It’s not like I write in a vacuum. So when I posted this morning that we should pursue Plan C, and buy back Metro bus service cuts within Seattle, it’s not like I didn’t know that transit advocates had been discussing exactly such an option. But I had no idea that they were prepared to move this quickly:
SEATTLE — Friends of Transit today announced it will file an initiative for the November 2014 ballot that would save bus service within Seattle city limits. The measure could raise up to $25 million a year for the next six years, enough to reverse most cuts to King County Metro routes that serve Seattle.
… The proposed initiative would increase the city’s property tax by $0.22 per $1,000 of assessed value between 2015 and 2021. The measure is estimated to generate $25 million a year in revenue, enough to fund as much as 250,000 hours of bus service. This funding would help stave off cuts to routes operating completely within Seattle, and may help reduce cuts to routes operating between Seattle and other cities. The property tax increase requires a simple majority vote for approval.
I suppose a property tax makes as much sense as a car tab, though at $0.22 per $1,000—$88 a year on a $400,000 home—it will personally cost me a tad more than Prop 1. Either way, I’m all for the city pursuing self-sufficiency in the face of inadequate revenue at the county and state level.
Friends of Transit has a content-free website at the moment, but with endlessly energetic transit advocate Ben Schiendelman behind it, I’m sure that will be remedied in a heartbeat.
I’m all for it, but I don’t want this money to save cuts to lines outside of Seattle. Seriously, fuck’em
…it’s not like I didn’t know that transit advocates had been discussing exactly such an option.
So, last night when you wrote that we were out of options……
Was that an intentional falsehood?
Right now there seem to be options aplenty.
@2 there are no county options. The county areas are doomed.
Every established city is on it’s own now.
@3
Doomed?
The time for that hyperbole was BEFORE voting was complete, when you were trying to influence people.
Now, it’s time to see where you stand and what you can do. You’ve got higher revenues than were first owned up to by Metro. You’ve got a move by Seattle to maintain service in Seattle. You can raise fares, you can further adjust schedules. Other municipalities have the opportunity to weigh in. You might even reduce service somewhat.
It’s been less than 24 hours.
Man up and work with what you’ve got. You sound like you woke up, read the paper, and shat yourself this morning.
I’m all for this idea. Unfortunately, Seattle has no other option but to go it alone. We can do this!
I’m with searunner, any service funded by Seattle stays in Seattle.
Too bad we can’t get back all the new service Seattle funded that went to jurisdictions outside of Seattle under the 40/40/20 rule passed by the King County Council years ago.
Could even consider a proper ‘secessionist’ plan to become an “independent city”/”consolidated city-county”. It seems to have served SF rather well.
independent city
The county council would just subsidize additional suburban service if a new pot of money from Seattle were handed to it. Do you think they’re going to suddenly turn their backs on the sfd developers building cul-de-sac neighborhoods in the Cascade foothills? For sure not!
@5 – Seattle benefits from the rest of the county when it comes to Metro funding. That is, more Metro money is spent in Seattle than is collected in Seattle. Metro funding is not a case where Seattle is subsidizing anyone.
We King County people are in this together. We need another go at increasing funding with a better mechanism than car tabs. Heck, in 2011 even Seattle turned down a car tab increase.
@4 How about an income-based fare structure? All I’m saying is don’t subsidize those who can afford the full cost of bus service; i.e., charge suits who ride the bus to work $10 each way, or whatever it is, after all they’re saving hundreds a month on parking.
@7 Who said anything about giving the county money?
Seattle County.
@8 What do you suggest?
@11 There you go! North Bend should pay for their own damn roads, schools, and libraries! Let the balkanization of King County begin!
@12 – A sales tax only, transit only measure for King County Metro on the November general election ballot.
Seattle voters just might be stupid enough to approve it. King County will then be smart enough to steal it by reducing Seattle’s allocation of their budget.
p.s.: Goldy, have you ever thought of becoming a bus driver? Pays a lot better than bagging groceries, or whatever you were planning to do now.
@6, if anyone in King County ought to go independent, it ought to be Bellevue. You know, that flyspeck of 125,000 people with a 50% higher household income than Seattle? Maybe they could take Redmond with ’em.
@16… I’m amazed that Mercer Island always escapes notice as already being independent. They’re special and don’t need to pay tolls and get freeway lids.