Judge J. Kathleen Learned's June 8 order on the Monorail was simple. The council should either repeal the voter-approved initiative or actively seek to build it. The council, however, cannot let the initiative die through inactivity.
The room for evasion has been closed off. But can Seattle's decisionally challenged politicians conform to such a mandate?
Here are the results of an informal Stranger poll conducted the day after Learned's ruling.
"I'm calling for neither approach," says Council Member Peter Steinbrueck, who would rather fund a study that would look at all the city's transportation issues.
"Kill it," says Council Member Richard McIver, who thinks the project is a giant boondoggle.
Save it, says Council Member Nick Licata, who, along with Council Member Judy Nicastro, introduced a proposal earlier this month to approve $4 million in research funds for the Monorail. ["Build the Monorail," Dan Savage, June 8.]
Heidi Wills' aides simply say she's against the outright repeal of the Monorail initiative, but before Learned's ruling, Wills proposed a resolution that would have gutted the Monorail's Elevated Transportation Company (ETC), encouraging it to "evolve into a smaller-scale public development authority." ["With Friends Like These," Josh Feit, May 4.] The ETC has only one staff member.
The real force on this issue now may be City Council President Margaret Pageler, who wants something decided in just two weeks. Pageler hinted during a hearing on Monday, June 12 that she favored either repealing the initiative, or putting a referendum on the ballot for a scary tax increase that would encourage voters to kill the Monorail themselves.
