Visitor’s view: Tacoma too rich for his blood
A short letter from a visitor in town for the day. I am traveling from Washington D.C. I am driving from Portland to Seattle with a one-day stop in Tacoma.
I see a billboard advertising a state fair. I go to my hotel and log on my laptop. I look up the Washington State Fair. I find out that it is $14 per person; that’s $28 for my wife and me, plus $10 to park.
That’s $38 before one ride, one drink or anything to eat. Too expensive.
So we decided to stay in and went to a local supermarket for a couple of snacks. I find out it does not accept credit cards. In 2017!
Lastly I purchase a bottle of liquor, priced at $10.99. When the cashier told me the total was $16.07, I nearly passed out. Your liquor tax was $2.83, then another tax of $2.25.
When a person from Washington DC complains about things being too expensive, Tacoma, it should tell you something is wrong.
John McDonald, Washington D.C.
This story was originally published September 24, 2017 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Visitor’s view: Tacoma too rich for his blood."