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Without New Congestion Fee, Metro will lose 17 percent of Service Hours
Over the past few years, the King County Council and the Executive have worked together with our employees to reduce Metro’s costs in order to continue providing the quality bus service so many of our neighbors rely on to go about their daily lives. However, Metro is still struggling with a budget crisis: the result of having to depend on highly volatile sales tax revenue.
King County has spent one-time reserve money; cancelled scheduled bus replacements; implemented efficiencies identified in an audit of Metro; raised fares over 80 percent in the last four years; convened the Regional Transit Task Force comprised of local leaders to help create a new vision of Metro that focuses on productivity, efficiency, and ensuring social equity and geographic value; and our bus drivers and employees voluntarily waived their contractual cost-of-living increases all in an effort to keep buses on the road.
Unfortunately, the continued recession and the increase in diesel fuel prices have exacerbated the problem and without a new revenue source, Metro will have to cut 600,000 service hours over the next two years. This is equivalent of 17 percent of Metro’s service affecting 9 million riders and increasing congestion on all of our roads in King County. To give you an idea of what 17 percent of Metro’s service looks like; it is equivalent to cutting all peak commuter trips or all weekend service in King County. Cuts of this magnitude will affect four out of five riders and means longer waits, more buses that will pass people by because they are beyond standing room only, and more transfers. The impact cuts of this magnitude will have on those of us who can least afford them – the poor, students, minorities, and the elderly is untenable. I believe we must take full advantage of any and all tools available to us in order to stop these draconian cuts in bus service.
That is why I stood with Executive Constantine when he announced on Monday June 20, 2011, that he transmitted to the Council legislation enacting a temporary $20 Congestion Reduction Charge (CRC) and a Congestion Reduction Plan for King County Metro. This two-year temporary fee, authorized by the state legislature, will allow King County to preserve existing bus service while working with lawmakers from around the state to develop a comprehensive long term funding fix for transit systems state-wide. The money collected from the CRC, $25 million dollars a year over the next two years, along with the use of one-time reserves would allow Metro to avoid cutting 17 percent of its service.
The Council will look at the CRC in the coming weeks along with the Congestion Reduction Plan that outlines how the revenues from the CRC would be used. I look forward to working with the Executive and my colleagues on the Council to pass the CRC and save bus service in King County for the next two years. But it will not be easy. The legislature requires a super majority of the County Council – or six out of nine Councilmembers – to approve this measure. Otherwise, a simple majority of the Council can vote to put it on the November ballot. Sending the CRC to the November ballot will cost King County up to $1.3 million dollars – money we do not have. If this fee is not enacted, Metro will have to make these cuts. In fact, if the Council does not vote to enact the CRC on its own, we will have to go into the County’s budget process assuming these cuts will occur.
It is because of this possibility the Executive also transmitted an ordinance that begins the cuts of 600,000 service hours; the first round of 100,000 service hours would begin February 2012. The situation is too dire for the County Council to pass on the opportunity given to us by the state legislature. Every month of delay means Metro must spend down its reserves by another $5 million dollars. I urge my fellow Councilmembers to act quickly and support the only tool the state legislature gave us as a short term funding fix until a longer term solution to the state’s transit problems can be found. I look forward to hearing from you about your thoughts on the CRC, the proposed 100,000 service hour cuts to take place in February, and the eventual loss of 17 percent of our bus service if the CRC is not enacted.
For more information on the future of Metro including the CRC, the Congestion Reduction Plan, and the proposed service cuts please visit: https://metro.kingcounty.gov/am/future/. For more information on the legislation before the King County Council please click on: 2011-0287, 2011-0288, and 2011-0289.
Let’s Have an Enjoyable, Yet Safe Summer
Councilmember Gossett with students from the
Seattle Girls’ School. |
Regardless of the cloud cover and temperatures we’ve experienced over the months, summer is here! I hope everyone has an enjoyable and safe summer. On June 20, the King County Council passed legislation requiring the use of personal flotation devices on major rivers in King County. This applies to anyone boating, floating, or swimming in rivers, as well as anyone using any type of buoyant device such as a boat, raft, log raft, air mattress, inner tube, surf board, sail board, canoe or kayak. It also applies to anyone five feet or more from the river’s shore, or in more than four feet of water.
While there are no major rivers in my district, there are lakes with many supervised beaches and some unauthorized swimming spots. Please remind your loved ones to only swim at authorized beaches during operational hours when lifeguards are present. And remember, it only takes a moment and a few inches of water for a toddler to drown in a portable backyard pool. Let’s keep an eye on each other, and encourage the use of personal floatation devices when in the water.
Summer is also prime time for home burglaries. With warming temperatures, many of us keep our windows open day and night. While most home burglaries take place between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. when many are at work, it is important to keep doors and windows locked at all times, since some burglaries take place in the evening while residents are at home. Let’s watch out for our neighbors, form block watch groups on our streets, and help create positive activities for our at-risk youth.
Also, keep in mind that our children are on summer vacation. With the current recession, many families cannot afford to send their children to summer or sports camps and scholarships for such camps have diminished. Please be mindful when driving of increased pedestrian traffic, more youth and adults riding bikes hopefully with protective helmets, and young people out in neighborhoods at dusk and beyond.
Finally, let’s all do what we can to have a summer without youth violence. Encourage your children as well as others to participate in sports, arts programs, recreational activities, learning about our environment, and other activities. Take the opportunity to sign up as a mentor through one of the various mentorship programs in our region.
During these difficult economic times, it truly takes a village to watch out for each other. Let’s pledge to do so and have an enjoyable and active summer!
What's Happening in District 2
LELO Annual Awards Event
Sunday, July 3 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Campion Hall at Seattle University
www.lelo.org or 206.860.1400
Wallingford Street Fair and Kiddies Parade
Saturday, July 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wallingford Avenue.
Parade starts at 11:00 a.m. and goes on 45th from Corliss to Woodlawn.
Hours of 45th Street closure are from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Pista Sa Nayon (Town Fiesta)
Sunday, July 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Seward Park Amphitheater
The largest Filipino American festival held in the U.S. – food, entertainment and booths
www.pista.org
Skyway Farmers Market
Every Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m at Marianna Apts. Greenspace
11904 Renton Avenue South (Across from Basket Case Drive-In).
Twitter: @skywaymarket and on Facebook too.
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