LAST ONE and then you’re done! And holy fuck is this one important. If passed, this package (known as ST3 because it’s the third—and biggest, and best—of its kind) will massively expand our current light rail system, sending lines to Ballard, West Seattle, Everett, Issaquah, Redmond, and Tacoma. It will also expand Sounder commuter rail service and extend bus service to Renton and Kirkland. The average adult in the region will pay $169 more per year in new property, sales, and car-tab taxes than they’re paying now. That’s just $14 a month or $28 for a two-person household for an awful lot of mass transit awesomeness.
This must happen. You gotta vote for this one. Gotta. And you know the reasons for this already, right? More light rail will help us fight climate change. It will encourage density near transit. It will give those who do have cars an alternative to sitting in traffic. It will make the region more accessible for low-income people. As the city of Seattle gets more expensive, giving people who live on the outskirts of town, where rents are lower, a decent way to get around will help stop the region from becoming a place where only rich techies and trust-fund baristas can live.
