A win for transit, even if it was due to inept legislating.

I can't say I'm sorry to see Clibburn go.

The reason she needed R votes to pass this pile of hot garbage is because there is now a small group of Democrats who were unwilling to vote for anything that didn't backfill the cuts to Sound Transit's budget, so they had to go looking for Republicans to pass it. When the session started, there was no indication there were any House Democrats serious about keeping ST3 whole. Local pro-transit advocacy groups and publications--Seattle Subway, The Urbanist, STB, etc--did a great job of motivating and organizing enough political pressure to make a difference. Good job, everyone. (And Heidi's coverage has been great too of course.)

THAT is an awesome transit photo!

As much as it pains me, and with 5 cars in the family it does, the facts were there when we voted. If people didn't read it then shame on them

@4 -- And it was exactly the formula that the legislature mandated. That was the part of it that was ridiculous. The legislature said you have to raise taxes this particular way, then months later decided it needed to be different.

For some reason we had KIRO's news on this evening, and they were acting like the world had come to an end over those dumb car tabs. Lots of angry middle-aged white guys complaining about how they never use transit. (which was obvious from their bloated faces and multiple chins. They looked like the only time they got out of their cars was to waddle into Bartell's for more hemorrhoid cream)

It would be awesome if our worthless state legistlature, instead of hindering us in building transit, might one day even help us to build voter-supported transit. When people vote for something and on top of that to tax themselves hundreds of dollars a year for it, its fair to assume they really f-ing want it.

Here's the thing: Everyone I know gripes about the car tabs, but I don't know anyone who can't afford them. TV just likes to show the cranks, and the politicians love to jump on anything populist.

The best was the letter from moron Dino Rossi and other Republicans begging the Attorney General to find that the bill that the Republican Senate passed to put ST3 on the ballot was unconstitutional. Why are Republicans so awful? Why does some yutz from Ritzville care whether we tax ourselves to provide alternatives to the 26th worst congestion on the planet, while at the same time keeping pollution out of our environment?

Shut down all transit for a day to show those who never use it that they benefit from utt nonetheless.

@9 Catalina Vel-DuRay: Exactly.
@10 the idiot formerly known as kk: Because RepubliKKKans are usually as stupid as they are shamefully corrupt.
@11 RicoPDX: That's basically a good idea, although it would greatly inconvenience those who rely on public transportation the most for that one agreed upon day of non-service. Hopefully it would finally wake some clueless-about-car-tab yutzes up.

Thank you, Auntie Grizelda dear, but I should say this: I think it's rather dumb that we are financing a major transit system on car tabs, because that does put a burden on average people who may have to drive because of their location or their job. If we were a well-regulated state, we would have a progressive income tax, and the parasitic wealthy class would be paying for a large chunk of the system.