July 24, 2008
Statement of King County Executive Ron Sims on Sound Transit 2 ballot measure
I have always enthusiastically supported the long-term vision of light rail, but this proposal does not respond to the immediate needs of people who want an alternative to $4.50 a gallon gas.
There is so little bus service, this proposal means that people will continue standing on crowded buses or worse, be left standing at a bus stop because the bus is too full. It means buses will remain crowded, and I fear it could create an environment where people are discouraged with transit. People need relief now not 15 years from now.
I worked hard to expand the bus portion of the package which would have had new bus service on our most congested corridors starting as early as next February. My bus proposal would have cost $136 million out of the $17.8 billion ballot measure and added 860,000 new bus service hours, accelerated the start of Transit Now service by three years and fully funded operation of 45 new buses on the Highway 520 corridor for four years. Unfortunately, my amendment did not pass and I could not support the overall plan.
While voting against the plan, I voted to put the measure on the ballot so people can decide for themselves. My personal opinion is that given the poor state of the economy, this is not the time to ask voters for a big tax increase, especially since the tax doesn’t respond to the demand for bus service we see right now.
King County Metro transit now serves a record 400,000 riders per day, which is more than Sound Transit will serve when this proposal is fully implemented in 15 years. I want an integrated transportation system that conveniently moves as many people as we can as soon as we can.
Related news
- Sound Transit sending voters $17.9 billion rail-and-bus plan, Seattle Times
- Push made for more buses, Seattle Times
- Multibillion-dollar rail, bus plan is up to voters, Seattle P-I
- Transit tax heads to vote, News Tribune
- Voters will face regional transit measure again, Herald Net