King County Local Voters Pamphlet
November 7, 2000 General Election Metropolitan King County - Proposition No. 1
PROPOSITION NO.1 The Metropolitan King County Council has passed Ordinance No. 13931 concerning this public transportation system sales and use tax proposition. This proposition would authorize King County to fix and impose an additional sales and use tax of not more than two-tenths of one percent in order to fund operation, maintenance, and capital needs of King County Metro public transportation, including, but not limited to, bus service, accessible services, vanpool programs, passenger facilities, park and ride facilities, and other congestion relief projects to preserve and enhance Metro Transit services as provided in Ordinance No. 13931. Should this proposition be: Approved __ Rejected __
If approved by the voters, Proposition No. 1 would authorize King County to impose an additional sales and use tax of not more than two-tenths of one percent. The proposed tax would be used for purposes of funding the operation, maintenance, and capital needs of King County Metro public transportation. These purposes include but are not limited to bus service, accessible services, vanpool programs, passenger facilities, park and ride facilities, and other congestion relief projects to preserve and enhance Metro Transit services.
Vote yes on Proposition One and keep us all moving. A yes vote will: - Expand Metro Transit service and add new buses. - Synchronize traffic signals county-wide to keep traffic moving through intersections and arterials. - Build more park-and-ride lots and bus shelters. Metro Transit is one of the best bus systems in the United States. Every day, it operates 300,000 bus trips, 11,700 vanpool trips and serves 3,000 disabled riders. But our bus system faces the loss of one-third of its operating funds. Metro has already cut administrative costs and inefficient routes. Voting YES on Proposition 1 will keep our buses running, add more routes and help relieve congestion in your community. We need good transit service and less congestion to keep our economy strong and to improve air quality. To preserve and improve our bus system, King County is proposing to increase the sales tax by two-tenths of one percent (2 cents on a $10 purchase). By law, the dollars raised by Proposition One can only be used for Metro Transit in King County. Proposition One will keep the buses running, address traffic-congestion relief and bring needed transit improvements. Vote yes. STATEMENT PREPARED BY: RON SIMS, MAGGI FIMIA, JIM ELLIS
Consistent with Initiative 695, Proposition One requires voters to decide. An independent audit found that "Metro Transit is a more efficient operation than its peers, and its efficiency is improving." Metro Transit faces cuts of $100 million and the loss of up to one-third of its bus service. Efficiencies alone will not restore that funding. Proposition One will save our transit system, improve bus service and synchronize traffic lights throughout King County.
Proposition 1 will add two-tenths of one percent to the six-tenths of one percent sales tax Metro already receives - an annual $80 million increase. What the proposition ignores, however, is the fact that the "$30 license tab" part of Initiative 695 is now state law. Every level of government statewide should reconcile itself to reduced revenues from the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET) and accordingly, to control its spending. King County is unwilling to cut its $2.6 Billion budget, intends instead to meet its revenue demands by increasing the sales tax. Devising tax schemes has become an obsession with King County's elected officials as they continue their spending spree, meanwhile blaming their bothersome financial shortages on I-695. Facetiously: - If you drive, they tax the street; If you sit, they tax your seat; - If you're cold, they tax your heat; If you walk, they tax your feet; - When you're taxed to the max, they will tax your tax.Unconscionably this proposed Metro subsidy will utilize our regressive, unfair state sales tax. This year alone King County will collect $3.44 Billion in sales taxes, which will also increase as the price of goods and services rise. STATEMENT PREPARED BY: FRED BUCKE, BOB HEGAMIN
Enough is enough. Vote NO on Proposition 1. - Metro currently receives $240 million from the state sales tax. - Proposition 1 isn't about maintaining present transit operations, but a major expensive overhaul of Metro. - The County's answer to Metro's problems has always been to tax and spend more. It did not provide solutions then and it certainly will not now. - Once voted, Proposition 1 is an $80 million per year tax increase - forever. Vote NO - November 7.
NOTE: The Division of Records and Elections is not authorized to edit statements, nor is it responsible for their contents.
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Updated: October 20, 2000
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