What with Congress, the Legislature and the Governor’s office in Democratic hands, and their Dear Leader Bush in the midst of a massive political meltdown, the Washington State GOP hasn’t had much to laugh about these days. So Dems might want to stand up and take notice when an insider tells me that the folks at Camp McKenna were “cackling with glee” over passage of SB 5803, which would establish a regional transportation commission to take over transportation planning and transit operations in King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties.
My unnamed source says some McKenna aides were literally laughing at the Dems for using their unchallenged political power to, well… give it away. According to critics the bill would create a commission that could potentially peel away the power of the counties, hand control to pro-roads/anti-transit Republicans, and blow up Sound Transit.
On that last point, SB 5803 sponsor Sen. Ed Murray (D-Seattle) doesn’t disagree. Long a critic of Sound Transit for what he sees as a suburban-centric focus, and for failing to build light rail stations in dense Seattle neighborhoods, Murray doesn’t seem to mind the prospect of the agency disappearing within a new regional commission. But he told me that his bill is intended to enable the region to seize more control of its transportation planning away from the state, and to foster the kind of inter-agency, intra-region cooperation and collaboration that has thus far been sorely lacking.
Worthy objectives to which I can’t voice much disagreement. But…
The devil is in the details — and there are an awful lot of details which the Dems seriously need to reconsider.
I’m not so sure that I want to see our region’s transit agencies rolled up in a commission that will also be responsible for building the region’s roads, as I’m tired of seeing increasingly popular transit projects politically tied to expensive, business-as-usual highway packages. (How’s that Sound Transit/RTID ballot measure working for you?)
But I’m most concerned by the provisions which seem to be painting the widest smiles on the faces of the anti-transit McKenna folk — political compromises that seem tailor made for Machiavellian Republicans and their wealthy backers. (And the fact that the bill is largely based on recommendations that came out of the –gack– Discovery Institute, doesn’t ease my cynicism.) Large, arbitrarily drawn districts that will almost surely promote political horse trading between urban, suburban and exurban areas, putatively “non-partisan” elected commissioners that give Republicans an opportunity to run for office without putting an “R” next to their names, and a bizarre veto provision that gives a single commissioner the power to block any proposal from going to voters — this is the making of a highly politicized commission that the pro-roads folks will surely attempt to game. And since there’s a helluva lot more money to be made pouring concrete than opposing it, game the system they will.
Sen. Murray assured me that these are provisions that can, and probably will be changed before final passage, and I came away from our conversation hopeful that the final bill might be something that I can support. But the version of SB 5803 that passed the Senate yesterday, well… that ain’t it.
Truth is, I hadn’t been paying much attention to this bill, and its sudden move through the Senate kind of took me by surprise. I’ll have to educate myself more on the details, talk to a few more backers and opponents, and then come back with a more thoughtful analysis. My sense has always been that funding not governance has been the resource most lacking from our regional transportation planning. Not to mention imagination. And I’m just not convinced this bill adequately addresses either one of these concerns, in exchange for what it gives up.
OK, here’s a dumb question. Hopefully Roger and Richard can answer it.
What’s different about this new “regional transit authority” from the multi-county “municipality of metropolitan Seattle” that was declared unconstitutional?
The “devil is in the details” is exactly right in this case.
The original bill did not contain the “unanimous” provision, and there was an amendment, later pulled, that would have replaced that with a requirement for a two-thirds vote.
Have you (or anyone else here) seen the house version? Do we have a bill number yet?
“I believe very strongly in our obligation to ensure that when I provide information to the Congress that it’s accurate and that it’s complete. And I am very dismayed that that may not have occurred here,” Alberto Gonzales said.
Lying to congress.
Felony.
Guilty.
(Sound of prison cell bars closing)
Yep there goes the Planet with the Democrats running the country, cut and run right now or do it next year. That will be the death of millions of people just like Cambodia in the early 1970’s. They like the Pol Plot plan in demising the world population, just retreat and the killing fields fill up with bodies.
The Pelosi Plan for Iraq
It makes perfect sense, if the goal is winning votes in the United States.
In short, the Democratic proposal to be taken up this week is an attempt to impose detailed management on a war without regard for the war itself. Will Iraq collapse into unrestrained civil conflict with “massive civilian casualties,” as the U.S. intelligence community predicts in the event of a rapid withdrawal? Will al-Qaeda establish a powerful new base for launching attacks on the United States and its allies? Will there be a regional war that sucks in Iraqi neighbors such as Saudi Arabia or Turkey? The House legislation is indifferent: Whether or not any of those events happened, U.S. forces would be gone.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....ss_opinion
Klake only remembers the history that he wants. Pol pot was Mother Theresa compared to Hitler, and the Republicans those days wanted us to stay out of WW2, and let Hitler be…..
If you want to see evil, and abuse of power, and corruption, just read all the news spewing out of the White House Klake.
Oh, I forgot. Republicans are all innocent, just because they are Republicans right?
I knew Ruth Fisher. Ruth Fisher was a friend of mine. And Ed Murray is no Ruth Fisher, yet. He could be in two short years.
He still has a chance to majorly re-think the lousy bill the Senate passed yesterday that has McKenna and Esser warming up to dump on democrats in 2008 in addition to cheering for the new GOP leaning government Murray is, astonishingly, seeking to create. For the GOP it is a two-fer.
Ed needs to wake up on this. And he will. But it will take some deep restful sleep on this current proposal to refresh his formerly Democratic mind – like a year or two worth of rethinking.
Ed is on track right now to destroy two lasting legacies of a really great liberal from Tacoma, Ruth Fisher: the Growth Management Act and the region’s first real mass transit via rail that Sound Transit is building now. She’s also the person most responsible for the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge and big steps toward rational tolling policies. (Ed needs lessons on building a new bridge in his own district.)
If you think there’s too much emphasis on highway spending (like every penny of your gas tax) and not enough on transit, consider that Murray’s bill would change the region’s current road to transit sales tax ratio from 5-1 in favor of transit to even, 1-1, or possibly 0-10 in favor of roads. (And make sure you elect a Democratic Governor and majorities in both houses of the legislature in 2008 and don’t blow it on bad bills like 5803.)
I say take the 5-1 this year. Or if that fails, let Sound Transit get 5-0 next year, before agreeing to install a suburban centric GOP leaning government that will surely tip the balance the wrong way and destroy sensible land use policies by putting transportation (highways) first.
Ed has promise to be a great Senator. He was a really good member of the House. He’ll eventually get this. But he sure needs help now. And this bill needs a two year rest.
Folks who is Ernie and why has the world never produce another man to fill his shoes?
ERNIE IS DEAD
Some of the soldiers streaming into Iraq are raw and new to battle. Others are serving their second, third and fourth combat tours, having fought across Afghanistan, or down in Africa, or in some corner in a secret fight, on a special team of some sort, killing men in jungle camps in South America, in wars few people have heard about. Around the world, dangerous American soldiers will close in on men tonight and kill them in small battles that will never be spoken of. Al Qaeda turned it on, but is powerless to turn it off.
Terrorists started this war with killing, and now are suing for peace with more killing, lashing out at schoolyards, marketplaces, and soccer matches, blowing up kids, women, and men on their way to work or worship. All to win the battle for headlines, which they are certain to get; the greater the savagery, the bigger the font.
Our soldiers, meaning the soldiers from countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, yes France, and the United States, are better in all aspects but one: The terrorists somehow manage to beat us all in our respective medias. We may own the air, but terrorists own the airwaves.
Today there are over fifty journalists here. We have an excellent new Commanding General, David Petraeus. A big plan is unfolding that will affect the lives of nearly every person reading this, and many more. Soon the weather will change as a long, hot, grinding, and sticky year begins, but most journalists will spend little time here. When the weather turns hot, most will go home.
Afghanistan, too, is nearly forgotten. Our troops are slugging it out over there. I believe we are losing the war in Afghanistan, but I have strong hope for Iraq. Nearly all of America and Europe believe Iraq is a lost cause, but there is hope here and it lives in the thousands of stories about this place that are never told because they have not been witnessed by our media, or at least not reported.
Under that strange high moon rising to meet its eclipse, I thought of Ernie. Ernie Pyle. His was a name I hardly knew just two years ago, except in some vague way I knew he had been a writer, at war. That changed when people compared my work to his, and sent a couple of Ernie’s books to me. After reading them, I thought the comparison extremely flattering but not deserved. There are some obvious and even stylistic similarities. I say “folks” a lot; so did Ernie. Ernie had a particular heart for the infantry; I spend most of my time with infantry. But while Ernie talked bluntly about the ugly parts of war, I simply lack the skills to make anything ugly look pretty.
http://www.michaelyon-online.c.....s-dead.htm
No reason to worry Goldy. The Publicans are so busy creating new scandals and proving they’re worthless cowards that they can’t win.
We should have zoning laws which would allow unlimited protesting in certain areas. That way the protesters can have their protests without threat of police violence. How about making MLK way in the Ranier Valley be a “protest zone” and just let the protesters fend for themselves. I love it. Is anyone with me.
We already have an umbrella organization to coordinate local agencies in regional transportation planning. It’s called state government.
We should have zoning laws that would allow unlimited neanderthal conservatism in only certain areas. This way the neanderthals can kill each other off without harming the rest of us. How about making the Moon a “neanderthal conservatism zone” and let the “moonies” fend for themselves. I love it. Is anyone with me?
We should have zoning laws that would allow white separatism in certain areas. This way the racists can live in their homo-genous “planned communities” without threat of coming into contact with anyone different than themselves. How about making Bellevue a “homo-zone” and let the white separatists fend for themselves. I love it. Is anyone with me?
We should have zoning laws which would allow Dino Rossi to live only in certain areas. That way Dino can bloviate without threat of reality intrusions or derisive laughter. How about making Catalina Island a “Dino zone” and just let him drive around in his golf cart and bloviate to the multitude of seagulls. I love it. Is anyone with me?
Ed how much this new entity will cost?
just the salaries of the 12 new commissioners will come in at over one million dollars a year according to my math. plus all the staff etc. this entity would have tolling authority and could raise a full one percent in sales tax as was mentioned.
this is the club we are handing to the R’s to smack us upside the head in 2008.
thanks Ed. well done.
but this is about reform right? we can’t make decisions in the region so let’s have 12 more politicians and give each of them veto power over every decision they make. spells disaster if you ask me.
McKenna, Kemper Freeman and Ed’s top campaign contributor, cell tycoon John Stanton are loving every minute of this.
Thanks Ed. Way to represent Seattle.
Your lede reminds me of a quote. I can’t remember who it was from (Terry Pratchett, perhaps) or its exact wording, but adapted to the current situation it goes something like:
“People accuse Republicans of not having a sense of humor. Actually, they do have a sense of humor. You just don’t want to know what they find funny. For one thing, it might involve you.“
@7 “Terrorists started this war with killing”
Klake is still trying to peddle the wingnut bullshit that Iraq had something to do with 9/11. tsk tsk
@9 “Dan Rather says: We should have zoning laws which would allow unlimited protesting in certain areas. That way the protesters can have their protests without threat of police violence. How about making MLK way in the Ranier Valley be a “protest zone” and just let the protesters fend for themselves. I love it. Is anyone with me. 03/13/2007 at 7:53 pm”
Memo to Dan: The U.S. Constitution zoned the entire country for unlimited protesting in all areas.
Memo to Dan: The U.S. Constitution zoned the entire country for unlimited protesting in all areas.
I know. I just wish conservative would protest more. It would be great to see conservatives protest taxes in Olympia after the Queen got elected. Ah who is kidding who, conservatives are to busy working,fighting wars and paying taxes to protest.
First, 5803 is a long way from law and the vote in the Senate was as much a symbol as anything. There is a lot of deserved resentment at the RTID’s crappy peanut-butter- spread-it-all-around-and-finish-little package of projects and a bit less resentment at Sound Transit’s pay taxes for 20 years before we finish light rail proposal.
There are real problems in the region but speaking from Pierce County I can tell you that Seattle’s inability to actaully make a damn decision is dragging the rest of us to this unwanted fate of a new regional government. The unanimous decision requirement is awkward but required for those of us not in King County who want to make sure a few projects (transit and road) get built someday in our areas and every damn dime is not sucked to Bellevue.
To #1: Metro is not a multi-county agency. Only King County. The Supreme Court decision concerning Metro is widely misunderstood: it did NOT say that federated boards were illegal. It DID say that special purpose agencies like METRO could not be general purpose governments and the old METRO operated buses and sewer systems and therefore was more like a general purpose government than a special purpose district. That is what METRO had to be merged into the County government.
To #6: I knew Ruth Fisher as well as anyone and she would not hesitate to create a new government agency if she thought it was needed but she would not try to cripple Sound Transit before it completes its original mission and is given a chance to operate it.
There is better coordination needed in the region between roads and transit and there are ways for the legislature to nudge that along. This bill isn’t the answer in its current form. The real irony is this: it is being pushed hard by people who like transit and are mad about the RTID but I agree with Goldy that the result may be crippling to those same transit agencies.
I say lets kill this bill for now. Let the crappy RTID-ST vote fail this fall and then return to the 08 legislature with the following goals: 1 provide ST with sufficient tools to actually complete a system in less than 20 years; 2 give DOT the funds to actually finish 520 and 167 in Pierce County and one or two other key roads; 3 continue to eliminate rail and road crossings; 4 finally get that inter agency transit pass launched that the transits have been working on for a decade and get Seattle its surface route on the waterfront underway. A modest agenda and now new government agencies are required.
That’s NO new government agencies are required. Not “now.” Sorry.
I agree with Randall, mostly. This 5803 does far more harm than good, especially to transit.
And I agree that King County’s failure to get its act together (for the past 10 years) is making life hard for people north, south and west of King.
This 5803 does need to be killed. And it will be. It has dozens of fatal flaws and doesn’t fix any of the problems most people are talking about, which are: not enough transit, state DOT freeway lane myopia, fighting instead of getting things on on 520 and the Viaduct, sprawl.
The legislature has so gutted the original proposal from the crazy regional commission dominated by John Stanton that it will be interesting to see if those guys still support it: unanimous votes required anyone?
That gives total power to any single politician to hold the entire region hostage on transportation for up to six six years – or perhaps forever.
Just like the state legislature did for most of the 1990s when it failed to fulfill its traditional role and people started looking for alternatives like regional governance.
What little I know about Sound Transit is that it is a limited-purpose local government. It was authorized by voters in 1996 to build a particular system (see Sound Move). The system is to be made up of two kinds of trains, HOV ramps, park and ride lots, and buses on routes throughout the region. That system is referred to as Phase I.
Although Phase I was to be fully operational this year, the Supreme Court ruled in 2004 that ST was not constrained by the references to a ten-year build-out period that are in Sound Move. The estimate for building out Phase I – approved by voters – was $3.9 billion. And yes, I understand that figure was to increase due to inflation during the build-out period.
Maybe you posters who are knowledgeable about ST can answer a couple of questions for me. The reason I ask these particular questions is that I think they might shed light on why the Senate passed a bill that would decrease some of ST’s planning functions going forward.
We know what is in the Phase I system that was approved by voters in 1996. But significant questions have been raised in the last couple of years about cost. Apparently Sound Transit has been less than forthcoming with satisfactory responses when asked about how much more taxes this will take to build out.
Now before you Sound Transit supporters start frothing at the mouth and calling me names for attacking ST, take a deep breath and settle down. I am a transit supporter. But these questions about Phase I seem very relevant to how ST is performing its limited function, and they would seem relevant to whether or not we should support the ballot measure this fall:
— How much does ST now estimate Phase I will cost to build out (everybody knows there will be ongoing debt service and O & M subsidies AFTER the system is built out.
— How much more taxes does ST estimate it will need to pay for the Phase I build-out.
If anyone can answer these questions, I would appreciate your insight. My understanding is that ST has not answered these particular questions. It has been evasive, and that is a factor contributing to why it is being viewed in a less than favorable light.
My only complaint is that they are now throwing Kitsap County into this little disfunctional transportation narrative.
@5
Facts_DO_NOT_SUPPORT_THIS_PODSITION:
Bzzzt WRONG!
One only look at Ambassador Jospeh Kennedy (DEMOCRAT, and father of the Kennedy scum):
“As fiercely anti-Communist as they were anti-Semitic, Kennedy and Astor looked upon Adolf Hitler as a welcome solution to both of these “world problems” (Nancy’s phrase). No member of the so-called “Cliveden Set” (the informal cabal of appeasers who met frequently at Nancy Astor’s palatial home) seemed much concerned with the dilemma faced by Jews under the Reich. Astor wrote Kennedy that Hitler would have to do more than just “give a rough time” to “the killers of Christ” before she’d be in favor of launching “Armageddon to save them. The wheel of history swings round as the Lord would have it. Who are we to stand in the way of the future?” Kennedy replied that he expected the “Jew media” in the United States to become a problem, that “Jewish pundits in New York and Los Angeles” were already making noises contrived to “set a match to the fuse of the world.”
During May of 1938, Kennedy engaged in extensive discussions with the new German Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s, Herbert von Dirksen. In the midst of these conversations (held without approval from the U.S. State Department), Kennedy advised von Dirksen that President Roosevelt was the victim of “Jewish influence” and was poorly informed as to the philosophy, ambitions and ideals of Hitler’s regime. (The Nazi ambassador subsequently told his bosses that Kennedy was “Germany’s best friend” in London.)”
They are laughing alright, laughing at the Dems because it calls for a Commission.
This means tax dollars for more talk and less doing.
Dems like to talk. They like to spend your money too.
“Let’s talk, let’s have a dialog……….”
These questions can’t be answered by clicking on a couple of links:
— How much does ST now estimate Phase I will cost to build out? It is understood there will be ongoing debt service and O & M subsidies using some taxes after the build out.
— How much more taxes does ST estimate it will need to collect to pay for the Phase I build-out (excluding debt service)?
Those are important numbers. ST should disclose them. Governments should be open, accountable to the public, and transparent when it comes to key financial data. The public should be able to check out how well ST is performing the task financially.
It does not go against liberal tenets to demand responsible financial reporting from governments.