on East Denny Way. Rasmussen says, "There is strong support for extending [it] to Aloha Street."