I was reading this piece about the GOP opposition to passing a carbon tax or any type of actually funding a transit package.
While some Puget Sound motorists are angry about longer commute times, House Republican Leader Dan Kristiansen of Snohomish said his constituents are telling him “you guys are blowing my money” on failed projects.
I was someone who was for a cheaper alternative. I was hoping that we could have a surface-transit option. But the state didn’t want that, and so the city voted to approve something different. I think it was a waste of money (although I also think given the will of Seattle voters, we still should try to press ahead as long as the state doesn’t try to force us to pay for the overruns).
But for the infinity squared time, Seattle really isn’t wasting money of Snohomish voters, or, like, Dan Kristiansen, um, personally. Snohomish County gives back about as much as it gets back from the state. And while I don’t have the district-by-district numbers, something tells me that’s more to do with Everett and the North Seattle suburbs than Snohomish. Meanwhile, King County gives about 62 cents for every dollar it gets back from the state. So, sure, there’s some waste in some state projects in Seattle, but it isn’t Seattle forcing poor ol’ Snohomish to pay.
If these GOP lawmakers were so concerned about the parts of the state “blowing my money” they would literally never complain about Seattle projects. We could probably fill the hole in with gold, and it wouldn’t be as wasteful as some counties, like, existing. To be clear, I understand the reasons that it costs the state more to provide services in rural and exurban areas, and am happy to pay for them for the most part. I just wish that their legislators wouldn’t pretend that city folks are blowing their money when we spend much more to get less.
Ferry County is a black hole of wasted tax dollars. I vote we get rid of it.
The tunnel was a terrible idea, and even if Bertha wasn’t stuck, even without time delays and cost overruns, the fact taxpayers are spending an extra two billion dollars to dig the tunnel instead of building a more sensible surface arterial or replacement viaduct is a direct reflection of how city government, like most of our governance at all levels, is a captive of wealthy interests who bleed the public treasury to feather their own nests. I say make the waterfront property owners pay for the cost overruns. The tunnel fiasco was their idea, so they should own it.
How do we cancel bertha like we voted 32 times till they got the vote they wanted to kill the monorail?
You have it backwards, or at least written oddly: King County gets 62 cents back from the state for every dollar it gives in taxes.
What @2 said. When large pools of somebody else’s money are there for the taking, they will be taken by whomever is best connected and equipped for the job.
Well, we barbarians in Tacoma are all glad that the tunnel is not being dug in Pierce County.
Good luck with that tunnel, Seattle!
Once it’s built you will all slowly come to the tunnel side and love the tunnel. Then Tacoma, Spokane and maybe Bellingham will all want a tunnel of their own. They will be so jealous.
Now if Seattle was building a subway that would be something really cool. Especially if it went north in Snohomish at least to Everett and ideally to Arlington and got some of those bloody commuters off the road at least a couple of days a week. With some good engineering just maybe a subway will ride out the next big Earthquake. I don’t think many of the current bridges are going to hold up if the sound area is hit with an 7 and a half earthquake. Leaving all of western Washington in the dumps. But not likely either party will even discuss this and what the state will have to do to recover. Still what is going on with the Viaduct is pretty typical urban planning American style. Those folks up north in like that other Vancouver don’t have any bright ideas Seattle and other cities could learn from.
“Then Tacoma, Spokane and maybe Bellingham will all want a tunnel of their own. They will be so jealous.”
Don’t hold your breath waiting on that one, chief.
“instead of building a more sensible surface arterial or replacement viaduct”
I preferred the lidded trench.