Comments
Please wait...
Comments are closed.
Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.
is a proud member of the
media network
media network
All contents © Index Newspapers LLC
800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
You'd think they would want to go into the 2015 election being hailed as heroes for saving the buses...
(yes yes "Seattle-only property tax", but consider how if this were to go forward it would affect transit in King county outside Seattle. sure.. @#$'n-em! but that's why 'No' roughly means an outside Seattle voter)
Oh and remember when people were planning to vote against the deep bore tunnel saying 100,000+ cars being directed into downtown traffic wasn't a big deal. But when it came to eliminating bus routes, putting 50,000 cars on the streets, omg this will lead to carmageddon!
Okay really I think that's a fun idea, I just wanted to say that.
This tax doesn't increase routes to get me out of my car. I am forced to drive regardless. At least with this proposal my car isn't a money cow to be milked. I will vote yes on this one, and no on all other proposals going forward.
It's insulting to me that my rep played this off as a temporary fix until Olympia provides a solution.
Attn: Rep Farrell, property taxes are forever. At no point do I expect Olympia to do anything at anytime.
I hope you get Carlye to take a position on this issue.
@24, the tax may not increase routes, but your trips won't be delayed or impeded by more cars joining you.
Short answer is "less funding from the state? How can you get less than $0?"
Seriously. Washington state ranks dead last in the whole country for transit operations funding help from the state. Mississippi does more. Texas does more. Rhode Island does more. DC House Republicans have never suggested a budget with such a small role for transit. We have always paid for it ourselves, through taxes on ourselves, this measure just eliminates the step where we have to get permission from Oly to pay for it ourselves. Which is great.
There either is a bus for me to ride or there isn't. And there isn't.
Excuses don't cut it anymore.
The crisis was caused 15 years ago when I-695 removed metro's primary stable funding source.
Since then, Metro has lurched from one temporary funding solution to another, only to be dropped back into crisis mode when the temporary measures expire. They are extremely dependent on sales tax revenue right now, which fluctuates dramatically with the economy, leading to unkept promises and unexpected cutbacks. Their latest temporary solution, the car tab fee, is set to expire in a matter of months, and the State government has not authorized a renewal.
And during all of this, ridership has been constantly increasing. Service is getting downright terrible on core routes with frequent crowding, delays, and extremely poor schedule reliability.