18, 2026 MEETING OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT
WILL COME TO ORDER. IT IS 9:32
A.M. I AM CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR SAKA.
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FIVE MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> SLIM MARGIN ON THE COURTSIDE.
MUST BE THE DAY BEFORE A LONG
WEEKEND. BUT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS
WERE NOT CURRENTLY HERE ARE
EXCUSED UNTIL THEY . THANK YOU.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING
AND SEEING NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA IS HEREBY ADOPTED. GOOD
MORNING, COLLEAGUES. MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC, WELCOME. THANK YOU
ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
EXCITING DAY . WE GET TO TALK
ABOUT TRANSPORTATION. MORE
SPECIFICALLY, TRANSIT. EXCITING
TIMES. TIMES TO RALLY, CELEBRATE
AND GET THIS GOING. BUT BEFORE
WE BEGIN, I WANT TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOMETHING
EXCITING AND UNIQUE HAPPENING IN
OUR CITY RIGHT NOW. SEATTLE IS
HOSTING THE FEE FOR WORLD CUP ,
AND PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND THE
GLOBE ARE EXPERIENCING OUR
WELCOMING AND VIBRANT CITY RIGHT
NOW. IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR
COMMUNITIES, AND THEY ARE ALSO
EXPERIENCING OUR TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM FIRSTHAND. PROUD TO SHARE
THAT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED RECENTLY
RANKED SEATTLE AS THE NUMBER TWO
OF 17 NORTH AMERICAN HOSTED
CITIES FOR FIFA. NUMBER TWO. AND
THE FIRST IN THE UNITED STATES
BASED OFF OF FACTORS INCLUDING
WORKABILITY, AND TRANSIT . SO WE
ARE THE BEST WORLD CUP HOST
CITY. [ APPLAUSE ] THAT IS
SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE. AND BE
PROUD OF. AND TODAY'S
DISCUSSIONS AND THOSE GOING
FORWARD ARE ABOUT MAKING THAT
EXPERIENCE EVEN BETTER, MORE
VIBRANT FOR ALL . GOING AFTER
THAT NUMBER ONE NEXT TIME. LIKE
MANY SEATTLEITES, I WILL SHARE
THAT I OFTEN TAKE TRANSIT TO
MAJOR EVENTS , WHETHER IT IS TO
A MARINERS GAME, A STORM GAME,
OR NOW TO A POTENTIAL WORLD CUP
MATCH OR THE FANS OWN EXPERIENCE
ALONG THE WATERFRONT. TRANSIT IS
OFTEN THE EASIEST, MOST
EFFICIENT AND MOST AFFORDABLE
WAY TO GET THERE. CERTAINLY THE
BEST FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND
CLIMATE PERSPECTIVE. THAT
REALITY UNDERSCORES WHY OUR WORK
TODAY MATTERS. ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF OUR WORK,
COLLEAGUES, BEGINS TODAY . OUR
GOVERNING PARTNERS AT THE
EXECUTIVE HAVE COMPLETED THEIR
WORK ON DEVELOPING AND
TRANSMITTING A PROPOSAL. NOW THE
COUNCIL TAKES THE NEXT STEP OF
CARRYING OUT ITS DELIBERATIVE
BODY MANDATE THAT IS EFFECTIVELY
ENSHRINED IN OUR LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. UNLIKE THE
PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT PHASE, OUR
DELIBERATIONS RIGHT NOW AND
GOING FORWARD WILL TAKE PLACE IN
THE PUBLIC IN FULL VIEW OF THE
PEOPLE WE SERVE . TRANSPARENCY
IS THE HALLMARK OF THIS APPROACH
. THROUGH COMMITTEE MEETINGS,
PUBLIC COMMENTS, CENTRAL STAFF
ANALYSIS , AND AMENDMENTS,
SEATTLE RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE
TO SEE THIS MEASURE CAREFULLY
EXAMINED , DEBATED, REFINED AND
ENHANCED ALL IN REAL TIME . AS A
COEQUAL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT, WE
HAVE A SOLEMN RESPONSIBILITY,
COLLEAGUES, TO THOUGHTFULLY
EVALUATE THIS PROPOSAL AND
ENSURE VOTERS ULTIMATELY RECEIVE
THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE MEASURE.
I AM SURE OUR PARTNERS AT THE
EXECUTIVE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
THEIR PROPOSAL PASSED BY THIS
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH IN A
COMPLETELY UNMODIFIED FORM WITH
NO AMENDMENTS . SPOILER ALERT,
MADAME MAYOR, IF YOU ARE
WATCHING, AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
DON'T COUNT ON IT. BUT I
APPRECIATE THE WORK FROM THE
MAYOR AND THE EXECUTIVE GETTING
US TO THIS IMPORTANT STAGE.
BECAUSE OVER THE NEXT MONTH,
THIS COMMITTEE WILL CONSIDER ONE
OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL
TRANSPORTATION MEASURES SEATTLE
HAS CONSIDERED IN YEARS . THE
DECISIONS WE MAKE TOGETHER WILL
HELP SHAPE TRANSIT INVESTMENTS
AND OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR CITY
FOR THE NEXT DECADE. I HAVE MADE
NO SECRET ABOUT THE FACT I HAVE
BEEN PERSONALLY RIDING TRANSIT
FOR MOST OF MY LIFE. GROWING UP,
MY FAMILY RELIED HEAVILY ON
TRANSIT, OFTENTIMES BECAUSE HE
DIDN'T HAVE RELIABLE
ALTERNATIVES. TODAY AS A
COUNCILMEMBER, I STILL PROUDLY
RIDE TRANSIT REGULARLY. THAT
EXPERIENCE HAS HELPED SHAPE MY
VIEW THAT TRANSPORTATION ,
INCLUDING TRANSIT, IS ULTIMATELY
ABOUT OPPORTUNITY . IT IS ABOUT
CONNECTING PEOPLE TO JOBS,
SCHOOLS, HEALTHCARE , COMMUNITY
AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY. IT IS
ALSO ABOUT AFFORDABILITY. IN A
TIME WHEN MANY SEATTLE RESIDENTS
ARE FEELING SQUEEZED BY THE
RISING COSTS OF HOUSING AND
EVERYDAY NECESSITIES, WE HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO CAREFULLY
EVALUATE ANY PROPOSAL THAT WOULD
ASK VOTERS TO APPROVE ADDITIONAL
TAXES, ESPECIALLY VERY
AGGRESSIVE ONE LIKE A SALES TAX
. WE ALSO MUST ENSURE EVERY
DOLLAR DELIVERS MEANINGFUL
PUBLIC VALUE AND ADVANCES
CLEARLY DEFINED PUBLIC GOALS.
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT REASON WHY
TODAY'S DISCUSSION IS SO VITAL.
LAST SESSION WE WELCOMED OUR
PARTNERS AT THE EXECUTIVE TO
PRESENT THEIR PROPOSAL
FIRSTHAND. TODAY, THIS MORNING,
OUR OWN COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF
EXPERTS WILL WALK US THROUGH A
DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE
PROPOSED SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION
MEASURE RENEWAL. THE MEMORANDUM
CIRCULATED YESTERDAY AND
ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA
HIGHLIGHTS SEVERAL IMPORTANT
POLICY QUESTIONS THAT DESERVE
SAW FOLKS CONSIDERATION,
INCLUDING THE SIZE OF THE
PROPOSAL, THE PROPOSED A 10 YEAR
DURATION, THE ALLOWABLE SPENDING
CATEGORIES, SPENDING LIMITS,
ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT
MECHANISMS, AND THE LONG-TERM
TRANSIT OUTCOMES WE ALL HOPE TO
COLLECTIVELY ACHIEVE. NOW, AS WE
CAREFULLY CONSIDER THESE
QUESTIONS, I HOPE WE KEEP A
BROAD PERSPECTIVE IN MIND. WE
KNOW THAT TRANSIT TRIPS DO NOT
BEGIN WHEN SOMEONE SIMPLY BOARDS
A BUS OR A TRAIN. IT BEGINS WHEN
THEY LEAVE THEIR HOME, AND IT
ENDS WHEN THEY SAFELY REACH
THEIR DESTINATION. THAT IS WHY
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
ACCESSIBILITY, SAFETY, RIDER AND
OPERATOR EXPERIENCE , AND
CONNECTIONS TO TRANSIT ARE SO
ESSENTIAL TO THESE DISCUSSIONS.
IT IS ALSO WHY I BELIEVE WE
SHOULD REMAIN FOCUSED ON
OUTCOMES. CAN WE IMPROVE
MOBILITY? HOW DO WE IMPROVE
AFFORDABILITY? HOW DO WE IMPROVE
SAFETY? HOW DO WE IMPROVE
ACCESSIBILITY? HOW DO WE ENSURE
PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE
INVESTMENTS WE MAKE? THOSE ARE
THE STRATEGIC QUESTIONS THAT
MATTER MOST. TODAY'S MEETING
REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT
MILESTONE IN THE PROCESS, BUT
ONLY AN IMPORTANT NEXT STEP.
COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WISH TO
PURSUE AMENDMENTS SHOULD WORK
WITH CENTRAL STAFF OVER THE
COMING DAYS, AND PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS ARE DUE TO CENTRAL
STAFF BY NOON ON JUNE 24.
AMENDMENTS WILL BE PUBLISHED
PRIOR TO THE JULY 6 MEETING
WHERE WE WILL BEGIN REVIEWING
AND DISCUSSING THEM IN DETAIL.
ULTIMATELY, IF COUNCIL MEMBERS
HAVE AMENDMENTS, OF COURSE,
ULTIMATELY THIS COMMITTEE WILL
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHAPE A
PROPOSAL THAT REFLECTS OUR
COLLECTIVE JUDGMENT, VALUES, AND
HOPEFULLY, EARNS THE TRUST AND
CONFIDENCE OF SEATTLE VOTERS BUT
I WANT TO THANK CENTRAL STAFF IN
ADVANCE FOR THE WORK ON TODAY'S
ANALYSIS. AND I WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUES IN ADVANCE FOR THEIR
THOUGHTFUL ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT
THE PROCESS. INCLUDING DURING
THE FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING WE
HELD . AGAIN, UNLIKE THE
PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT PHASE, THE
NEXT PHASE OF OUR DELIBERATIONS
WILL TAKE PLACE IN PUBLIC IN
PLAIN SIGHT IN FULL VIEW OF THE
PEOPLE WE SERVE. I FOR ONE
COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT
THAT OPPORTUNITY. THAT SAID,
LET'S CONTINUE OUR VITAL WORK.
TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
WE WILL NOW OPEN THE HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD . PUBLIC
COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS
ON TODAY'S AGENDA. AND WITHIN
THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE
SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> CHAIR WE CURRENTLY HAVE 19 IN
PERSON SPEAKER SIGNED UP AND
FOUR REMOTE SPEAKERS.
>> EXCELLENT. EACH SPEAKER WILL
HAVE A PROXIMALLY TWO MINUTES.
-- APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES. WE
WILL START WITH IN PERSON
SPEAKERS FIRST . CLERK, PLEASE
READ THE PUBLIC COMMENT
INSTRUCTIONS.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. SPEAKERS WILL
BE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL
ALTERNATE BETWEEN SETS OF IN
PERSON AND REMOTE SPEAKERS.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WIND
10 SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THEIR
TIME. SPEAKERS' IF THEY DON'T
AND COMMENTS WITHIN THE ALLOTTED
TIME TO ALLOW US TO CALL IN THE
NEXT SPEAKER. PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS NOW OPEN, AND WE WILL
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON
THE LIST.
>> GOOD MORNING CHAIR SAKA AND
DISTINGUISH CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS. I AM PRESIDENT OF 587,
REPRESENTING AROUND 5000 TRANSIT
WORKERS IN OUR REGION, MANY OF
WHOM EARN FAMILY WAGE JOBS. WE
OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE BUS
SYSTEM, THE LIGHT RAIL, AND YOUR
STREETCAR SYSTEM. THOSE WAGES
DIRECTLY FEED BACK INTO THE
COMMUNITY. OUR UNION IS FULLY IN
FAVOR OF THE STM RENEWAL
REGISTRATION WAS TO THANK CHAIR
SAKA FOR INITIALLY INTRODUCING
IT ASKING FOR THE FULL 3/10
TAXING AUTHORITY. WE ENCOURAGE
ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO
SUPPORT THAT. WE DO RECOGNIZE
HOW DIFFICULT IT IS POLITICALLY
TO VOTE TO RAISE SALES TAXES. WE
GET THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS
A MECHANISM WE ARE STUCK WITH IF
WE WANT TO CONTINUE INVESTING IN
PUBLIC TRANSIT. EVERY DOLLAR
INVESTED IN PUBLIC TRANSIT
GENERATES AN ESTIMATED FIVE
DOLLARS IN LONG-TERM ECONOMIC
RETURNS. LET ME REPEAT THAT.
EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN PUBLIC
TRANSIT GENERATES AN ESTIMATED
$5 IN LONG-TERM ECONOMIC
RETURNS. SEATTLE WON'T REACH
ITS FULL POTENTIAL WITHOUT
VIBRANT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM. IT WON'T TO MEET ITS
TARGETS ON EQUITY, MOBILITY OR
CLIMATE . THE MESSAGE FROM THE
RESIDENTS OF SEATTLE ARE CLEAR.
THEY WANT MORE SAFE AND RELIABLE
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. OUR UNIT
APPRECIATE THE DECADE-LONG
SUPPORT OF SEATTLE RESIDENTS AND
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL .
PLEASE VOTE YES FOR UTILIZING
THE FULL TAXING AUTHORITY FOR
PUBLIC TRANSIT, AND PLEASE TRY
TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT TOWARDS
CAPITAL SPENDING. THE PUBLIC
WANTS MORE SERVICE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, LOCAL 587
PRESIDENT.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. I AM FROM SEATTLE
TRANSIT RIDERS UNION. I WOULD
LIKE TO START BY THANKING THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE FOR
DOING THIS IMPORTANT WORK TODAY.
WE HAVE BEFORE US AN
OPPORTUNITY, AS MY FRIEND BUT,
TO REDUCE THE COST OF LIVING,
FIGHT TRAFFIC AND FIGHT THE
CLIMATE CRISIS ALL IN ONE. THIS
MEASURE GOES BIG, DOUBLING THE
SIZE OF THE LAST MEASURE AND
ADDING OVER 100,000 TRIPS PER
YEAR, AND THANK GOODNESS. WE
BADLY NEED IT. POST PANDEMIC
SEATTLEITES NEED TO GET
EVERYWHERE AT EVERY TIME OF DAY.
DRIVING HAS BECOME BRUTALLY
EXPENSIVE. THIS MEASURE AS A LOT
OF SERVICE ON NIGHTS AND
WEEKENDS, MAKING TRANSIT A
VIABLE OPTION FOR MORE PEOPLE TO
GO MORE PLACES MORE OFTEN. IT
MORE THAN DOUBLES THE NUMBER OF
FREE UDUB CARDS GIVEN TO SEATTLE
HOUSING MEMBERS AND EXPANDS
IMPROVEMENTS THAT HELP US MAKE
MORE EFFICIENT USE OF THOSE
SERVICE HOURS. WHEN NOW MAYOR
KATIE WILSON IN THE EARLY 2010,
METRO TRANSIT WAS FACING A
FISCAL CLIFF. THE SEATTLE
TRANSIT MEASURE WAS THE DRIVING
, NO PUN INTENDED, REASON THAT
WE FOUNDED OUR UNION. LIKE
TODAY, THE NEED FOR FUNDING IS A
MORAL IMPERATIVE. IT IS
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL AND RIDERS
NEEDED THE MOST RIGHT NOW.
PLEASE PASS THIS MEASURE AND PUT
IT BEFORE VOTERS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. LET THE
RECORD REFLECT THE COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS AND COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER
HAVE JOINED US IN PERSON. THANK
YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
A LITTLE OFF TOPIC.
>> SPEAK INTO THE MIC.
>> OH.
>> RESET HIS TIME.
>> ARE WE WORKING? THERE WE GO.
>> JUST A MOMENT. GO AHEAD.
>> OKAY. THIS IS A LITTLE
OFF-TOPIC, BUT THIS IS THE
MEETING I WAS ADJUSTED. I HAVE
WORKED IN THE SEATTLE AREA FOR
OVER 40 YEARS. FOR A COMPANY
CALLED VENTILATION POWER
CLEANING. WE HAVE A FLEET OF
INDUSTRIAL SEWER, STORM AND
TRUCKS THAT WORK ON THE CITY
INFRASTRUCTURE. WE ALSO FOR THE
LAST 34 YEARS HAVE OPERATED
FACILITY THAT THE CITY SERVICES
AND USES ON A DAILY BASIS BEST
--. RECENTLY I WAS TOLD THE CITY
OF SEATTLE IS LOOKING OUT WORDS
AT THEIR WEST SEATTLE FACILITY A
NEW FACILITY. THEY'VE GONE
OUTSIDE OF THE CITY , OUTSIDE OF
THE COUNTRY, TO LOOK AT
EQUIPMENT FOR DOING THIS. IT
SURPRISED ME, BECAUSE INSIDE THE
CITY HERE WE HAVE THE PEOPLE,
THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE HAVE
ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED TO
OPERATING IN OF -- A FACILITY IN
SEATTLE FOR OVER 34 YEARS. ALSO,
WE DO HAVE THE CITY OF SEATTLE ,
THE TOUR OF THIS FACILITY. THEY
RECOGNIZE THAT THE FACILITY IN
SEATTLE IS AN OPERATIONAL AND
VERY NICE FACILITY TO GO TO .
LIKE I SAY, SPU USES IT ON A
DAILY BASIS. IN 2015, SPU ASKED
US TO DO A 3P PROGRAM FOR THEM.
PUBLIC, PRIVATE PARTITION . IT
DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE. BUT NOW, I
THINK IT IS TIME WE LOOK AT
THAT. MY QUESTION TO THE
COMMITTEE IS , WE HAVE THE
PEOPLE HERE TO DO THIS, WHY
WOULD SPU LOOK OUTSIDE OF THE
COUNTRY FOR THIS SERVICE TO HAVE
THIS HAPPEN? IT IS A MULTI-
MILLION-DOLLAR FACILITY THAT IS
GOING IN . WE ASK THAT THE SPU
AND CITY COUNCIL REALLY LOOK AT
THIS AND TAKE IT FROM THERE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> WELCOME.
>> CHAIR SAKA, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, I AM THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION
CHOICES COALITION. OUR
ORGANIZATION WAS FOUND TO HELP
LEAD THE PASSAGE OF THE SEATTLE
TRANSIT MEASURE IN 2014 AND
2020. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
CHAIR FOR MOVING THIS PROPOSAL
FOR. SINCE 2017, SEATTLE HAS
ADDED OVER 80,000 RESIDENTS, BUT
ONLY 3000 CARS. WE NEED FREQUENT
RELIABLE TRANSIT TO KEEP OUR
CITY MOVING AND KEEP OUR
BUSINESSES STRONG. THE CHAIR'S
PROPOSAL IS A BOLD INVESTMENT IN
TRANSIT SERVICE IN SEATTLE. IT
GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY A
VISION OF THE CITY WE WANT TO
BE, NOT JUST THE CITY WE ARE
TODAY. LIGHT RAIL, PEOPLE WHO
LIVE AND WORK IN SEATTLE WANT TO
GET TO A LIGHT RAIL STATION WITH
FREQUENT AND RELIABLE TRANSIT.
THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN BUILDING
TOWARDS THIS MOMENT SINCE APRIL
2024 . IT WAS THIS COUNCIL THAT
APPROVED THE SEATTLE TREPIDATION
PLAN AND SHAPED THE SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY THAT
RECEIVED 66% OF THE VOTE FROM
VOTERS. THE SEATTLE TRANSIT
MEASURE PROPOSAL FURTHERS THE
GOALS IN BOTH THAT PLAN AND THAT
LEVY. THE CHAIR'S PROPOSAL WILL
MEAN HOSPITAL WORKERS IN FIRST
HILL WILL NOT HAVE TO WAIT AS
LONG TO GET HOME AT THE END OF
THEIR SHIFT. IT WILL MEAN THE
WORKER AT THE RESTAURANT IN THE
ROSEVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN GET
BACK HOME TO THEIR KIDS SOONER.
THIS PROPOSAL WILL ALSO MAKE A
CITY MORE AFFORDABLE. THE
AVERAGE COST OF CAR OWNERSHIP IN
WASHINGTON STATE IS OVER $12,000
A YEAR. THE FASTEST WAY WEEK UP
AT $12,000 BACK INTO SOMEONE'S
POCKET IS TO MAKE IT EASY FOR
THEM TO LIVE WITH ONE FEWER CAR
OR WITHOUT A CAR. AND THIS
PROPOSAL DOES THAT. THE ONLY
THING MORE REGRESSIVE THAN A
SALES TAX IS NOT HAVING THE
SERVICE TO GET YOUR JOB OR GET
TO OPPORTUNITY. I WANT TO AGAIN
THANK THE CHAIR FOR THIS
PROPOSAL AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
ON THIS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH EVERYONE ON THE
COUNCIL ON THEIR AMENDMENTS AND
BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO VOTERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> I HAVE WHO LIVES IN SEATTLE.
LOVE THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST,
TRANSIT AND INDOOR CLIMBING
AMONG OTHER THINGS. SHE IS
FORTUNATE TO HAVE A CLIMBING GYM
WITH RELOCATIONS, BUT TO OF THEM
MAKE SENSE THE TRANSIT. ONE IN
NORTH -- THE FIRST GYM CLOSES TO
HER IS 1.8 MILES FROM HER VERSUS
THE THREE.7 MILE ONE. WHEN
LOOKING AT TRANSIT TIME, THE
FIRST IS AN AVERAGE OF 25
MINUTES AND THE SECOND IS 26
MINUTES. SO COMPARABLE. HERE IS
WHERE THINGS GET INTERESTING.
SHE HAS THREE TRANSIT OPTIONS TO
GET TO THE ONE THAT IS THE FIRST
GYM. HOWEVER, THE THREE ROUTES
PICK UP AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN
EACH COMES WITH EITHER EVERY 20
MINUTES OR 8 TO 10 MINUTES. THE
SECOND GYM, THE FURTHEST ONE,
WITH SIMILAR TRANSIT TIME, ONLY
HAS TWO ROUTES . HOWEVER, ONE
COMES EVERY 4 TO 8 MINUTES AND
THE SECOND COMES EVERY 6 TO 10
MINUTES. BUT BOTH ROUTES HAVE
THE SAME PICKUP POINT, WHICH
MEANS TRANSIT IS COMING EVERY 3
TO 5 MINUTES. COUNCIL MEMBERS, I
LIVE IN DISTRICT 3 AND IS ME.
WHEN THE TWO LINE CONNECTION
OPENED, THOSE OF US LIVING AND
GOING TO WHERE BOTH LINES PASS
INSTANTLY GOT MORE FREQUENT
TRAINS. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR
EVERYONE, BUT I'M AT THE POINT
I NO LONGER CHECK WHEN THE
TRAINS COME. I AM ALSO FORTUNATE
TO LIVE WHERE A RAPID LINE IS
BASICALLY IN MY FRONT YARD, AND
I AM A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM
OTHER RAPID LINES. THIS ACCESS
TO FREQUENT BUSES MAKES IT SO I
DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHEN
TO LEAVE OR WHEN THE NEXT BUS IS
COMING BECAUSE YOU ALREADY KNOW
THAT THE NEXT ONE IS RIGHT
AROUND THE CORNER. NOW, THE
THING I DIDN'T MENTION IS THAT
WHILE BOTH OF THE CLIMBING GYMS
ARE ABOUT A 25 MINUTE TIME,
DRIVING WOULD ONLY BE 6 TO 11
MINUTES RESPECTIVELY. FREQUENT
TRANSIT IS STILL NOT THE SAME AS
DRIVING, BUT GIVES US THE
CLOSEST COMPARABLE OPPORTUNITY .
I'M HERE TO ASK THAT YOU KEEP
THE SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE
PROPOSAL INTACT AND ALLOW
THOUSANDS OF SEATTLE COMMUTERS
TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT I
HAVE, BECAUSE YOU SHOULDN'T
HAVE TO LIVE IN DOWNTOWN TO HAVE
--
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA HAS JOINED
US ONLINE , IN VICE CHAIR RINCK
HAS JOINED US IN PERSON.
WELCOME.
>> I AM HERE TO SUPPORT MORE
TRANSIT SERVICE. I WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE HERE ON COUNCIL AND
CHAIR SAKA FOR ALL THE WORK YOU
PUT IN ON THIS. I KNOW THIS IS A
VERY COMPETENT ISSUE. VERY
CONVOLUTED . THE CONCEPT OF
HAVING A DISTRICT THAT IS A
DIFFERENT BODY THAN ACTUAL CITY
GETS VERY CAPITATED. BUT WE NEED
MORE TRANSIT SERVICE BUT I'M
GLAD THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL IS
DOING THAT. I SUPPORT THE
INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF
SERVICE THAT THE CITY WILL BE
FUNDING TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT
OF FREQUENCY WE HAVE ON OUR
BUSES. WE JUST HEARD HOW HAVE --
HAVING MORE CHANGES THE CALCULUS
AGAINST DRIVING. I WANT TO CALL
OUT THAT THIS BODY HAS SENT SO
MANY GOALS OVER THE YEARS. THE
SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION PLAN,
GOALS ON CLIMATE CHANGE, XYZ.
FOR THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY, WE
FIND THAT MANY OF THOSE GOALS TO
SEE US MAKE PROGRESS, BUT WE
DIDN'T FUND THE FREQUENT
TRANSIT NETWORK OUR -- MAKING A
DENT ON OUR CLIMATE EMISSIONS.
LEADS BACK TO TRANSIT AS WELL.
THIS IS A TIME WE HAVE TO FUND
TRANSIT AND MAKE IT MORE
FREQUENT, MAKE IT FASTER, MAKE
IT RELIABLE. TO ACTUALLY ACHIEVE
ALL THESE GOALS. I ASK YOU TO
DEDICATE MORE MONEY TO SPEND THE
SERVICE OF FREQUENCY THE WAY THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSAL IS DOING IT
AND TO FIND IT CITYWIDE. PEOPLE
NEED TO GET AROUND THE ENTIRE
CITY. WANT TO CALL OUT THAT THIS
PROPOSAL MAKE SEATTLE MORE
AFFORDABLE, EVEN THOUGH A MEDIAN
TWO-PERSON HOUSEHOLD WILL PAY
$29 A YEAR AS PART OF THE SALES
TAX INCREASE, THAT IS ONLY
COUPLE GALLONS OF GAS NOW THAT
WE HAVE THIS CRISIS. IT IS ALSO
ONLY A COUPLE OF HOURS OF
PARKING NOW THAT PARKING IS
EXPENSIVE. AS THE COST OF OWNING
A CAR AND THE COST OF HAVING
INSURANCE DIRECTLY, ESSINGER,
$1000 A MONTH TO OWN A CAR. IF
THIS IS THE FINAL NAIL IN THE
COFFIN THE GET PEOPLE TO DROP
THEIR CARS, THIS IS THE MOST
AFFORDABLE THING WE CAN HAVE. AN
EXTRA THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH
GOING BACK INTO OUR ECONOMY THAT
WE ARE SPENDING MORE GOING OUT
AND HAVING FUN AND EXPLAIN THE
CITY THE WAY WE'RE SEEING
PEOPLE DOING WITH THE WORLD CUP.
THAT IS WE WANT THE CITY TO KEEP
GOING. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD MORNING. I AM HERE TO
SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSAL
PROPOSED BY CHAIR SAKA. RIGHT
NOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY
AMBITIOUS GOALS IN SEATTLE, BUT
WE ARE MOVING IN THE WRONG
DIRECTION. ACCORDING TO THE
LATEST COMMUTE SEATTLE REPORT,
THE RATES OF PEOPLE COMMUTING I
DRIVING ALONE HAS INCREASED FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN A DECADE.
ACCORDING TO SEATTLE TIMES, IN
2024 WE ADDED MORE THAN 30,000
NEW DRIVERS COMMUTING ALONE TO
WORK IN JUST ONE YEAR. WE HAVE
SPENT SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT TO
GET READY FOR THE WORLD CUP AND
THE FANS IT WILL BRING, BUT WE
ARE DOING THAT IS A TEMPORARY
MEASURE. BUT BY THE END OF THIS
10 YEAR MEASURE, IF THESE TRENDS
CONTINUE, WE WOULD HAVE EDITED
ENOUGH NEW DRIVERS ON OUR ROADS
TO FILL SEATTLE STADIUM TO
CAPACITY TWICE. SO EVERYONE
RIGHT NOW THAT IS WORRIED ABOUT
THE WORLD CUP TRAFFIC WILL
EXPAND EVEN WORSE ON AN EVERYDAY
BASIS. WE CAN'T HAVE A
CONSTRUCTION PAUSE FOR THE REST
OF SEATTLE'S LIFE. THIS NEEDS
TO CHANGE. AND CHAIR SAKA'S
PROPOSAL WILL DO EXACTLY THAT.
THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING THIS
LEGISLATION. I THINK THIS GOES
IN ALL THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS.
REALLY BOLD. I AM REALLY EXCITED
TO SEE THIS TRANSIT MEASURE GET
PAST THE VOTERS AND FOR VOTERS
TO PASS A. I AM CONFIDENT IT
WILL PASS BECAUSE TRANSIT IS
POPULAR IN SEATTLE. OAKLEY, THAT
IS THE MESSAGE GET TODAY. THAT
IS THE MESSAGE I WANT TO SEND.
WE REALLY WANT MORE BUSES, MORE
TRANSIT SERVICE. I HOPE YOU KEEP
THAT IN MIND WHENEVER YOU
CONSIDER AMENDMENTS, BECAUSE
THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO FIX
THAT TREND AND GET US BACK ON
TRACK TO MEET OUR GOALS. TRANSIT
IS SO POPULAR IN SEATTLE. I KNOW
THIS POINT THIS IS A COUPLE OF
WEEKS STALE, BUT TRANSIT IS SO
POPULAR IN SEATTLE AND PEOPLE
ARE SO EXCITED TO GET ON TRANSIT
THAT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO A DRIVER
FOR GOT TO GET OUT OF THE CAR
FOR TRYING TO GET ON THE LINK.
THANK YOU.
>> I REMEMBER THAT.
>> NEXT SPEAKER .
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. I HOPE WE WILL ALLOW
EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO TAKE THE
BUS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE BUS
FROM WHEREVER THEY WANT TO
WHEREVER THEY WANT WHENEVER THEY
WANT. THAT IS WHAT FREEDOM LOOKS
LIKE, AND THAT IS WHAT
VISIBILITY LOOKS LIKE, AND THAT
IS WHAT A PROGRESSIVE CITY
SHOULD DO. THANK YOU PROPOSING
AN AMENDMENT THAT WILL DO THAT.
I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED THAT MY
FEDERAL -- FELLOW SEATTLEITES
HAVE BEEN WILLING TO TAX
THEMSELVES TO GET THIS FREEDOM
FOR EVERYBODY TO TRAVEL FREELY.
AND I KNOW WE WILL VOTE FOR IT
AGAIN. IN OTHER PLACES LIKE
BAINBRIDGE, THEY ARE UPGRADING
THEIR FLEET TO ELECTRIC. BUT
MOST OF THEIR PEOPLE DRIVE . SO
THEY GET TRAFFIC, LOW COVERAGE
AND LOW FREQUENCY, WHICH RESULTS
IN, OF COURSE, LOW RIDERSHIP. IN
SEATTLE, WE ARE DOING THINGS
RIGHT. LET'S GET THE FREQUENT
TRANSIT NETWORK BILL, GET PEOPLE
OUT OF THEIR CARS AND ONTO THE
BUS . AND WHEN WE HAVE BUILT THE
FREQUENT TRANSIT NETWORK, WE CAN
SPEND ANY EXTRA MONEY ON THE
NICE TO HAVE SLIGHT TROLLEY
BUSES, ELECTRIC BUSES ARE
UPGRADING TO LYCRA. BUT LET'S
BE REAL, SEATTLE SHOULDN'T BE
THE ONLY CITY WITH MORE SERVICE.
OUR NEIGHBORS SHOULDN'T ALSO BE
TAXING THEMSELVES TO GET SERVICE
. ONLY WHERE THERE IS SUFFICIENT
WEALTH AND WILLINGNESS. METRO IS
A COUNTYWIDE AGENCY, AND I HOPE
YOU WILL COMMIT TO STEPPING DOWN
THIS TAX IN SEATTLE WHEN THE
COUNTY GETS THEIR ACT IN ORDER
AND INCREASES THE B SERVICE
LEVELS. BUT I HOPE YOU WILL
DEMAND THAT METRO KEEPS THE
FREQUENT TRANSIT NETWORK FULLY
FUNDED IN SEATTLE, EVEN IF WE
HAVE TO PAY A LITTLE BIT FOR A.
IF THE COUNTY DOESN'T WANT TO
TAX THEMSELVES, WE CAN ALWAYS
TAX THE SUBURBAN PEOPLE WITH
CONGESTION PRICING AND FUND MORE
TRANSIT THAT WAY. THANK YOU FOR
PROPOSING THIS MEASURE. I AM
EXCITED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
VOTE FOR IT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL IS
EXACTLY WHAT THE CITY NEEDS. AS
MUCH TRANSIT AS POSSIBLE. GOING
THROUGH THE AMENDMENT PROCESS,
I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THE
IMPORTANCE OF A COUPLE THINGS TO
THIS COUNCIL. THE FIRST THING IS
THE FIRST HILL STREETCAR COULD
BE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK BECAUSE
SOUND TRANSIT , IT FUNDED THE
FIRST HILL STREETCAR AS A
MITIGATION TO CUTTING THE FIRST
HILL STATION, AND THAT FUNDING
WILL EXPIRE THIS YEAR. SO IT IS
VITAL THAT THE CITY STEPS UP AND
CONTINUES OPERATING THE
STREETCAR, AND WE MUST DO SO IF
WE EVER WANT TO EXPAND IT IN THE
FUTURE, WHICH WE DO. SEATTLE
PASTOR THE LAST SEATTLE TRANSIT
MEASURE BY 80%, AND THAT WAS
DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN PEOPLE
WERE FAMOUSLY ISOLATING AND
STAYING HOME. FOR EVERY ONE
DOLLAR INVESTED INTO TRANSIT,
SOMEBODY SAID THIS EARLIER, BUT
IT'S TRUE, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY,
ECONOMY, GET BACK FIVE DOLLARS,
WHICH MAKES IT ONE OF THE BEST
THINGS TO SPEND REGRESSIVE TAX
MONEY ON. THE REALITY IS THIS
CITY ONLY HAS A HANDFUL OF
FUNDING NUMBERS FOR TRANSIT ,
AND WITH A 0.3 INCREASE, WE ARE
REACHING THE UPPER LIMIT OF
TACTICS THAT CAN BE LEGALLY
SPENT ON TRANSIT. THE CITY IS
GOING TO NEED TO WORK WITH STATE
LEGISLATORS TO UNLOCK NEW
FUNDING MECHANISMS FOR FUTURE
TRANSIT MEASURES TO INCREASE
SERVICE, AND ESPECIALLY ,
INEVITABLY, TO CONTINUE
OPERATING EXISTING SERVICE AT
THE BARE MINIMUM TO GET AHEAD OF
INFLATION . AND SO, LASTLY, A
REMINDER TO THE COUNCIL,
SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION ARE FROM TWO
DIFFERENT BUDGETS. THEY EACH
HAVE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF
FUNDING , AND ANY ATTEMPT TO PUT
SIDEWALKS INTO A TRANSIT MEASURE
WOULD UNFORTUNATELY TAKE AWAY
SERVICE FROM BUSES, WHICH IS
JUST HOW THAT WORKS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DAISY. SUPER DOPE
FANNY PACK, BY THE WAY. LOVE IT.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. I AM A CAR FREE SEATTLE
RESIDENT OF 15 YEARS ANY MEMBER
OF THE TRANSIT RIDERS UNION.
TRUE IN THE MASS COALITION WOULD
LIKE TO THANK CHAIR SAKA FOR
MOVING THE SEATTLE TRANSIT
MEASURE FORWARD, AND WE ARE
CALLING ON THE COUNCIL TO
APPROVE THIS MEASURE. WHEN THE
2020 INITIATIVE PASSED WITH A
STAGGERING 80% OF THE VOTE, A
PROOF THAT SEATTLEITES HAVE AN
IMMENSE, UNDENIABLE APPETITE FOR
TRANSIT INVESTMENT. RELIABILITY
AND TRANSIT TIMES DICTATE
WHETHER PEOPLE CAN CHOOSE
TRANSIT, AND WITH 20% OF SEATTLE
HOUSEHOLDS OWNING THE CAR,
ROBUST BUS SERVICE IS A STRICT
NECESSITY, NOT A LUXURY. THIS
PROPOSAL NEARLY DOUBLES CITY
FUNNY BUS SERVICE, SPANNING OUR
NETWORK FOR JUST NINE
HIGH-FREQUENCY ROUTES SOURCE TO
TARGET A 30. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS
HAD TO WAIT 30 MINUTES OR MORE
FOR A BUS TO GET HOME FROM
DOWNTOWN AFTER A CONCERT, YOU
CAN IMAGINE HOW THAT RESONATES
WITH ME. CRUCIALLY, THE MEASURE
ALSO EXPAND SUBSIDIZED ACCESS
FOR LOW INCOME RIDERS AND SHIPS
INVESTMENTS TWO NIGHTS AND
WEEKENDS TO MATCH POST-COVER
TRAVEL PATTERNS. WE REMAIN
DEEPLY CRITICAL OF RELYING ON
REGRESSIVE SALES TAXES, WE
SIMPLY NEED THIS MEASURE TODAY.
WE URGE YOU TO PASS THIS
MEASURE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE
ORGANIZING TO TRANSITION OUR
CITY TOWARDS THE PROGRESSIVE
FUNDING MECHANISMS WORKING
FAMILIES DESERVE. TAKE YOU FOR
YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> HELLO. I AM AN ORGANIZER . I
WANT TO THANK CHAIR SAKA FOR ALL
THE WORK HE AND HIS STAFF INPUT
INTO THIS MEASURE. TODAY I WROTE
THE 28 TO GET HERE FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT. I TRY TO TAKE PUBLIC
TRANSIT AS OFTEN AS I CAN, BUT I
STILL GET A LITTLE ANXIOUS WHEN
I TRY TO TAKE THE 28. IF I MISS
IT , OR EVEN OF WORDS, IF IT
DOESN'T SHOW UP, I GO FROM
HOPEFULLY BE ON TIME TO BEING
INCREDIBLY LATE TO WHATEVER I'M
PLANNING FOR. BALLARD IS THE
ONLY REGIONAL CENTER WITHOUT A
PLANT LIGHT RAIL STEP. WE NEED
FREQUENT TRANSIT. WE DON'T NEED
IT TOMORROW. WE DONATED NEXT
YEAR. WE NEED IT NOW. SEATTLE
TRANSIT MEASURE WILL HELP GET US
THERE. WHILE I'M HAPPY TO
ADVOCATE FOR PROGRESSIVE
REVENUE, WE'VE GOT TO WORK WITH
OUR OPTIONS. THAT MEANS,
UNFORTUNATELY A SALES TAX
INCREASE. LET'S WORK TOGETHER
TO GET THIS MEASURE ON THE
BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER .
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. I WILL MAKE THIS SHORT
AND SWEET. I BELIEVE THIS BALLOT
MEASURE SHOULD BE PUT TO THE
PEOPLE BECAUSE IT WILL BE AN
IMPORTANT STEP TO FREEING US
FROM THE TYRANNY OF THE CAR.
CARS BECOME TYRANNICAL WHEN THEY
ARE ONLY PRACTICAL WAY TO
PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY. FREEDOM
INCREASES WHERE THERE ARE
MULTIPLE WORKABLE MOBILITY
CHOICES, AND THIS GIVES US THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR SAKA AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I AM
HERE ON BEHALF OF THE SEATTLE
HOUSING AUTHORITY IN THE 38,000
LOW INCOME PEOPLE WE SERVE IN
SEATTLE. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT TODAY.
SINCE 2019, AS A.J. HAS BEEN
PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY
TO PROVIDE RESIDENTS AND HOUSING
ACCESS TO FREE TRAN40 THAT ORCA
PASSES. MANY PEOPLE WE SERVE
HAVE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS
EVERY DAY ON HOW TO SPEND
UNLIMITED BUDGETS. THE FREE
PASSES HAVE MADE A TREMENDOUS
IMPACT FOR THESE FAMILIES.
ALLEVIATING ONE OF THOSE CHOICES
BY OPENING THE DOOR TO RELIABLE
AND AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION
OPTIONS THAT MEET THEIR NEEDS
WITHOUT AN ADDED COST BURDEN.
WITH THESE CARDS, LOW INCOME
FAMILIES, SENIORS, VETERANS AND
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT WE
SERVE CAN ACCESS ESSENTIAL
SERVICES AND REACH MEDICAL CARE
, GET TO JOBS AND NAVIGATE OUR
CITY SAFELY. WE ARE THRILLED TO
SEE THE PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU
CONTINUES TO SUPPORT FREE ACCESS
FOR TRANSIT TO THESE HOUSEHOLDS
AND PROFOUND -- AND PROPOSES
THESE CRITICAL BENEFIT TO MORE
LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS LIVING
WITH THE HOUSING VOUCHER. WE
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO
WORK ALONGSIDE THE CITY TO
DELIVER THIS ESSENTIAL PROGRAM
FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE, AND WE
ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD MORNING. I AM HERE TODAY
TO TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC SAFETY. I
AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF WEST
SEATTLE . A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO
YEARS AGO, I CAME BEFORE THIS
COMMITTEE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
NEED TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY FOR
THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE USING
OUR STREETS. I SPOKE THEN ABOUT
THE LOSS, DEVASTATING LOSS, OF
MY HUSBAND, WHO WAS STRUCK AND
KILLED BY AN ONCOMING MOTORIST
WHILE CYCLING IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD IN DECEMBER 2023. I
SPOKE BECAUSE, AS A FORMER
CYCLIST MYSELF, I KNOW HOW
VULNERABLE BIKE USERS ARE WHEN
THEY MUST SHARE THE ROAD WITH
CARS. I SPOKE BECAUSE I FEARED
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND
COULD EASILY HAPPEN TO SOMEONE
ELSE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS
PAST MONDAY, THAT FEAR BECAME A
REALITY . ANOTHER CYCLIST WAS
STRUCK AND KILLED JUST HALF A
MILE FROM WHERE MY HUSBAND LOST
HIS LIFE. IF MY OWN EXPERIENCE
IS ANY GUIDE, IT WILL LIKELY BE
MONTHS BEFORE THE INVESTIGATION
INTO MONDAY'S FATALITY IS
COMPLETE, WE UNDERSTAND FULLY
HOW THE CYCLIST WAS FATALLY
INJURED. BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU
RIGHT NOW, WITHOUT ANY
UNCERTAINTY, IS THAT ANOTHER
FAMILY IS GRIEVING . ANOTHER
FAMILY IS ASKING HOW THEY COULD
LOSE SOMEONE THEY LOVE SO
SUDDENLY AND SENSELESSLY,
ESPECIALLY AFTER THE PASSAGE OF
A MAJOR TRANSPORTATION LEVY IN
2024 THAT INCLUDED NEARLY $200
MILLION FOR SAFETY. I UNDERSTAND
THAT MANY OF THE IMPROVEMENTS
FUNDED BY THAT LEVY ARE STILL IN
PLANNING OR JUST BEGINNING, BUT
I AM HERE TODAY TO ASK THIS
COMMITTEE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH
SDOT TO ENSURE MEANINGFUL
IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE AT THE
SITE OF MONDAY'S FATAL CRASH
AND MADE WITHOUT DELAY. UNTIL
SEATTLE REACHES ZERO DEATH AND
INJURIES, WE CANNOT HONESTLY SAY
THIS IS A SAFE AND LIVABLE CITY
FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. I
WOULD LIKE TO THANK CHAIR SAKA
AND MAYOR WILSON FOR THEIR
SUPPORT BEHIND TRANSIT LEVY .
0.3% OVER 10 YEARS AS A SOLID
FOUNDATION TO BOOST BUS SERVICE
AND FREQUENCY FOR THE CITY. IT
IS ALSO SAVES US MONEY. AS A
RESIDENT UBER AND LYFT HAS
BECOME VERY EXPENSIVE. A RIDE
THAT USED TO COST $20 MIGHT BE
30 OR $50 NOWADAYS. THAT IS JUST
MAYBE A TWO HOUR RIDE FROM YOUR
HOME TO THE NEAREST LIGHT RAIL
STATION. OR TO THE RESTAURANT.
THAT IS REALLY BAD ON OUR BANK
ACCOUNTS. SO MORE RELIABLE BUSES
AND TRANSIT SERVICES WILL NOT
ONLY, IS NOT ONLY SUSTAINABLE,
BUT ALSO SAVES US MONEY. FOR ME
PERSONALLY, AS I AM A BALLARD
RESIDENT, I RELY ON THE 17 AND
40 BUS TO CROSS SEATTLE . I
THINK COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE MORE BUSES
AROUND BALLARD AS WELL. SO HE
CAN LEAVE THE CAR AT HOME , SAVE
ON GAS, SAVE ON PARKING FEES AND
JUST BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE
NEIGHBORHOODS WITHOUT ALL THE
HASSLE AND EXTRA COST. I URGE
THE COUNCIL TO PLEASE SUPPORT
THE TRANSIT MEASURE. THAT HE
VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER .
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. ON BEHALF OF EQUITY
WORK WITH , I AM HERE TO SUPPORT
THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL TO RENEW
THE SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE .
WHILE TAX INCREASE IS NOT A
PREFERRED APPROACH, BECAUSE IT
PLACES A GREATER BURDEN ON LOWER
INCOME RESIDENTS, WE RECOGNIZE
THE CONSTRAINTS OF CURRENT STATE
POLICY AND AVAILABLE FUNDING
TOOLS. GIVEN WRITING
TRANSPORTATION AND
INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS, THE
PROPOSAL IS NECESSARY TO
PRESERVE EXISTING SERVICES AND
EXPAND SUPPORT FOR THE
COMMUNITIES THAT RELY ON THE
MOST. WE STRONGLY SUPPORT
MAINTAINING AND EXPANDING THE
TRANSIT ACCESS PROGRAM , WHICH
NOW PROVIDES ORCA SUBSIDIES TO
MORE THAN 22,000 SEATTLE
RESIDENTS, MORE THAN DOUBLE THE
PREVIOUS REACH. WE ALSO SUPPORT
ADDING 100,000 BUS SERVICE HOURS
IN EQUITY PRIORITY AREAS. WHEN
-- THESE TARGETED INVESTMENTS
ARE CRITICAL . COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR CONTINUE TO BE DISPLACED
FARTHER FROM THE CITY CENTER. AT
THE SAME TIME, OUR OLDER ADULT
POPULATION IS GROWING RAPIDLY
WITH MANY LIVING ON FIXED
INCOMES. PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES AND IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES ALSO DEPEND ON
AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE TRANSIT
TO ACCESS TO JOBS, EDUCATION,
HEALTHCARE AND ESSENTIAL
SERVICES. WE KNOW THAT
PRIORITIZING THESE COMMUNITIES
HELPS OFFSET INEQUITIES.
INCLUDING THOSE GREETED BY
REGRESSIVE FUNDING MECHANISMS
LIKE SALES TAX. THIS PROPOSAL
PROVIDES A STABLE FUNDING SOURCE
FOR THE NEXT DECADE . HOWEVER, A
SALES TAX IS NOT A SUSTAINABLE
LONG-TERM SOLUTION. WE ARE
ALREADY AT THE STATE CAPITAL. WE
URGE THE CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR'S
OFFICE, AND REGIONAL PARTNERS TO
PURSUE DURABLE FUNDING
STRATEGIES THAT MEET THE NEEDS
OF A GROWING AND CHANGING
REGION. THANK YOU GUYS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. I AM
STANDING HERE AS A PRIVATE
CITIZEN. I AM OLD. I HAVE A
MEDICAL EMERGENCY THAT BASICALLY
CHANGED MY LIFE.
>> CAN YOU SPEAK ?
>> I HAVE TO WORK -- I LOST
MOBILITY. I LOST COMMUNICATION.
BUT I HAVEN'T LOST FEISTINESS.
I AM FROM BALLARD. I AND UP AT
PROVIDENCE AT LEAST THREE OR
FOUR TIMES A MONTH FOR CHECK INS
. THERE IS NO WAY THAT I CAN
HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AT THAT
PLACE AND NOT SCHEDULE TWO HOURS
TO GET THERE ON TIME. I THINK
THERE IS A PROBLEM IN THE CITY
WHERE THERE ARE TRANSPORTATION
DESERTS WHERE THE ELDERLY WHO
HAVE GOTTEN OUTSIDE OF THE
PERIPHERY OF THE ACCESS BUS
TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE WE CAN
PASS THE TESTS -- CERTAIN TESTS
HAVE TO TAKE THE BUS OR DRIVE. I
DRIVE. YESTERDAY I HAD TO WALK,
BASICALLY, FROM 33rd STREET, TO
PROVIDENCE BECAUSE OF PARKING.
OKAY? THE DOCTOR WAS A LITTLE
EXCITED ABOUT THE BLOOD
PRESSURE. WE NEED TO LOOK AT
WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROVIDE GOOD
TRANSPORTATION TO THESE DESERTS
SO THE ELDERLY CAN GET TO THEIR
PHYSICIANS, NOT LOSE THEIR
APPOINTMENTS, NOT GET INTO A LOT
OF ANXIETY, AND THEY CAN PROTECT
THEIR HEALTH. I HAVE AN EXAMPLE
OF ALL THE BUSES GOING TO
PROVIDENCE. THERE IS NONE FOR
BALLARD. DONE REALLY FOR WEST
SEATTLE. AND THERE IS NONE FOR
UPPER EAST PART OF THE CITY. I
THINK THIS TRANSPORTATION
MEASURE WILL POSSIBLY PROVIDE
THAT , BUT BEYOND THAT, I THINK
--
>> LEAVE THE LETTERS HERE IN OUR
BOX. IT WILL BE ON THE RECORD
AND AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF US TO
REVIEW.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION AND FOCUS ON THIS
IMPORTANT MEASURE THIS MORNING.
I AM HERE TODAY FOR TWO REASONS.
THE FIRST IS TO ASK YOU TO
SUPPORT THE SEATTLE TRANSIT
MEASURE WITH THE FULL SALES TAX
. I ALSO DON'T LIKE HIGHER
SALES TAXES, BUT THIS IS REALLY
IMPORTANT CRITICAL SERVICES THAT
FAMILIES ACROSS SEATTLE RELY ON.
AND WHEN WE ARE COMBINING
INVESTMENT, SO WE ARE IMPROVING
CONNECTIONS TO LIGHT RAIL
STATIONS WITH THE SERVICE, WE
ARE GETTING EVEN MORE VALUE ON
THESE BIG INVESTMENTS THE CITY
HAS ALREADY MADE. I LIVE IN.
THERE IS NO LIGHT RAIL STATION,
BUT THERE IS ONE IN ROOSEVELT. I
OFTEN TAKE THE BUS TO ROOSEVELT,
EXCEPT IT DOESN'T COME VERY
FREQUENTLY. WHEN I AM IN A RUSH,
I OFTEN WALK THE MILE TO THE
STATION. I MUCH PREFER TO TAKE
THE BUS. THESE INVESTMENTS IN
MORE FREQUENT CONNECTIONS TO OUR
STATIONS HAVE A BIG IMPACT.
SECOND REASON I AM HERE IS
BECAUSE THE TRANSPORTATION
BENEFIT DISTRICT ONLY HAS A
COUPLE WAYS WE CAN REALLY FUND
THIS WORK. THE CAR TABS AND THE
SALES TAX , AND AS COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA POINTED OUT, BOTH OF THESE
ARE REGRESSIVE. SO I ASK YOU TO
WORK WITH OLYMPIA, PRIORITIZE
THAT WORK, TO EXPAND THE OPTIONS
WE HAVE TO FUND OUR
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT
. BY THE TIME THE NEXT STM ROLLS
AROUND AND WE HAVE TO RENEW IN
10 YEARS, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME
NEW PROGRESSIVE TOOLS IN OUR
TOOLKIT FOR FUNDING IT. IN
SHORT, I ASK YOU TO FUND THIS
STM WITH THE 3 -- 0.3 % SALES
TAX SO WE HAVE TOOLS ON THE
TABLE TO FUND IT. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL. I
AM HAILING FROM DISTRICT 7. I
WANT TO PROVIDE MORE TESTIMONY
ON WHITE BUS FREQUENCY
SPECIFICALLY REALLY MATTERS. IN
MY OWN LIFE, ME AND MY
GIRLFRIEND REGULARLY TAKE THE 4
BUS BETWEEN OUR APARTMENTS, BUT
THE 30 MINUTE FREQUENCY ON
NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS IS BRUTAL.
EVERY TIME WE WANT TO GO BETWEEN
OUR PARTNERS, IT IS A DICE ROLL
. AROUND HALF THE TIME THE
WEIGHT IS 20 MINUTES, 25
MINUTES, 30 MINUTES. THAT IS NOT
USABLE. WE END UP NEEDING TO
ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP PLAN
WHENEVER WE WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE
LIKE SCOOTERING OR DRIVING. OUR
TRANSIT SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE THERE
FOR RIDERS 100% OF THE TIME, NOT
ONLY SOMETIMES IF THERE HAPPENS
TO BE A BUS ANYTIME SOON. WHEN
SOMEONE IS LEAVING A BAR ON
CAPITOL HILL, THEY NEED TO KNOW
THERE IS A BUS TO GET THEM HOME
WITHOUT WAITING FOR 30 MINUTES
IN THE COLD. WITH SOMEONE WHO IS
CAR FREE IN COLUMBIA CITY WANT
TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, THEY
SHOULD KNOW THERE IS A BUS TO
TAKE THEM THERE AND BACK, AND
WHEN THEY ARE SHOPPING, THEY
SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CONSTANTLY
CHECK YOUR WATCH IN THE SCHEDULE
TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN GET HOME
WITHOUT A LONG WAIT. AS OTHER
PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED, SEATTLE
HAS SET A LOT OF GOALS,
INCLUDING THE 2023 CLIMATE GOAL
TO REDUCE CAR TRIP FROM 66 TO
44% AND INCREASE TRANSIT FROM 11
TO 24. IF WE WANT ANY CHANCE
REPLACING CAR TRIPS WITH
TRANSIT, PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW
THEY CAN GET TO WHERE THEY GO
WITHOUT ADVANCE PLANNING. CAR
DRIVERS DON'T LOOK AT BUS
SCHEDULES. CAR DRIVERS DON'T TO
ADVANCE PLANNING OF GETTING HOME
EXACTLY ON THE HOUR TO CATCH
THEIR BUDGET. HIGH-FREQUENCY IS
VERY IMPORTANT. THE LAST THING I
WANT TO SAY IS THAT THE STAKES
ARE VERY HIGH, EVEN MORE THAN
JUST CLIMATE GOALS. EVERY CAR
OFF THE ROAD MEANS LESS OF OUR
FRIENDS, PARENTS, CHILDREN AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS DYING IN CAR
CRASHES AND PEDESTRIAN
COLLISIONS EVERY YEAR. WE HAVE
HAD NUMEROUS INCIDENTS RECENTLY,
INCLUDING THE BIKER THAT WAS
KILLED, AND WE NEED TO SEE LESS
OF THAT. THAT MEANS WE NEED TO
GET CARS OFF THE ROAD. I THINK
WE SHOULD BACK THIS MEASURE FOR
THE CLIMATE, FOR OUR SAFETY AND
TO MAKE A MORE PLEASANT AND
CONNECT THE CITY FOR EVERYONE
WHO LIVES HERE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ANDREW. I AM
A HIGH SCHOOLER IN THE GREATER
SEATTLE AREA. I REGULARLY USE
TRANSIT IN THE REGION AND TRAVEL
INTO SEATTLE. I AM HERE TO
PROVIDE A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON THE
ISSUE. STUDENTS. JUST HOW MUCH
WE CARE. THE CITY'S YOUTH
ADVISORY BOARD, THE FIRST ISSUE
BROUGHT UP WAS PUBLIC TRANSIT.
OBVIOUSLY, WE CARE. I WANT TO
BRING UP TWO MAIN ISSUES BESIDES
COST AND EVERYTHING TALKED ABOUT
BEFORE. FIRST, TRAFFIC. WE ALL
KNOW HOW BAD TRAFFIC IS IN
SEATTLE. THAT IS DUE TO THE
SHEER AMOUNT OF CARS WE HAVE. IT
IS RANKED AS THE SEVENTH MOST
CONGESTED CITY IN THE U.S. AND
PUBLIC TRANSIT DIRECTLY
ADDRESSES THAT. SECOND, THE
ENVIRONMENT. AS YOUNG PEOPLE ,
WE ARE GOING TO INHERIT THE
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT GETS
BUILT TODAY. INVESTING IN
TRANSIT MEANS CLEANER AIR, LOWER
EMISSIONS IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE OVERALL. GIVING PEOPLE A
REAL ALTERNATIVE TO DRIVING IS
ONE OF THE BEST ENVIRONMENTAL
INVESTMENTS A CITY CAN MAKE. WE
ARE STUDENTS, AND WE CARE DEEPLY
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR REGION.
I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE
MEASURE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME.
>> THANK YOU, ANDREW.
>> WE NOW SWITCH TO REMOTE
CALLERS.
>> SUPPORT FOR MARY WILSON AT
THE SEATTLE TRANSIT MITCHELL
BRIGGS IS THE ANNOUNCEMENT, WE
HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HOW SALES
TAXES ARE REGRESSIVE. YOU KNOW
WHAT ELSE IS? ON AVERAGE, COST
ABOUT $1000 A MONTH TO OWN A
CAR, WHICH IS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR
A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR
NEIGHBORS IN SEATTLE. OUR
OPTIONS AS WALKING, BIKING AND
RIDING TRANSIT. ENSURE HIGH
QUALITY TRANSIT, INCLUDING
HIGHER -- PROPOSAL WILL INCREASE
KING COUNTY METRO SERVICE HOURS
BY ALMOST 50% TO ALLOW US TO NOT
ONLY RETURN TO , PAST PRE-COVID
LEVELS OF TRANSIT SERVICE, BUT
WE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO MORE
THAN DOUBLE TO OUR NEIGHBORS
ANY. IF THIS TAX PAYS PEOPLE ONE
OR TWO UBER RIDES, THEY ALREADY
BREAK EVEN. IT EVEN ENABLES SOME
PEOPLE TO GO CAR FREE, SAVING
HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A MONTH.
WHEN MORE PEOPLE USE TRANSIT,
THE AIR IS CLEANER. CARS COST
OVER HALF OF CARBON EMISSIONS IN
SEATTLE. SO OUR RESIDENTS WILL
BE HEALTHIER. INCREASED ACCESS
WILL CONNECT PEOPLE TO
BUSINESSES THAT ARE
STRENGTHENING THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
IN ADDITION TO ALL THESE
BENEFITS, INCREASED BUS SERVICE
WILL MAKE MORE PROGRESS TOWARD
VISION ZERO. SO FAR, AT LEAST
FIVE PEOPLE DIE FROM AUTOMOBILE
COLLISIONS IN SEATTLE. WE NEED
FREQUENT AND RELIABLE FOR PEOPLE
TO LEAVE THEIR CARS BEHIND.
HEALTHIER, MORE ACCESSIBLE AND
MORE AFFORDABLE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT CALLER . PLEASE PRESS
STAR SIX .
>> GOOD MORNING. I AM A
WHEELCHAIR USER AND SIDEWALK
ORGANIZER WITH NONDRIVERS
ALLIANCE. WE ARE A GRASSROOTS
ORGANIZATION OF NONDRIVERS AND
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. I
REALLY WANT TO THANK CHAIR SAKA
FOR THE PROPOSAL YOU PUT
FORWARD. WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT
THE COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING NOT
JUST MAINTAINING THE TRANSIT
SERVICE, BUT EXPANDING TRANSIT
NETWORK AND URGE COUNCIL MEMBERS
TO PASS THIS TRANSIT MEASURE
WITH A SALES TAX THAT IS FOCUSED
ON TRANSIT. AT LEAST 25% OF
SEATTLE RESIDENTS ARE
NONDRIVERS. THIS INCLUDES PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY DON'T HAVE
ACCESS TO A CAR. THE
AVAILABILITY OF TRANSIT DICTATES
SO MUCH OF OUR LIVES. ONLY 53%
OF SEATTLEITES ARE WITHIN
WALKING DISTANCE OF FREQUENT
TRANSIT. PEOPLE WHO ARE TRANSIT
DEPENDENT PAY FOR THIS GAP WITH
HER TIME AND ACCESS TO
OPPORTUNITIES , AND LIKE THE
PREVIOUS CALLER SAID, MEDICAL
APPOINTMENTS AND HEALTH. PASSES
TRANSIT MEASURE, BE SICK ABOUT
ALL THE TRIPS YOU MAKE FROM THE
COMMITMENTS YOU HAVE NEEDED TO
GET TO ON A FIXED SCHEDULE TWO
TRIPS AFTER PEAK HOURS WHETHER
IT BE A CONCERT, A FRIENDS HOUSE
OR URGENT CARE. THESE NEEDS
DON'T CHANGE WHEN YOU DON'T
HAVE ACCESS TO A CAR, BUT THEY
CAN BE IMPOSSIBLE. AS A SIDEWALK
ADVOCATE, I HAVE TO MENTION
SIDEWALKS. PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES DEPEND ON FREQUENT
RELIABLE TRANSIT CONNECTED BY
SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS.
BOTH SYSTEMS, SIDEWALKS AND
BUSES ARE IN NEED OF DEDICATED
FUNDING. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE AS
HE MOVE FORWARD WE CANNOT BUILD
ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION
NETWORK BY DEFUNDING ONE
CRITICAL SERVICE TO PAY FOR
ANOTHER. AS MUCH AS I HOPE THAT
WE WILL HAVE NEW SIDEWALK
FUNDING, ESPECIALLY AS THE CITY
IS INVESTING IN THIS NEW
TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE, I
URGE THE COUNCIL TO KEEP THIS
TRANSIT MEASURE FOCUSED ON
TRANSIT SO WE CAN --
>> NEXT CALLER.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
REMOTELY. CONGRATULATIONS ON
YOUR NEW ROLE. WITH FORWARD TO
CONNECTING AGAIN SOON. YOUR
PRESENCE IS MISSED HERE IN
COUNCIL CHAMBER HERE AS WELL.
THANK YOU.
>> PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
>> GOOD MORNING. I AM A RESIDENT
. I AM ASKING YOU TO FULLY
SUPPORT MARY WILSON'S PROPOSAL
FOR A SALES TAX INCREASE FOR
MORE BUSES MORE OFTEN. ARE
TRANSIT, FORTUNATELY, IS NOT
ALWAYS FAST, FREQUENT AND
RELIABLE. TOMORROW NIGHT ME AND
THREE NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDS ARE
GOING TO THE SYMPHONY. IT IS NOT
USUALLY A PROBLEM GETTING THERE,
BUT AT HOME, COMING HOME AT
AROUND 10 AT NIGHT IS , WE OFTEN
TAKE THE LIGHT RAIL, BUT SITTING
AT THAT FAMOUS BENCH IN SOTO FOR
MAYBE UP TO 30 MINUTES WAITING
FOR BUS 50, OR IF WE TAKE THE C
AND WAIT FOR 30 MINUTES IN THE
JUNCTION. MOST BUSINESSES ARE
CLOSED. IT IS A LITTLE
NERVE-RACKING AT NIGHT. THE
OPTION IS MOST PEOPLE DO NOT
WANT TO TAKE TRANSIT. THEY WANT
TO USE THEIR CARS.
UNFORTUNATELY. I AM ASKING FOR
SOMETHING RELIABLE FOR
RESIDENTS, AND THIS TRANSIT
MEASURE WILL DO THAT. I REALLY
THANK YOU FOR TAKING
CONSIDERATION OF THIS. ANYTHING
THAT IS MORE RELIABLE WOULD BE
MUCH APPRECIATED. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT CALLER .
>> GOOD MORNING. BETTER FUNDING
WITH PARKING FEES . TRAFFIC
GRIDLOCK CAUSES DELAYS IN BUS
SERVICE. WHERE PEOPLE. IN
RESPONSE TO BEING FUNDING
MECHANISM SHOULD ADDRESS BOTH.
IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT BUILD IT
AND THEY WILL COME. RIDERSHIP
REMAINS LOW BECAUSE THE BALANCE
OF DRIVING A CAR OUTWEIGHS
TAKING TWO OR MORE BUS ROUTES TO
PLACES PEOPLE NEED TO TRAVEL TO.
A TAX ON CAR USAGE ITSELF WOULD
BE A MORE EQUITABLE WAY TO FUND
OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM. WEALTHY
HOUSEHOLDS OWN MULTIPLE CARS .
DRIVERS FROM THE SUBURBS CAN BE
TAXED IN COMMERCIAL LOTS. THERE
ARE BETTER WAYS TO TACKLE THE
ISSUES OF LOW RIDERSHIP AND
UNRELIABLE BUS ROUTES. I WOULD
LIKE COUNCIL TO DROP AMENDMENTS
THAT WILL ALLEVIATE THE IMPACT
OF A TAX HIKE AND ALSO ENTICE
PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS AND
INTO BUSES. WE ARE STUCK WITH
REGRESSIVE TAXES. TAXING --
CASTING A WIDE NET OF A SALES
TAX FOR LIMITED IMPROVEMENTS.
RESPONSIBLE SPENDING SHOULD
INFLICT COSTS WITH CARE WHILE
ALSO TARGETING THE GRIDLOCK THE
SLOWS DOWN BUS SERVICE ACROSS
ALL BUS ROUTES . THANK YOU ALL
AND HAVE A GOOD DAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE FINAL CALLER.
>> LOW RIDERSHIP ORIGINATES FROM
CRIMINALS AND THE COVID CONCERNS
ABOUT SIX PEOPLE THAT ARE
INCONSIDERATE ON THE BUS.
SNEEZING IN FRONT OF YOU AS THE
BUS PULLS AWAY RAPIDLY. BIG
CONCERN, YOU KNOW. THE THING IS,
PERHAPS IF THERE WAS MORE
FREQUENT SERVICE, THERE
WOULDN'T BE SO MANY
VICTIMIZATION THEN
VULNERABILITIES WAITING AT THE
BUS STOP FOR TOO LONG . THE
THING IS, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW
MUCH YOU TAX-AND-SPEND, VIRTUAL
SIGNALING HOW YOU ARE DOING
PEOPLE A FAVOR DRIVING A BUS
RIGHT UP TO THEIR LIVING SPACE,
WHEN THERE IS SKETCHY, UNSAFE,
CREEPY CRIMINALS WITH BEHAVIORAL
CRISIS THAT ARE CAMOUFLAGING
THEIR UNDERWORLD ANTICIPATIONS
WITHIN, AND AROUND, TRANSIT
ORIENTED WORLD. IT IS UNSAFE FOR
KIDS. YOU WANT TO GIVE A BUNCH
OF FREE PASSES TO PEOPLE AND
LEAVE THEM VULNERABLE TO BEING
VICTIMIZED BEHIND THE BUS STOP.
IT IS A CONCERN, YOU KNOW? THE
THING IS, WE NEED TO END THE
ABUSE OF THE BUS UNION WHO
THINKS THEY ARE ENTITLED TO GET
OFF WORK 30 MINUTES EARLY AT THE
END OF THEIR ROUTE AWAY FROM
BASE, AND THEN THEY DRIVE PAST
US AT 6:00 DURING RUSH HOUR JUST
SO THEY CAN GET HOME WITHOUT
WORRYING ABOUT TAKING THE BUS
SYSTEM. THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT OUR BUS UNION HAS
ACKNOWLEDGED THEY CANNOT TAKE
THE BUS LIKE WE HAVE TO TAKE IT
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK FOR
THEM BECAUSE IT TAKES TOO LONG.
AND YET, WE GOT ALL THIS MONEY
BEING SPENT ON SUPERVISORS WHO
SIT ON THEIR SMART PHONE ACTING
LIKE THEY'RE KEEPING THE BUS
DRIVERS TIMING SCHEDULES ON US
WHILE THE BUS DRIVERS ARE
STOPPING TWO STOPS BEFORE THEY
GET TO THE TRANSIT TO MAKE SURE
THEY DON'T SHOW UP IN TIME. BY
THE TIME THEY GET THERE, THE
SUPERVISORS NOT PAYING
ATTENTION. THE OTHER BEST THAT
YOU NEEDED TO TRANSFER TO TAKES
OFF. THE ONLY WAY TO MITIGATE IS
TO HONK AT EACH OTHER. HOLD UP.
>> THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL
REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
>> ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW MOVE
ON TO THE FIRST ITEM OF
BUSINESS. WILL THE COMMITTEE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM 1 INTO
THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 1 , BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL BILL
121226 , ORDINANCE RELATING TO A
SALES AND USE TAX PROVIDING FOR
THE SUBMISSION TO QUALIFIED
VOTERS OF THE CITY AT AN
ELECTION TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER
3, 2026, A PROPOSITION TO
COLLECT A SALES AND USE TAX TO
FUND TRANSIT AND RELATED
TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS IN
SEATTLE, AND RATIFYING AND
CONFIRMING CERTAIN PRIOR ACTS.
>> ALL RIGHT. LOOKS LIKE OUR
PRESENTERS HAVE JOINED US AT THE
TABLE. WELCOME. IN A MOMENT,
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND BEGIN
YOUR PRESENTATIONS. BUT BEFORE
WE DO THAT, I WANT TO SHARE A
QUICK UPDATE. MIGHT LEARN A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS IN
THE CENTRAL STAFF PRESENTATION.
BUT MY OFFICE WORKED CLOSELY
WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO
NEGOTIATE A SLIGHT REVISION TO
THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL AS IT
RELATES TO ACCESSIBILITY . AND
ON ONE OF THE PROVISIONS AND
MAKING IT EASIER FOR FOLKS TO
SAFELY ACCESS TRANSIT AND
RESULTING IN, I THINK, $5
MILLION PER YEAR TOTAL UP TO
THAT AMOUNT VERSUS THE ORIGINAL
BASELINE PROPOSAL OF $3.5
MILLION, BOTH NUMBERS STILL
EFFECTIVELY REFLECT A CUT TO
BOTH THE LEGISLATIVE MAXIMUM
AMOUNTS OR THE ACTUALS THAT WERE
SPENT ON AVERAGE EVERY YEAR FOR
THE SAME CATEGORY, BUT
REGARDLESS, I THINK MORE REFLECT
A BETTER AND MORE BALANCED
APPROACH AND MADE OFFSETTING
REDUCTION TO THE GRANITE --
TRANSIT SERVICE. THE BACK OF THE
NAPKIN MATH THAT THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE WORKED OUT WAS 47% ,
WHICH IS STILL EFFECTIVELY
DOUBLING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE
AND PROVIDING MORE DOLLARS SO
PEOPLE CAN SAFELY ACCESS TRANSIT
. ALL THIS TO SAY I WANT TO
THANK THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR THE
PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION ON
THAT AND THEIR AGREEMENT AND
ALIGNMENT . AND TODAY FOR
CLARITY, WE ARE CONSIDERING THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSAL. THAT IS AN
ELEMENT THAT WE WORKED ON
TOGETHER, BUT THIS IS OUR
EXECUTORS PROPOSAL, AND WE WILL
LEARN MORE TODAY. CENTRAL STAFF,
WELCOME. PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES AND BEGIN YOUR
PRESENTATION.
>> GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
CALVIN CHOW, CENTRAL STAFF.
>> AMANDA ALLEN, CENTRAL STAFF.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. I
HAVE A MEMO THAT WAS CIRCULATED
EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT IS ON THE
AGENDA. I WILL SPEAK TO IT VERY
BRIEFLY TODAY. I WILL TRY TO
PRESERVE TIME FOR YOUR
CONVERSATIONS, BUT I WANT TO
MAKE SURE I COVER SOME OF THE
HIGH POINTS OF HOW WE GOT HERE.
I WANTED TO START WITH JUST A
REMINDER OF WHAT THE TRANSIT
MEASURE STARTED FROM. IT HAS A
LONGER HISTORY THAN JUST THE
SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE. IT
STARTED IN 2014 WHEN KING COUNTY
METRO WAS FACING SIGNIFICANT
REVENUE SHORTFALLS. THEY WENT
FOR A COUNTYWIDE SALES AND
VEHICLE LICENSE FEE PROPOSAL
THAT DID NOT PASS IN KING
COUNTY, BUT DID PASS WITHIN THE
SEATTLE JURISDICTION. SEATTLE
VOTERS APPROVED A FOLLOW-UP THAT
JUST PROVIDED FUNDING FOR
SEATTLE TRANSIT IN 2014. THAT
WAS A 0.1% SALES TAX IS $60
VEHICLE LICENSE FEE. THAT
MEASURE TOOK US THROUGH TO 2020
WHEN AFTER COVID HAD STARTED TO
LOCK DOWN, THERE WAS A PROPOSAL
TO EXTEND IT. WE HAD A LOT LESS
CERTAINTY ABOUT WHERE TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP WAS GOING, WHAT
TRANSIT NEEDS WERE GOING TO BE.
SO THERE WAS A LOT MORE SHIFT
AND WHAT THAT SPENDING COULD
INCLUDE. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF
CHANGES TO WHAT SEATTLE TRANSIT
MEASURE IS ALLOWED TO SPEND ON .
IN ADDITION TO TRANSIT SERVICE ,
METRO SERVICE, AS WELL AS HER
OWN STREETCAR, THERE WAS A
CATEGORY FOR EMERGING NEEDS AND
COVID RECOVERY . A LARGE PORTION
OF THIS WAS USED DURING THE
CLOSURE OF THE WEST SEATTLE
BRIDGE TO HELP DEAL WITH THE
TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT
AND OTHER OPTIONS FOR GETTING
PEOPLE TO AND FROM WEST SEATTLE
DURING THAT TIME. THE EXTENT OF
THE LOW INCOME TRANSIT ACCESS
PROGRAM. WE INCLUDED CITY
STAFFING FOR SOUND TRANSIT
RELATED PROJECTS . AND IN PART
BECAUSE KING COUNTY METRO WAS
RUNNING REDUCED SERVICE AND WAS
HAVING DIFFICULTY IN GETTING
COACHES AND DRIVERS DURING THE
RAMP-UP FOLLOWING COVID, THERE
WAS ADDITIONAL MONEY WE DIRECTED
TOWARDS TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE
AND THE COUNCIL TOOK A NUMBER OF
PROPOSALS FOR THAT TIME TO
INCREASE THE SPENDING UP TO A
LEGALLY AUTHORIZED ALLOWANCE OF
16.4 MILLION PER YEAR. THE TABLE
UP ON TOP HERE IS SHOWING WHAT
THE 2026 SPENDING LEVELS LOOK
LIKE FOR THE EXISTING SEATTLE
TRANSIT MEASURE. I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT IF YOU ADD UP ALL
THE PLANNED EXPENDITURES HERE,
THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN
THE SALES TAX THAT THE SEATTLE
TRANSIT CURRENTLY FUNDS , RAISES
IN A YEAR. THIS DOES REFLECT
ADDITIONAL, ESSENTIALLY, FUND
BALANCE THAT WAS BUILT UP AS
TRANSIT SERVICE WAS NOT RAMPED
UP AS QUICKLY OVER COMING OUT OF
COVID. THERE WERE TWO OTHER
ITEMS I WANTED TO DRAW ATTENTION
TO THAT COUNCIL TOOK ACTION ON
LAST YEAR. THERE WAS THE
PROPOSAL TO ALLOW SEATTLE
TRANSIT MEASURE FUNDING TO BE
USED TO SUPPORT PRIVATE
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, AS WELL
AS PUBLIC SERVICES . THE IDEA AT
THE TIME WAS TO REALLY FOCUS ON
THE WATERFRONT SHUTTLE . AT THAT
TIME, OR FOLLOWING THAT PROPOSAL
, THE BUDGET ACTUALLY ALLOWED
FOR SOME SPENDING FROM THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
TO FUND THAT SERVICE. I
UNDERSTAND THAT KING COUNTY IS
ACTUALLY TAKING OVER THAT
SERVICE AGAIN IS SORT OF A PILOT
PROJECT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF
YEARS. SO THAT IS NOW PART OF
KING COUNTY OPERATED SERVICE,
BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THE
COUNCIL WEIGHED ON DURING THE
LAST BUDGET. IN ADDITION, THE
COUNCIL APPROVED ALLOWANCES TO
USE SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE
FUNDING FOR TRANSIT SAFETY AND
SECURITY EFFORTS, SPECIFICALLY
TO FUND A CHIEF TRANSIT SECURITY
AND SAFETY OFFICERS IN SDOT AND
IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
KING COUNTY TRANSIT SAFETY TASK
FORCE. DEPOSITION IS CURRENTLY
NOT FILLED. AS I THINK WAS
MENTIONED DURING THE
PRESENTATION, THE BASE COST
SERVICE THAT WE DO PAY FOR METRO
SERVICE DOES HAVE OVERHEAD COSTS
RELATED TO METRO TRANSIT SAFETY
AND SECURITY EFFORTS. SDOT
ESTIMATES FOR 2025 THAT IS ABOUT
9% OF THE COST OR ABOUT $3.9
MILLION. THE LAST THING I WANTED
TO CALL OUT ABOUT OUR EXISTING
MEASURE IS THAT WE PURCHASE
SERVICE UNDER A TRANSIT SERVICE
AGREEMENT THAT EXPIRES AT THE
END OF 2027. THAT SERVICE
AGREEMENT HAS CONDITIONS ABOUT
HOW QUICKLY WE CAN RAMP UP AND
RAMP DOWN SERVICE MORE
OPERATIONALLY FOR HOW QUICKLY
METRO CAN RESPOND TO THE CITY'S
NEEDS. IF THIS MEASURE IS NOT
RENEWED, THERE IS SUFFICIENT
FUNDING TO DO THE RAMP DOWN OVER
A COUPLE OF SERVICE WINDOWS TO
MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE
CONTRACT. WITH THE MEASURE WERE
TO PASS, WE WOULD NEED A NEW
SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH KING
COUNTY METRO. A COUPLE OF
CONTEXTUAL ISSUES THAT ARE
USEFUL FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO
THINK OF. ONE IS THROUGH THE
CHANGING NATURE OF TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP. WITH COVID LOCKDOWN,
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP REALLY CAME
TOO, WAS ESSENTIALLY HALVED
COUNTYWIDE. AND HAS BEEN
INCREASING SINCE, BUT WE HAVE
NOT REACHED TRANSIT LEVELS THAT
WE HAD PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC. I
KNOW THERE ARE MORE RECENT
NUMBERS, BUT THE NUMBERS I SAW
REPORTED TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT
ADMINISTRATION SAID WE WERE
STILL AT ABOUT 75% AS OF LAST
YEAR COUNTYWIDE IN KING COUNTY.
BOTH KING COUNTY AND SDOT HAVE
NOTED THAT THE INCREASE IN
RIDERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN
TRADITIONALLY WHERE RIDERSHIP
HAS BEEN. THE FIRST MEASURE WAS
REALLY FOCUS ON OVERCROWDING AND
RELIABILITY AND FOCUS A LOT ON
COMMUTER SERVICE. WHAT WE HAVE
SEEN IS A LOT OF RIDERSHIP
COMING BACK ON OFF-PEAK HOURS,
SHOULDER HOURS, WEEKEND HOURS
MORE ALL DAY SERVICE. THAT HAS
BEEN REFLECTED IN SOME OF THE
CITY POLICY DOCUMENTS OVER THE
LAST SEVERAL YEARS. THE
TRANSPORTATION , EXCUSE ME,
SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION PLAN,
TRANSIT ELEMENT, DID FOCUS ON
THIS. IT HAD BEEN PART OF OUR
TRANSIT MASTER PLAN PREVIOUSLY,
BUT THE IDEA OF HOW TO SUPPORT
ALL DAY TRANSIT AS PART OF OUR
GROWTH, AS PART OF OUR
COMPREHENSIVES PLANNING
STRATEGY. ONE OTHER EFFORT THAT
IS WORTH KEEPING TRACK OF IS
KING COUNTY'S RESTORATION OF
SERVICE EFFORT. A COUPLE YEARS
AGO THEY APPROVED A PLAN, A
GUIDELINE, FOR HOW TO RESTORE
SERVICE AS THEY WERE COMING OUT
OF COVID. THEY HAVE DONE A
NUMBER OF SERVICE RESTRUCTURES
RELATED TO LINK LIGHT RAIL
COMING ON BOARD. THE NEXT COUPLE
YEARS THEY EXPECT TO DO A
FOCUSED EFFORT AROUND THE
SEATTLE SERVICE THAT ALSO
INCLUDES, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY
IS IN SEATTLE. IT IS ESTIMATED
TO BE AROUND 100,000 SERVICE
HOURS. ROUGHLY THE SAME LEVEL OF
SERVICE HOURS BEING PROPOSED
INCREASE WITH THE MAYOR'S
PROPOSAL. THAT IS PROBABLY GOING
TO BE ABOUT A TWO-YEAR EFFORT
THAT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY KING
COUNTY COUNCIL. METRO OPERATIONS
ARE FUNDED BY A 0.9% BASE SALES
TAX, AS WELL AS FERRY
COLLECTIONS. I KNOW THERE'S
CONVERSATION ABOUT REVENUE
OPTIONS UNDER OUR AUTHORITY AS
SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT
DISTRICT. THE TWO WE HAVE USED
OUR VEHICLE LICENSE FEE, WHICH
IS A PER LICENSE CHARGE. WE HAVE
AUTHORITY TO CHARGE UP TO $100
PER VEHICLE. WE CURRENTLY CHARGE
$50 PER VEHICLE, AND THAT IS
USED CURRENTLY TO SUPPORT BASED
TRANSPORTATION FUNDS . IF HE
WANTED TO DO ANYTHING BEYOND
THAT, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE
VOTERS TO ASK FOR THEIR APPROVAL
FOR THE ADDITIONAL 50 MILLION.
IT IS NOT AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED,
WE HAVE INCREASED POPULATION
MORE THAN WE HAVE CAR OWNERSHIP
IN SEATTLE. $50 IS PROJECTED TO
RAISE $22.1 MILLION THIS YEAR
FOR OUR EXISTING $50 FEE. THERE
ARE OTHER OPTIONS EMBEDDED IN
THE STATE LEGISLATION. THEY ARE
LARGELY DUPLICATIVE OF AUTHORITY
WE ALREADY HAVE. THIS IS THINGS
LIKE THE ABILITY TO ISSUE BONDS
AND PROPERTY TAXES TO SUPPORT
THOSE. IT IS THINGS LIKE IMPACT
FEES AND ONE-YEAR EXCISE
PROPERTY TAX LEVIES. WE
GENERALLY HAVE THOSE POWERS
THROUGH OTHER MEANS AS WELL.
THEY ARE NOT PARTICULARLY
WELL-SUITED FOR ONGOING
OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES LIKE
TRANSIT WOULD BE. THERE IS THE
AUTHORITY TO PURSUE VEHICLE
TOLLING. THAT DOES REQUIRE
APPROVAL FROM THE WASHINGTON
STATE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
AND WOULD HAVE TO GO TO VOTERS
AS WELL. THAT IS A MUCH BIGGER
DISCUSSION. AND THEN, JUST TO
KIND OF HIGHLIGHT WHERE WE ARE
WITH THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL. THE
MAYOR HAS PROPOSED A 0.3% SALES
TAX . THAT IS THE AVERAGE OVER
10 YEARS. NOT NECESSARILY THE
FIRST YEAR. IT IS EXPECTED TO
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BUS TRIPS
FROM ABOUT 180,000 CURRENTLY TO
280,000 COMPARED TO WHAT WE ARE
CURRENTLY SPENDING. AND THE
BROAD CHANGES THAT COUNCILMEMBER
, THE CHAIR RESPONDED TO, THERE
WAS AN INCREASE FROM WHAT SDOT
AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE SHOWED
AT THE LAST TRANSPORTATION
MEETING THAT INCREASED THE
TRANSIT AND ACCESSIBLE
INFRASTRUCTURE COLUMN FROM 3.5
MILLION TO 5 MILLION AND
ARTICULATED CLEARLY THAT
ACCESSIBILITY IS PART OF THAT
CATEGORY OF SPENDING. CURRENTLY,
THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL DOES
MANDATE , REQUIRES, A MINIMUM OF
60% OF THE ANNUAL REVENUE RAISED
TO BE FUNDED FOR TRANSIT. THAT
IS AN INCREASE FROM THE CURRENT
50% THAT IS IN THE EXISTING
SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE. IT
INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF
ALLOWABLE SPENDING ON LOW-INCOME
TRANSIT ACCESS UP TO 12 MILLION
PER YEAR, AND IT ADDS A LITTLE
BIT MORE FOR CITY STAFFING .
THIS WAS THE TABLE I WAS HOPING
TO PUT UP. SORRY. SO JUST TO
HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, THERE ARE A
COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE NOT
INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSAL THAT
WERE PREVIOUSLY FUNDED BY
SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE CATEGORY
FOR EMERGING NEEDS INTENDED TO
BE FLEXIBLE. AND THAT WAS DRIVEN
LARGELY BY THE TIME OF COVID NOT
KNOWING WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH
TRANSIT. THE ISSUE AROUND
PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION
SERVICES AND THE ISSUE AROUND
SEPARATE LINE ITEM FOR TRAFFIC
SAFETY AND SECURITY. I JUST
HIGHLIGHTED A HIGH LEVEL
CONSIDERATIONS KNOWING THERE IS
A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
. THE SIZE OF THE PROPOSAL,
WHICH COULD INCLUDE OTHER
SOURCES OF REVENUE . THE MAYOR
HAS HIGHLIGHTED THAT A 0. 0.223%
SALES TAX IS NECESSARY TO
MAINTAIN WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY
PURCHASING. THAT IS ONE
CONSIDERATION. THE TERM IS
SOMETHING YOU COULD CONSIDER.
TEN-YEAR TERM IS THE MAXIMUM WE
COULD ASK VOTERS FOR. BOTH THE
PREVIOUS MEASURES WERE FOR SIX
YEARS. AND OF COURSE, THE
SPENDING CATEGORIES, THE
AUTHORITY ON SPENDING, AND THE
ALLOWABLE LEGAL ANNOUNCEMENT
SPENDING THAT CAN BE USED FOR
DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. LEGALLY,
THIS SOURCE OF FUNDING CAN BE
SPENT ON ANY LEGITIMATE
TRANSPORTATION NEED . THIS
PROPOSAL IS TO ASK VOTERS TO
SPECIFICALLY FOCUS ON JUST THE
TRANSIT RELATED NEEDS. AND VERY
QUICKLY, NEXT STEPS. WE DO HAVE
A NUMBER OF , FOLLOWING THIS
MEETING, THERE WILL BE A JULY 6
MEETING, FOLLOWED BY A PUBLIC
HEARING, AND THEN HOPEFULLY
FINAL ACTION FROM THE COMMITTEE
FOR JULY 16. THAT WOULD GIVE US
TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE THE
FULL COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND
VOTE. WE WOULD HAVE TO PASS THE
FINAL BALLOT MEASURE, GET THE
MAYOR'S SIGNATURE AND HAVE CITY
ATTORNEYS WRITE THE TITLE IN
TIME TO MAKE THE AUGUST FOR
FINAL DEADLINE TO FILE WITH
KING COUNTY TO MAKE THE NOVEMBER
BALLOT. AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY,
THE CHAIR HAS ASKED THAT COUNCIL
MEMBERS ENGAGE WITH CENTRAL
STAFF BY NEXT WEEK, JUNE 24, TO
HELP FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT OF
AMENDMENTS SO THEY CAN BE
PUBLISHED PRIOR TO THE JULY 4
HOLIDAY. WITH THAT, WE ARE HAPPY
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION IN
THE MEMO. THE THOUGHTFUL MEMO AS
WELL. COLLEAGUES, IN A MOMENT I
WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL,
STARTING FIRST WITH VICE CHAIR
RINCK FOR ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS. BUT FIRST, A FEW
INITIAL COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS
TO HELP KICK OFF THE
CONVERSATION. IN A MOMENT, I
WILL ASK YOU ALL WHAT , IN TERMS
A SPECIFIC SERVICE HOURS THAT
WERE PROMISED OR CONTEMPLATED IN
THE SOON-TO-BE EXPIRING SEATTLE
TRANSIT MEASURE , WHAT WAS
PROMISED WHAT WAS ACTUALLY
DELIVERED AND WHERE WE ARE ON
TRACK. BUT I WOULD ASKED THAT IN
A MOMENT. BEFORE WE GET THERE, I
WOULD LOVE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
HER ACTUALLY, CAN YOU CLARIFY
WHAT SPECIFIC TRANSPORTATION
RELATED INVESTMENTS ARE LEGALLY
ELIGIBLE OR AUTHORIZED UNDER
STATE LAW , BUT NOT PARTICULARLY
EMPHASIZED IN THE EXECUTIVE
PROPOSAL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER, IT COULD BE
FOR ANYTHING RELATED TO THE
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. ANY
ROADS, ASPHALT, BRIDGES,
STRUCTURES, STAIRWAYS . IT COULD
BE RELATED TO OUR SIGNAL SYSTEM.
THEY COULD DO ANY OF THE THINGS
THAT B FUNDING IS GOING TOWARDS,
OR THAT CAN BE TIED TO
TRANSPORTATION USE. ESSENTIALLY,
THE SAME RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE
ON THE STATE'S GAS TAX USAGE.
IT IS VERY FUNGIBLE FOR SDOT AND
TRANSPORTATION RELATED ISSUES,
BUT WE COULD NOT USE IT BEYOND
TRANSPORTATION.
>> THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL.
CAN YOU CLARIFY WHETHER -- SO
TRANSPORTATION LEVY THAT WAS
GENEROUSLY APPROVED BY VOTERS IN
NOVEMBER 2024 DRAFTED BY OUR
CITY IN THIS COUNCIL INCLUDED A
TOTAL OF $9 MILLION FOR
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY AND
SECURITY. AND A FEW SHORT MONTHS
AFTER, A MONTH AND A HALF AFTER
IT WAS PASSED BY VOTERS, KING
COUNTY METRO OPERATOR WAS
TRAGICALLY KILLED IN THE LINE OF
DUTY. SERVING OUR COMMUNITY ON
DECEMBER 18, 2024 . AND SO THAT,
THOSE ORIGINAL INVESTMENTS , ONE
WOULD EXPIRE ROUGHLY HALFWAY
THROUGH THIS IF WE CONTINUE AT
THE CLIP OF A TEN-YEAR PROPOSAL.
THAT WAS AN EIGHT-YEAR MEASURE.
ROUGHLY HALFWAY THROUGH. THAT
WOULD EXPIRE, AND HERE IS THIS.
THIS IS ULTIMATELY REFLECTING
THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY
FUND AND INVEST IN TRANSIT
SAFETY AND SECURITY. AND TWO,
THE ORIGINAL INVESTMENTS THE
CITY CRAFTED WAS BEFORE THE
BROADER ISSUE OF TRANSIT SAFETY
AND SECURITY WAS ELEVATED, NOT
JUST AS A CITY PRIORITY, BUT AS
A REGIONAL PRIORITY. AND WOULD
ULTIMATELY RESULT IN THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL TRANSIT SAFETY
AND SECURITY TASK FORCE
COMPRISED OF EXPERTS FROM ACROSS
OUR REGION IN VARIOUS
JURISDICTIONS. ALL ALIGNING ON
SPECIFIC PLANS, STRATEGIES, AND
RECOMMENDATIONS. ALSO ALIGNING
ON THE NOTION THAT TRANSIT
SAFETY AND SECURITY IS A SHARED
RESPONSIBILITY. RESPONSIBILITY
SHARED BROADLY . NOT SOLELY ONE
BORN OR HELD BY ANY PARTICULAR
TRANSIT AGENCY OR OPERATOR,
WHETHER IT IS KING COUNTY METRO,
SOUND TRANSIT , SEATTLE
STREETCAR OR WHATEVER IT IS. CAN
YOU HELP ME BETTER UNDERSTAND
AGAINST THAT BACKDROP , CAN YOU
HELP CLARIFY WHETHER -- AND I
NOTE THAT THE EXECUTIVE'S
PROPOSAL , ONE OF THE SLIDES
INDICATED ROUGHLY UP TO 9% OF
THE BASELINE OF WHATEVER WE
PURCHASED FOR PURELY TRANSIT
SERVICE WOULD INCLUDE , OR
LIKELY INCLUDE, VARIOUS
INVESTMENTS RELATED TO TRANSIT
SAFETY AND SECURITY. CAN YOU
HELP CLARIFY WHETHER THE CURRENT
EXECUTIVE PROPOSAL PROVIDES ANY
ADDITIONAL DEDICATED FUNDING TO
IMPROVE TRANSIT SAFETY AND
SECURITY ON TOP OF THAT?
>> IT DOES NOT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CIRCLING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL
QUERY ABOUT WHAT WAS PROMISED
EXPRESSLY IN THE LEGISLATION,
AND/OR, CONTEMPLATED AT THE TIME
IN TERMS OF TOTAL SERVICE HOURS
THAT WOULD BE OR COULD BE
DELIVERED DURING THE SOON-TO-BE
EXPIRING TRANSIT MEASURE VERSUS
WHAT WAS ACTUALLY DELIVERED OR
WHAT WE ARE ON TRACK TO DELIVER.
VERY SHORTLY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, I DON'T HAVE
READILY AVAILABLE. I CAN PULL
THEM OUT IF YOU WANT TO. SDOT
JUST RELEASED THEIR LAST ANNUAL
REPORT AND KEEP ALL THOSE , ALL
THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON
THE WEBSITE. THAT INCLUDES THEIR
DETAILED SPENDING. I'M HAPPY TO
DO THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO
ENROLL TIME. I WOULD SAY THAT IT
IS HARD TO SAY WHAT WAS
PROMISED, BECAUSE THE 2020
MEASURE HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER
COVID AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THE
CITY BEING SHUT DOWN . I DON'T
KNOW I HAVE A GOOD EXPLANATION
FOR WHAT PEOPLE EXPECTED IN
TERMS OF THE SPECIFIC SERVICE
HOURS. THEY KNEW THE AMOUNT OF
MONEY THAT WAS GOING TO BE SPENT
. CLEARLY WE DID NOT DELIVER AS
MUCH TRANSIT SERVICE AS WE
THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO DURING
THAT TIME. WE ENDED UP SPENDING
A NUMBER OF THAT ON CAPITAL
FUNDING PARTIALLY BECAUSE KING
COUNTY METRO IS NOT ABLE TO RAMP
UP SERVICE TO MEET SEATTLE'S
REQUEST FOR MORE SERVICE. BOTH
BECAUSE OF COACH AVAILABILITY
AND POTENTIALLY GETTING DRIVERS
BACK FOLLOWING COVID. I AM HAPPY
TO PULL UP NUMBERS OF THAT IS
USEFUL TO THE COMMITTEE, BUT I
THINK IN TERMS OF THE VOTER
EXPECTATION, I THINK IT WAS A
LITTLE MORE TRANSIT IN GENERAL
AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE WERE STILL OPTIONS TO
ADDRESS THE TRANSIT NEEDS IN AN
UNCERTAIN TIME.
>> SURE. THAT MAKES SENSE. I
APPRECIATE THAT INITIAL
REFLECTION . FAIR POINT ALL
AROUND, ESPECIALLY ON THE BIT
ABOUT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN
EXPRESSLY PROMISED, AND THAT IS
WHY THE FALLBACK LANGUAGE I
INTENSELY USED WAS CONTEMPLATED.
THERE MIGHT NOT OF BEEN A
SPECIFIC TARGET NUMBER . I WILL
SHARE I REVIEWED THE VOTERS
PAMPHLET INFORMATION AND DON'T
RECALL SEEING , YOU KNOW, IT
LISTED THERE. I DON'T REMEMBER
WHAT WAS ON THE CAMPAIGN ,
ELECTION MATERIAL AT THE TIME.
REGARDLESS, NO DOUBT THERE WAS
SOMETHING THAT WAS CONTEMPLATED
AT LEAST AT A HIGH LEVEL. SO
YES, OFF-LINE, NO NEED TO DO IT
LIVE HERE. APOLOGIES FOR NOT
PREPPING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR THAT
QUESTION. BUT WOULD DEFINITELY
APPRECIATE CLARITY ON WHAT WAS
PROBABLY A BETTER TERM,
CONTEMPLATED, AT LEAST AT A HIGH
LEVEL VERSUS WHAT WAS ACTUALLY
ON TRACK OR LIKELY TO ACTUALLY
SEE DELIVERED . YOU PREEMPTED MY
NEXT QUESTION. LIKE WHY THE
DELTA. MAIN REASON,
AVAILABILITY, DRIVER SHORTAGES .
CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND , WE
CAN CHASE DOWN INFORMATION
OFF-LINE, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS
A VERY IMPORTANT DATA.. CAN YOU
HELP ME UNDERSTAND IN YOUR
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE EXECUTIVE
AND BASED OFF WHAT YOU KNOW ,
HOW SHOULD MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
AND US BE CONFIDENT THAT THOSE
ISSUES HAVE BEEN FULLY RESOLVED,
AND WE ARE ABLE TO STILL ROLL
OUT, EFFECTIVELY, A 50% INCREASE
IN TRANSIT SERVICE. 100,000
HOURS ? HOW SHOULD MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC IN THIS BODY BE
CONFIDENT THOSE ISSUES WERE
SUFFICIENTLY RESOLVED AND HAVE
CONFIDENCE WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING
TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER ON THESE
NEW SET OF COMMITMENTS?
>> I THINK IT IS LOOKING AT THE
PERFORMANCE OF THE LAST COUPLE
OF YEARS. LOOKING TO SEE HOW
MUCH SERVICE HAS BEEN DELIVERED
THIS YEAR. PRESUMABLY, IT WILL
BE DELIVERED THROUGH THE SERVICE
RESTORATION EFFORT THAT KING
COUNTY METRO IS GOING THROUGH. I
THINK THAT IS THE BROADER , ONE
OF THE LONG-TERM ISSUES THAT WE
UNDERSTAND WITH KING COUNTY
METRO IS THAT THERE LONG PLANNED
TERM FOR SERVICES NOT FULLY
FUNDED. THEY'RE LOOKING AT
LONGER-TERM STRUCTURAL
TRANSPORTATION FUNDING ISSUES AS
WELL THAT WILL HAVE TO BE
ADDRESSED, OR THEY WILL BE ABLE
TO DEPLOY MORE SERVICE TO MEET
THEIR OWN NEEDS TOO. SO I THINK
THERE IS TRANSPORTATION FUNDING,
EVERYONE UNDER TIGHT SCRUTINY
WITH FUNDING IN GENERAL NOW.
KING COUNTY METRO IS GOING
THROUGH THE SAME ISSUES AND WILL
BE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY NEW
REVENUE OPTIONS TO HELP ADDRESS
THEIR NEEDS . THEY HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE MOST
RECENT SEATTLE PURCHASES, AND I
THINK CURRENT PRACTICE IS THE
BEST JUDGMENT WE CAN HAVE OF
WHETHER THEY CAN MEET THAT NEED
NOW. I UNDERSTAND THAT SDOT AND
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAVE BEEN
WORKING CLOSELY WITH METRO IN
TERMS OF DRAFTING THIS PROPOSAL
TO MAKE SURE THEY WOULD BE ABLE
TO SUPPORT THAT. BUT IT STILL
REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW THEY GET
BACK TO A FULLY FUNDED LONG-TERM
PROPOSAL, AND THAT PROBABLY
ISN'T GOING TO BE -- I DON'T
BELIEVE KING COUNTY IS GOING TO
BE ABLE TO SORT THAT OUT IN THE
NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. I THINK THAT
IS MUCH LONGER-TERM CONCERN.
>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THE
CLARITY. AND YES, PLEASE DO
FOLLOW-UP OFF-LINE WITH THE
REQUESTED INFORMATION. BUT
HELPFUL CONTEXT FOR NOW. REALLY
APPRECIATE IT. IN A MOMENT, I
WILL ASK ABOUT SOME NITTY-GRITTY
POLICY WONK THINGS RELATED TO
FAREBOX RECOVERY RATIOS AND
INCLUDE SOME SELF REFLECTIONS
ABOUT THE RECENT KING COUNTY
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICTS
FOR ROADS, BUT IN THE MEANTIME,
I WOULD LOVE TO TURN IT OVER TO
MY COLLEAGUES FOR ANY COMMENTS,
QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
STARTING WITH VICE CHAIR RINCK.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA. I WANT
TO APOLOGIZE FOR BEING TARDY
THIS MORNING. AND PROVIDE A
LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
IMPORTANTLY, TODAY WORKERS AT
THE EMBASSY STREET -- EMBASSY
SUITES WALKED OUT ON STRIKE
CALLING FOR A FAIR CONTRACT,
BETTER PAY AND BETTER
HEALTHCARE. I JOINED THOSE
WORKERS ON THE PICKET LINE AND
ENDED UP STAYING A LITTLE BIT
LATER THAN EXPECTED OVER A
DISPUTE WHERE PEOPLE CAN
PROTEST, BUT I NEEDED TO STAY TO
ENSURE WE PROTECT EVERYONE'S
FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO FREE
SPEECH. I WANT TO PROVIDE THAT
CONTEXT AND APOLOGIZE TO THE
PUBLIC COMMENTERS . I WILL GO
BACK AND WATCH. THANK YOU SO
MUCH IN COMING OUT AND MAKING
YOUR VOICES HEARD ON THIS
IMPORTANT EFFORT. I WANTED TO
BRING THIS UP FOR A CRITICAL
REASON. UNITE HERE LOCAL 8 IS
OUR LOCAL HOSPITALITY WORKERS
REPRESENTING THOUSANDS OF
WORKERS ACROSS STADIUMS AND
HOTELS, MANY OF WHOM ARE
IMMIGRANT WORKERS. AND MANY OF
WHOM WORK NONTRADITIONAL WORK
HOURS. THESE WORKERS ARE REALLY
THOSE WHO DON'T JUST RELY ON
OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM ALONE, BUT
RELY ON THE LATE-NIGHT BUS
SERVICE THAT THIS MEASURE
CURRENTLY PAYS FOR. I WANT TO
CENTER THAT IN MY CONSIDERATION
FOR THE SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE.
THIS IS THE KIND OF SERVICE WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT. DELIVERING
FOR WORKING PEOPLE ACROSS THE
CITY. I AM CENTERING WORKERS,
JUST LIKE THOSE ON STRIKE RIGHT
NOW, WHEN I'M THINKING ABOUT
OUR INVESTMENTS . IN MY HIGHEST
PRIORITY IS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
DELIVERING AS MUCH ADDITIONAL
BUS SERVICE AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE
THOSE WORKERS DESERVE TO GO HOME
AT NIGHT WITHOUT WAITING IN THE
DARK FOR A LONG TIME HOPING A
BUS WILL COME SOON. DELIVERING
ON A TRULY FREQUENT TRANSIT
NETWORK IS NOT JUST HOW WE
REDUCE OUR EMISSIONS TO MEET
CLIMATE GOALS, WHICH IS
TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO
HOW WE CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE
WAYS TO GET AROUND OUR CITY
QUICKLY AND SAFELY. WITH THAT, I
WANT TO THANK CENTRAL STAFF FOR
THE PRESENTATION FOR TODAY. I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING
THE POINTS ABOUT THE KING COUNTY
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT
COMPONENT IN THE MENU, AND
COLLEAGUES, WANT TO THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR SIGNING ONTO MY LETTER
TO LIVE THAT ARBITRARY CAP THAT
WOULD HAVE ONLY IMPACTED CITY OF
SEATTLE, THE SPECIAL THANK YOU
TO COUNSEL MEMBER LIN FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY AT KING COUNTY
COUNCILMEMBER TOGETHER WITH OUR
ADVOCACY, WE LIFTED THAT CAP,
WHICH WOULD HAVE DIVERTED ABOUT
$3 MILLION OF FUNDING AWAY FROM
CITY OF SEATTLE, BUT NOW WE HAVE
ABOUT $5 MILLION IN NEW CAPITAL
FUNDING COMING IN FOR THE CITY.
I'M WONDERING IF CENTRAL STAFF
CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND A LITTLE
BIT ON THE PROCESS RECEIVING
THOSE FUNDS AND WHAT WE COULD
USE THOSE FOR.
>> IT IS A LITTLE UNCLEAR TO ME
EXACTLY HOW THE ADMINISTRATION
OF IT WORKS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THAT IT WOULD BE AN APPLICATION
PROCESS . THAT THERE WOULD
ESSENTIALLY BE A NUMBER OF, I
GUESS, COUNTY FOCUSED
TRANSPORTATION PLANS . WE WOULD
HAVE TO FIND PROJECTS THAT WOULD
BE ELIGIBLE TO SUPPORT THOSE
PROGRAMS, AND THEN THAT MONEY
WOULD BE PROVIDED TO US. THE
IDEA, I KNOW FOR SOME SMALLER
JURISDICTIONS, THAT MAY BE
DIFFICULT, AND THE IDEA IF IT
DOES NOT USE BY THE LOCAL
JURISDICTION, IT CAN BE USED
BACK BY THE UNINCORPORATED KING
COUNTY ROADS DIVISION. THAT WILL
BE A PROBLEM FOR SEATTLE IN ANY
CASE. I THINK WE WILL FIND
PROJECTS THAT CAN MAKE USE OF
THE MONEY, AND THEN THAT COULD
FREE UP OTHER MONIES THAT CAN BE
USED FOR OTHER CAPITAL PURPOSES.
>> CERTAINLY. WITH THE NEW
PROCESS WE ARE LEARNING HOW WE
ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN
THOSE FUNDS, BUT WE DO HAVE --
REMIND ME, COLLECTIONS BEGIN
NEXT YEAR. THEORETICALLY, WE
COULD START COLLECTING THAT
FUNDING 2027?
>> I BELIEVE SO. IT TAKES TO
STAY A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET
THE TAX IN PLACE. MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT STARTS
NEXT YEAR. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW
QUITE WHAT KING COUNTY IS
THINKING IN TERMS OF THEIR
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES FOR
WHEN THAT MONEY WOULD BE MADE
AVAILABLE.
>> THANK YOU. THAT'S REALLY
HELPFUL. AS HE HEARD A PUBLIC
COMMENT TOO, THERE'S A LOT OF
APPETITE FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THERE WAS A NOTE CALLED OUT
ABOUT OUR TRANSPORTATION LEVY
WANTED TO GET THOSE ONLINE SO WE
ARE DELIVERING ON IMPORTANT
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO CREATE
MORE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND
SAFETY FOR CYCLISTS AS WELL. ON
THIS POINT, I AM WONDERING IF
YOU COULD SPEAK IN BROAD STROKES
ABOUT THE CURRENT INVESTMENTS IN
TRANSPORTATION LEVY AS IT
RELATES TO CAPITAL. WHAT WE ARE
SPENDING TOWARDS ADA
ACCESSIBILITY, CURB CUTS AND
OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
>> I DO NOT HAVE THOSE NUMBERS
AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD AVAILABLE.
WE DO HAVE SPENDING BREAKDOWN
AND REQUIREMENTS IN THAT LEVY
THAT WENT TO VOTERS. I'M HAPPY
TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND THE
REST OF THE COMMITTEE TO CALLOUT
THOSE SPECIFICS.
>> THANK YOU. AS WAS NOTED
EARLIER, THERE WAS A CHANGE IN
WHAT WAS INITIALLY PROPOSED TO
THE PROPOSAL BEFORE US, INCREASE
GOING TOWARDS CAPITAL. COULD YOU
PUT IN PERSPECTIVE AND COLOR
THAT TRADE OFF A LITTLE BIT MORE
IN TERMS OF WHAT 1.5 MILLION
GETS US IN TERMS OF BUS SERVICE
HOURS?
>> I THINK -- WELL, I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE INCREMENT IS, BUT THE
$5 MILLION GETS ABOUT 15,000
HOURS OF BUS SERVICE.
>> 5 MILLION , 15.
>> 15,000.
>> I WILL DO SOME QUICK MATH SO
HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET AN ANSWER
TO TRANSLATE THAT. I AM ,
BROADLY SPEAKING, A BIT
SKEPTICAL ABOUT INCREASING THE
CAPITAL BUDGET IN THIS MEASURE,
PARTICULARLY IF IT IS AT THE
EXPENSE OF SERVICE HOURS FOR
BUSES OR LOW INCOME TRANSIT
PASSES. GIVEN THE RELATIVELY
HIGH COST OF CAPITAL PROJECT
COMPARED TO PURCHASING
ADDITIONAL BUS SERVICE, HOW
SHOULD WE WEIGH IN THOSE
TRADE-OFFS IN ACHIEVING GREATEST
MOBILITY BENEFITS AT THIS TIME?
MAYBE THIS IS FOR FUTURE
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION. AGAIN, I
WILL DO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OF
MATH. BUT HOW CAN YOU HELP US
UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE OF
SOME OF THOSE TRADE-OFFS?
>> I THINK WE CAN HELP PROVIDE
INFORMATION ON WHAT THE COST OF
SERVICE HOURS ARE, WHAT
SUBCHONDRAL COST OF CAPITAL
PROJECTS ARTHUR THE COUNCIL
MEMBERS HAVE SOME SENSE OF WHAT
THE OPTIONS ARE AND THEN IT IS
YOUR PREROGATIVE OBVIOUSLY TO
DIRECT US ON WHAT YOUR
PRIORITIES ARE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. SWITCHING
GEARS A LITTLE BIT. IT IS MY
UNDERSTANDING WHILE SAFETY
DOESN'T HAVE HIS OWN BUCKET, IT
IS AN ALLOWABLE USE FOR THE
MEASURE. A NOT INSIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF FUNDING SPENT ON
SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS BY CITY AND
COUNTY. YOU -- COULD YOU GIVE US
A LAY OF THE STATUS OF OUR
EFFORTS OF SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
AROUND BUS STOPS?
>> I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING I
WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE
EXECUTIVE ON. I THINK THERE IS
CERTAINLY A LOT OF THE ATTENTION
IS MORE ON BEHAVIORS AND
ENFORCEMENT AND CLEANUP AND SOME
OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT
TRADITIONALLY , NOT NECESSARILY
HAVE BEEN TRANSPORTATION
PROJECTS. I THINK THE
CONVERSATION HAS BEEN AROUND HOW
TO COORDINATE LAW ENFORCEMENT
RESPONSE . A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
EFFORTS IT REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN
ON A PART OF -- A LOT OF IT HAS
BEEN SPECIFIC LOCATIONS. A LOT
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS
AS WELL. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE
THIS BACK AND ENGAGE THE
EXECUTIVE A BIT TO TRY TO GET A
BETTER ANSWER.
>> THANK YOU. A LOT TO FOLLOW UP
ON ON THIS POINT. I WILL CLOSE
WITH THIS NOTE, BECAUSE NOW WE
HAVE. ABOUT 1.5 MILLION IS
APPROXIMATELY 4500 HOURS OF
SERVICE, JUST TO PUT THAT ON THE
RECORD . DOES CONCLUDE MY
QUESTIONS FOR RIGHT NOW. I MIGHT
CHIME IN WITH ADDITIONAL
CUSHIONS BASED ON HOW OUR
CONVERSATION GOES DURING THE
REST OF COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR
THE TIME.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR. ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS? STARTING FIRST WITH
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> -- FIRST, LET ME LET THE
RECORD REFLECT A NOTE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH IS HERE.
THANK YOU. GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
CENTRAL STAFF FOR BEING HERE.
APPRECIATE THE STAFF MEMO AND
THE RUNDOWN THIS MORNING. I JUST
WANTED TO SAY A FEW THINGS . AS
MY TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING WITH
VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS WITH YOUR
TEAM, CHAIR, DIFFERENT ASPECTS
OF THIS. ALL THE VARIOUS DETAILS
THAT NEED TO BE WORKED THROUGH ,
JUST IN A BROAD SENSE, I DO
BELIEVE IN THE STRONG PUBLIC
TRANSIT SYSTEM. ONE THAT NEEDS
TO SERVE THE ENTIRETY OF THE
CITY TO INCLUDE ITS MOST DENSE
AREAS, OF WHICH OBVIOUSLY MY
DISTRICT IS THE MOST DENSE AREA.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, FOR
EXAMPLE, THERE IS NO COVERAGE,
NO TRANSIT WEST OF THIRD AVENUE.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AGREEMENTS
RELATED TO THE WATERFRONT, BUT
LONG-TERM WE DON'T HAVE A
SOLUTION FOR THAT. THIS GOES FOR
THE DIFFERENT PIECES. THANKS TO
THE LADY I MET EARLIER BEFORE
THE MEETING HIGHLIGHTING AREAS
LIKE WITH BALLARD. BUT NOT JUST
BALLARD IN TERMS OF HAVING
ACCESS . THAT CONNECTION. IT IS
ALSO HAPPENING HERE IN DISTRICT
7, PARTICULARLY WEST OF THIRD
AVENUE. BECAUSE OF THE DENSE
AREA, IT ALSO NEEDS TO SERVE THE
ENTIRETY OF THE CITY AS WELL. IT
IS NOT REALLY COVERED, BUT I
WANTED TO RAISE IT. AN IMPACT
FOR THE GREATER DOWNTOWN AREA,
PARTICULARLY IN THE D7 PART, IS
THAT TRANSIT IS NOT RIGHT SIZED
FOR THE DISTRICT. I SEE THIS
AGAIN AND AGAIN IN TERMS OF
ESSENTIALLY WE HAVE 777 BUSES
WHEN WE NEED SOME 737s FOR THE
DOWNTOWN AREA. THIS PLAYS OUT IN
TERMS OF IMPACTING OVERALL
TRANSIT. I THINK THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT ATLEE SHOULD BE
RAISED AND DISCUSSED AS AN
OPPORTUNITY. BECAUSE THE
RIGHTSIZING HELPS THE OVERALL
SYSTEM AN INTERN THAT HELPS
EVERYBODY. BIG THING I WANTED TO
FOOT STOMP THE CHAIR'S, IS THAT
THE SERVICE NEEDS TO BE SAFE.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A
CRITICISM. BUT THE CENTRAL STAFF
DOESN'T TALK ABOUT CENTRAL
SAFETY. WE THROW AROUND THE TERM
COVID. COVID IS KIND OF LIKE
THIS BLANKET NEUTRAL, ALMOST
LIKE AN ACT OF GOD THING. IN
TERMS OF WEATHER EVENTS .
OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS RELATED TO
THE PANDEMIC. BUT THERE WAS A
LOT OF DECISIONS MADE DURING
COVID BY THE COUNTY AND THE CITY
THAT REALLY IMPACTED THE SERVICE
OF OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT. IT REALLY
IMPACTED THE SAFETY ON OUR
TRANSIT SYSTEM. I DON'T THINK
WE COULD USE THE WORD COVID. WE
HAVE TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO
THE PUBLIC SAFETY IMPACTS OF
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR SYSTEM.
THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE HAVE
HAD LOWER, YOU KNOW, RIDERSHIP ,
ON THE BUSES. I AM THINKING
ABOUT BEING AT A SCHOOL EVENT.
THEREFORE AN HOUR AND A HALF. WE
HAD METRO, BUT KING COUNTY
SHERIFF, SPD AND SOME OTHERS . I
WAS LISTENING TO THESE STUDENTS
, PRIMARILY JUNIORS AND SENIORS.
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR
EXPERIENCES WRITING BACK TO THE
SCHOOL AS FRESHMAN AND
SOPHOMORES. IT WAS HORRIFIC.
INITIALLY THEY STARTED WITH
PEOPLE READING TESTIMONIALS FROM
OTHER STUDENTS, BUT THEN THE
STUDENT STARTED STANDING UP AND
SPEAKING. AND THESE YOUNG WOMEN
WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
EXPERIENCES THEY HAD TO DEAL
WITH ON OUR BUSES. IT WAS
HORRIFIC. EVEN YOUNG MEN. THESE
STUDENTS WERE TALKING ABOUT
THEIR EXPERIENCES. IF WE WANT TO
WONDER WHY RIDERSHIP DIPPED,
YES, COVID IS DEFINITELY A PIECE
OF THAT, BUT THAT IS JUST ONE
PIECE. WE NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECTS. WE NEED
SAVE RIDERSHIP. WE NEED A SAFE
EXPERIENCE AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT
FOR EVERYONE RIDING ON BUSES. I
WILL ADD, BY THE WAY, NOT JUST
WRITING THAT, BUT WHILE WAITING
FOR THE BUSES OR WAITING FOR A
TRANSFER. WHEREVER IT MAY BE. IT
IS INCUMBENT ON US OH CITY TO
WORK WITH THE COUNTY, BECAUSE
OFTENTIMES WE HEAR ABOUT
JURISDICTION. WHERE DOES THE
COUNTY RESPONSIBILITY END AND
WHERE THE CITY STARTS. WE TALK
ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME. LITTLE
SAIGON, I HAVE BEEN DOWN THERE A
COUPLE TIMES RECENTLY WITH
COUNCILMEMBER LIN OF PUBLIC
SAFETY WALKS, AND YOU SEE ISSUES
RELATED TO PUBLIC TRANSIT ALL
THE TIME. NOT JUST LITTLE
SAIGON, BUT ALL OVER. A LOT OF
TALK ABOUT NORTH SEATTLE. SAME
THING. IS THAT A SAFE
ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE USING
TRANSIT ON AURORA? NO. THAT
REALLY NEEDS TO BE ADDED IN. IT
NEEDS TO BE TALKED ABOUT. WE
ALSO NEED TO LOOK BACK AT THE
DECISIONS ME TO MAKE SURE WE
DON'T MAKE THOSE MISTAKES
AGAIN. THE LAST PIECE IS, AND
THIS IS RIGHTFULLY RAISED, SALES
TAX IS REGRESSIVE. IT IS OUR
ONLY WAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT
THERE IS A GOOD GOVERNANCE
AFFORDABILITY PIECE HERE. WE
NEED TO BE THINKING AS COUNCIL
MEMBERS TO STEP BACK AND THINK
BIG PICTURE AS WELL. WE NEED TO
STEP THROUGH THESE VARIOUS
ASPECTS, BECAUSE WE JUST HAD A
MEETING YESTERDAY WITH SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT. IT IS GOING TO BE
BIG INCREASES FROM CITY LIGHT IN
TERMS OF RATES . I USED TO BE ON
THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY
COMMITTEE. SO I HAVE DEEP
BACKGROUND ON WHAT IS HAPPENING
WITH SPU AND WATER RATES. PUGET
SOUND ENERGY AS WELL. OBVIOUSLY,
PROPERTY TAXES, VARIOUS OTHER
TAXES THAT WE HAVE DONE, BUT
ALSO THE COUNTY IN THE STATE. WE
HAVE MENTIONED THE COUNTY DOING
ITS THING. THESE ARE ALL
CUMULATIVE. TO KEEP THE BIG
PICTURE? I HAVE NOTHING TO
SUGGEST TO ME THAT THE CITY AND
COUNTY IN THE STATE EVER TALK TO
EACH OTHER AND THINK ABOUT THE
IMPACTS OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING
ON THE OTHER LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT. AND VICE VERSA.
BECAUSE THE CUMULATIVE IS
IMMENSE. IT GOES TO THE
AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGE. WE NEED
TO BE THINKING ABOUT THESE
THINGS I SAY THIS AS MUCH AS TO
REALLY HONE IN ON CITY LIGHT OR
SPU OR THE OTHER ELEMENTS WE
HAVE BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE
DAY, WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY
LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE
OUTSIDE. FROM DIFFERENT WAYS. WE
CAN TALK ABOUT THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION AND ITS IMPACTS
ON INFLATION FROM FIRST THE
TARIFFS AND NOW THE AIRLINE
MORE, BUT WE HAVE TO BE
ACCOUNTABLE TO OURSELVES IN
TERMS OF OUR ROLE IN CREATING
THIS AFFORDABILITY PROBLEM AS A
GOVERNMENT. CHAIR, I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT IS KIND OF
STEPPING BACK FROM THE TRANSIT
MEASURE ITSELF, BUT JUST TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT, BECAUSE THE
VARIOUS LENSES WE USED TO LOOK
AT THESE BILLS AND SPECIFICALLY
THIS ONE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT
FROM THAT GOOD GOVERNANCE AND
WITH THE IDEA OF AFFORDABILITY,
BECAUSE THE IMPACTS ON EVERYONE
IS INCREDIBLE. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, CAN I
RESPOND TO SOME OF YOUR
COMMENTS?
>> OF COURSE.
>> YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> YOUR POINT ABOUT SAFETY IS
WELL TAKEN. I WAS A KING COUNTY
METRO ALSO SHARES YOUR CONCERNS
. THEY HAVE , I THINK AS WAS
DISCUSSED EARLIER, METRO HAS
MORE THAN DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF
SPENDING ON SAFETY AND SECURITY
OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. NOT
JUST IN TERMS OF METRO TRANSIT
POLICE AND THE TRANSIT SECURITY
OFFICERS , BUT ALSO WITH THE
INCLUSION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
SPECIALISTS . SO THAT IS A
DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT
SAFETY . NOT JUST WITH A STICK.
NOT JUST WITH SURVEILLANCE. BUT
LAUNCHING AND EXPANDING METRO'S
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS
AND AMBASSADOR PROGRAMS TO
PROVIDE NON-OFFICER PRESENCE IN
THE SYSTEM .
>> IF I COULD JUST ADD, WE HAVE
SPENT THAT
>> PLEASE DO. BECAUSE I WOULD
GET PUBLIC SAFETY HOLISTICALLY
ACROSS THE BOARD, AND TO
INCLUDE, IT IS IN OUR STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK PLAN, THE PUBLIC
SAFETY, BUT ALSO THE PUBLIC
HEALTH, HOUSING HUMAN SERVICES.
EVERYTHING I SAID SPEAKS TO
THAT. I BRING IN A COMPREHENSIVE
WAY, NOT JUST WITH THE
SURVEILLANCE PIECES IN THE LAKE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
BECAUSE IT IS IMPLYING ALMOST
THAT I'M SPEAKING SPD OR KING
COUNTY SHERIFF.
>> I THANK YOU BEEN VERY CLEAR
OVER TIME OF HER INTEREST IN
PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOW IT AFFECTS
ALL THESE DIFFERENT PIECES AND
HOW THEY ARE INTERTWINED. I
THINK THE REALITY IS THAT PAST
COUNCIL ACTION HAS DIRECTED SOME
RESOURCES TO TRANSPORTATION
SPECIFICALLY HOW TO PIGGYBACK ON
THE KING COUNTY EFFORTS, BUT TO
INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF
ENFORCEMENT AND STAFF SUPPORT ON
THE FIELD TO DEAL WITH THESE
ISSUES . THERE IS MONEY IN THE
LEVEE TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF
THESE THINGS AS WELL. YOU HAVE
BEEN VERY CONSISTENT ABOUT
IDENTIFYING THAT . I THINK WHAT
WE CAN DO IS GO BACK AND MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ANSWER
THE QUESTION OF WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE, AT WHAT FUNDING LEVELS,
WHAT WE KNOW THAT THE COUNTY IS
DOING SO YOU HAVE THAT
INFORMATION AS YOU MOVE THE
DELIBERATION FURTHER.
>> YES. I WAS SPEAKING
SPECIFICALLY TO THE TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP PATTERNS, PAGE 307.
THAT SECTION IN TERMS OF MY
REMARKS ON COVID. YES, I'M WELL
AWARE OF WHAT KING COUNTY IS
DOING. THIS IS SOMETHING I
WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
CHAIR ON. AND AT THE END OF THE
DAY, THOUGH, YOU CAN GO BY THE
BUS STOPS AT LITTLE SAIGON OR
SOME OTHER AREAS, AND THERE IS
SO MUCH MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. WELL SAID AND APPRECIATE
YOUR COMMENTS AND THE ADDITIONAL
CLARITY YOU ADDED ON WHAT KING
COUNTY METRO IS DOING WITH
RESPECT TO HOW THEY ESSENTIALLY
DOUBLED THEIR INVESTMENTS. I'M
GLAD THEY ARE DOING THAT. THEY
NEED TO DO THAT. MAYBE THERE'S
AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO EVEN MORE.
WITH THIS CONVERSATION IS ABOUT
TODAY IS WHAT WE ARE DOING. THIS
IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST
MORE. OR NOT. THIS IS OUR
OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ANOTHER BITE
AT THE APPLE. THIS IS OUR
OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL FUNDING OR NOT. ON
TOP OF THOSE BASELINE WHAT METRO
IS ALREADY DOING TODAY. ARE WE
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE OR NOT? I
WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT WE ARE.
BECAUSE AGAIN, CENTRAL TENET AND
THEME UNDERLYING THE ENTIRE
CREATION AND BODY OF WORK
PRODUCT OF THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL TRANSIT SAFETY AND
SECURITY TASK FORCE IS THAT
TRANSIT SAFETY AND SECURITY IS A
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.
RESPONSIBILITY SHARED. ALL OF
US. TO AVOID THE
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE
FINGER-POINTING AND DEFLECTING
OF BLAME. WE ALL OWN A PIECE.
I'M GLAD KING COUNTY METRO IS
DOING IT. I KNOW THEY ARE
COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE
EXPERIENCE OF TRANSIT SAFETY AND
SECURITY FOR RIDERS AND THE
WORKERS, THE OPERATORS. I KNOW
THEY ARE COMMITTED TO THAT WORK.
BUT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
TOO. ANYWAY. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
MEMBER CAPITAL. WILL SET.
COUNCIL MEMBER LIN. YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE , TO ALL
THE ADVOCATES AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO CAME TO SPEAK TODAY .
YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN EXCITING
OPPORTUNITY AS WE LOOK AT OUR
THINGS LIKE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
AND THE NEED FOR US TO REIMAGINE
THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY , MAKING
SURE THAT WE HAVE STRONG TRANSIT
INVESTMENTS THAT ALIGN WITH OUR
GROSS . COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, I
KNOW YOU HAVE RAISED THIS ISSUE.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE
THAT AS WE FOCUS OUR DENSITY IN
CERTAIN AREAS THAT WE HAVE
TRANSIT THAT ALIGNS WELL WITH
THAT TO SERVICE THAT INCREASED
GROWTH. AND YOU KNOW, I'VE
HEARD IT A LOT AS PEOPLE TALKED
ABOUT , CENTERS AND CORRIDORS
AND MAKING SURE AS WE LOOK AT
INCREASING DENSITY ALONG OUR
FREQUENT TRANSIT ROUTES, MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC ARE LIKE, WELL, IS
THIS REALLY GOING TO, YOU KNOW,
CAN WE BE CONFIDENT THAT THERE
WILL CONTINUE TO BE FREQUENT
TRANSIT ON THIS ROUTE? BECAUSE
FROM TIME TO TIME, SOME ROUTES
CHANGE. AND SO, HAVING A 10 YEAR
DEDICATED FUND TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE DO HAVE THAT CONSISTENT
TRANSIT , I THINK, IT REALLY
HELPS US PROVIDE THAT CONFIDENCE
TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AS WE
DO OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING.
YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS
CRITICAL , AS WE HEARD PEOPLE
SPEAK, FOR PEOPLE TO JUST GET
THEIR BASIC NEEDS MET, TO GET TO
THE DOCTOR, TO GET TO SCHOOL AND
SO MUCH MORE. IT IS NECESSARY
FOR OUR CLIMATE GOALS. IT IS
ALSO GOOD FOR DRIVERS. AS YOU
KNOW, WE KNOW OUR ROADS ARE NOT
GOING TO GET ANY BIGGER. AND AS
POPULATION GROWTH CONTINUES,
THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH ROOM. WE
HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS ON
GROWING OUR POPULATION WITHOUT
INCREASING CAR OWNERSHIP. AND
SO, JUST DON'T WANT TO IGNORE
THAT. THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE TO RAISING THE PUBLIC
SAFETY. I DO THINK PUBLIC SAFETY
ON OUR TRANSIT IS ESSENTIAL. I
GUESS ONE QUESTION IS, AS WE
LOOK AT A 10 YEAR KIND OF
SPENDING PLAN, JUST WONDERING
HOW MUCH FLEXIBILITY THERE IS AS
CIRCUMSTANCES MIGHT CHANGE.
HOPEFULLY, KNOCK ON WOOD, WE DO
NOT HAVE ANOTHER COVID TYPE
SCENARIO. BUT I NOTICED, I THINK
WE HAD TO PASS AN ORDINANCE TO
ALLOW FOR SOME OF THE DOLLARS TO
GO TOWARDS SECURITY A COUPLE
YEARS AGO. COULD YOU TALK
THROUGH AS WE ARE LOOKING AT A
LONGER-TERM MEASURE WHAT
FLEXIBILITY THERE IS OR ISN'T
THERE TO ANTICIPATE CHANGES. I
HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION ON
THIS IN TERMS OF THE REVENUES
AND LOOKING AT POTENTIAL A
COUNTY WIDE TRANSIT MEASURE, BUT
IN GENERAL, HOW STRICT ARE THESE
BUCKETS, AND WHAT FLEXIBILITY IS
THERE BUILT IN?
>> THERE IS PROVISIONS THAT
ALLOW US TO, THROUGH A FUTURE
ORDINANCE, TO CHANGE THE
ALLOWANCES HERE AND EVEN THE
CATEGORIES OF WHAT IS ALLOWABLE
IN SPENDING. COUNCIL IS DONE
THAT IN THE PAST. WE HAVE WE
STAYED WITHIN THE TRANSIT REALM
TO MAKE SURE WE'RE STILL GIVING
VOTERS WHAT THEY REQUESTED. THAT
WE HAVE DONE THINGS . OFF THE
TOP EXAMPLE IS THE INITIAL
MEASURE TO EXPAND TO GIVE
PUBLIC, SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOL
STUDENTS , TRANSIT PASSES. THAT
WAS NOT PART OF THE PROPOSAL AT
THE TIME. IT WAS EXPANDED TO
INCLUDE THAT UNTIL ULTIMATELY
WASHINGTON STATE TOOK ON THE
RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH ZERO FARE
YOUTH RIDERS THAT WE WANTED TO
STAY TRUE TO THE NOTION OF THAT
IS WHAT VOTERS APPROVED HIM. AS
A SALES TAX, THE COUNCIL WOULD
-- DOES NOT NEW TO IMPOSE THAT
AMOUNT, THE FULL AMOUNT, IF FOR
INSTANCE THE COUNTY WERE TO COME
UP WITH A SUBSTITUTE COUNTYWIDE
TAX. WE WOULD HAVE AUTHORITY TO
IMPOSE UP TO, BUT WE COULD
CHOOSE TO IMPOSE LESS . THAT
SPECIFIC ISSUE HAS BEEN
HIGHLIGHTED IN ONE OF THE
SECTIONS OF THE MAYOR'S
PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO MAKE IT
EXPLICIT AND CLEAR THAT IF THE
COUNTY DOES GO FORWARD, WE COULD
RECONSIDER AND RECONSIDER WHAT
THE SPENDING IS FOR AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU. ON THAT POINT, IT
SPECIFICALLY CALLS OUT THE KING
COUNTY BENEFIT DISTRICT
POSSIBILITY AND A POTENTIAL
COUNTYWIDE TRANSIT MEASURE THAT
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REDUCE
IT. ARE THERE OTHER -- I MEAN,
COULD WE REDUCE IT IF THERE WAS
A DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCE?
LET'S SAY IN OUR CONVERSATIONS
WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT
WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A STATEWIDE
FUNDING SOURCE FOR TRANSIT.
WOULD WE STILL HAVE THAT
AUTHORITY IN OTHER
CIRCUMSTANCES?
>> I BELIEVE SO.
>> THANK YOU. JUST A COUPLE LAST
POINTS . JUST GETTING BACK TO A
LITTLE BIT ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
REAL CONCERNS . I THINK WE SEE
SORT OF THE FAILURES OF OUR
INABILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
OUR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF MENTAL
HEALTH, IN TERMS OF SUBSTANCE
USE THAT OFTENTIMES PLAY OUT IN
OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM, WHICH IS A
VERY PUBLIC SPACE. ON THE ONE
HAND, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LOT
OF WORK WE ARE DOING TO ADDRESS
OUR MENTAL HEALTH, TO ADDRESS
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER NEEDS ,
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WHILE WE
DO THAT WORK, I DO BELIEVE WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE
TRANSIT IS SAFE, BUT I ALSO WANT
TO CALL OUT THAT PUBLIC SAFETY,
WE SEE PUBLIC SAFETY IN OTHER
WAYS WITH OTHER TRANSPORTATION
MODES AS WE LOOK AT JUST FOR
EXAMPLE UP ON AURORA, PEOPLE ARE
CALLING FOR US TO CLOSE DOWN
ROADS, NOT DUE TO BUSES, BUT DUE
TO PEOPLE DRIVING THE
NEIGHBORHOODS OR BECAUSE OF
DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS. IT IS OFTEN
-- IT IS NOT FOLKS DOING
DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS HOPPING ON
THE BUS . IT IS PEOPLE DOING
DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS IN VEHICLES.
I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT I DO
THINK AS WE THINK ABOUT PUBLIC
SAFETY BROADLY SORT OF
TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM -- I
THINK WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES WITH OUR
RELIANCE ON VEHICLES AS HER
PRIMARY MODE OF TRANSIT OR
TRANSPORTATION. AND WE HEARD
ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS
OF FOLKS JUST TRYING TO , YOU
KNOW, YOUR BIKING OR OTHERWISE
WHO ARE ON FORTUNATELY TOO OFTEN
HURT OR KILLED BY VEHICLES. I
JUST WANT TO PROVIDE SOME POINTS
ON THAT. AS WE LOOK AT SALES
TAXES AND HAVE HEARD IT . I
THINK WE ALL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT
THE REGRESSIVE NATURE OF SALES
TAXES. AND I DO JUST WANT TO
POINT OUT FOR THE RECORD THAT I
KNOW THAT TRANSIT RIDERS UNION
AND MAYOR WILSON BACK WHEN
PREVIOUSLY SHE WASN'T A MAYOR,
WAS FIGHTING FOR AN INCOME TAX.
SPECIFICALLY TO FIND OTHER
REVENUES FOR TRANSIT IN
PARTICULAR. THIS IS AN ISSUE WE
CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH. AND I
DO THINK AS WE LOOK AT THE
IMPACTS OF SALES TAXES, IT
CONTINUES TO BE SOMETHING THAT I
AM LEARNING ABOUT . I THINK
THERE IS THE MEASUREMENT OF HOW
IT IMPACTS HOUSEHOLD BASED ON
THEIR DIRECT SPENDING. I DO
THINK THERE ARE OTHER IMPACTS TO
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE'S POINT
OVERALL. I JUST WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THOSE POTENTIAL
IMPACTS, WHICH IS RIGHT NOW WE
CHARGE SALES TAX TO FOLKS WHO
ARE BUILDING NEW HOUSING ON THE
HARD COST OF NEW HOUSING.
OFTENTIMES THE HARD COSTS ARE
AROUND 60%, THEN WE CHARGE SALES
TAX ON THAT. THAT OFTENTIMES
GETS PASSED THROUGH TO PEOPLE
TRYING TO BUY THE HOUSE OR TO
RENTERS. I'M NOT SURE THAT PART
IS CAPTURED IN OUR ANALYSIS. IT
IS COMPLICATED TO FIGURE OUT
EXACTLY THE IMPACTS OF THE SALES
TAXES . I AM NOT SURE HOW AS A
POLICY , YOU KNOW, AS WE
CONSIDER THIS, HOW TO CAPTURE
THAT FULL IMPACT. AS WE CONSIDER
THAT, I ALSO CONSIDER AS WE LOOK
AT WAYS TO ADDRESS THE
REGRESSIVE NATURE OF SALES
TAXES, THERE ARE MEASURES THAT
THE LEGISLATURE HAS TAKEN FOR
EXAMPLE, EXEMPTING THINGS LIKE
DIAPERS AND FOOD. HOW WE LOOK AT
THE MAJOR CATEGORIES OF SPENDING
OF PARTICULAR LOW INCOME
FAMILIES. THINGS LIKE HOUSING. I
THINK THINGS LIKE GETTING RID OF
THE SALES TAX ON HOUSING
CONSTRUCTION COULD BE A GOOD
THING TO ADDRESS THE REGRESSION
OF SALES TAX. WHEN WE LOOK AT
THINGS LIKE CHILDCARE. I DON'T
BELIEVE CHILDCARE IS SUBJECT TO
SALES TAX, SO THAT IS GOOD. BUT
THINKING OF THE BIG-TICKET
ITEMS. I KNOW WE ARE WORKING ON
UTILITY COSTS AND THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS FOR YOUR
PROPOSAL TO ADDRESS SOME OF
THOSE FOR OUR LOW INCOME
FAMILIES. I THINK THERE ARE
MULTIPLE WAYS TO ADDRESS THAT
REGRESSIVE NATURE OF SALES TAX.
WE CAN SORT OF LOOK AT HOW
EXACTLY THESE TAXES ARE
IMPACTING DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLDS
AND TRY TO BE MORE TARGETED IN
PROVIDING RELIEF . I JUST
MENTIONED I THINK THAT IS AN
ONGOING BODY OF WORK. THE OTHER
THING I THINK FOR US OVER THE
NEXT POTENTIAL 10 YEARS IF THIS
PASSES IS THAT WE DO JUST REALLY
NEED TO LOOK AT OUR TAX
STRUCTURE MORE GENERALLY. SO
AGAIN, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, TO
YOUR POINT ABOUT THE OVERALL TAX
BURDEN, I WANT TO CALL OUT A FEW
THINGS AS WE WERE LOOKING AT
KING COUNTY PASSING THEIR SALES
TAX MEASURE. UNFORTUNATELY, A
LOT OF THE SALES TAXES HERE IN
THE CITY I DIVERTED -- ARE
DIVERTED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE
NATION, OTHER PARTS OF THE
COUNTY, OTHER PARTS OF THE
STATE. SO THERE IS A REPORT A
COUPLE YEARS AGO, SEATTLE TIMES
TALKED ABOUT THIS BACK THEN
WHERE IT WAS REPORTED ABOUT 22
BILLION OF STATE TAXES GO TO
OTHER STATES. AND RECENTLY I WAS
LOOKING AT A FAXED USA THAT
TALKED ABOUT 57 BILLION OF OUR
STATE TAXES GO TO OTHER STATES.
IN TERMS OF , GOES TO THE FEDS,
AND WHERE THE FED SPEND THEIR
DOLLARS. KING COUNTY AND SEATTLE
BEING SORT OF LARGE GENERATORS
OF THOSE TAXES, THAT MEANS A LOT
OF OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING TO
OTHER STATES. SIMILARLY, AT THE
STATE LEVEL. KING COUNTY SUBMITS
ABOUT 12 BILLION IN TAXES TO THE
STATE. WE GET SOMEWHERE BETWEEN
SIX AND 8 1/2 BILLION IN RETURN.
THAT MEANS BILLIONS OF OUR KING
COUNTY, AGAIN, SEATTLE IS THE
LARGEST TAX GENERATOR WITHIN THE
COUNTY, BILLIONS OF OUR TAX
REVENUES ARE BEING DIVERTED TO
THE REST OF THE STATE . WITH THE
MOST RECENT KING COUNTY SALES
TAX MEASURE. EVEN THOUGH WE
FOUGHT HARD TO GET AS MUCH AS WE
COULD. STILL, IT IS ABOUT 87
1/2% STILL GOING TO FUND ROADS
AND UNINCORPORATED KING COUNTY.
ARIS ASKED THAT TAX DOLLARS
GOING TO THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
PASS-THROUGHS SIMILAR TO THE
OTHER SMALL CITIES, OR THE REST
OF THE CITIES. BUT A LOT OF THAT
IS LEAVING THE CITY GOING TO
OTHER PARTS. AS WE , YOU KNOW,
AND SO, PEOPLE ARE RIGHTFULLY
CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE
GETTING IN EXCHANGE FOR THE
TAXES THEY PAY. THAT IS BECAUSE
THE STATE TAXES WE PAY, AND I
WANT TO POINT OUT THAT SALES
TAXES, WHO COLLECTS THE MOST, IT
IS THE STATE. 6% GOES TO THE
STATE. AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT
GETTING OUR FAIR SHARE IN
RETURN. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS
WE COULD DO AS A CITY IS TO WORK
HAND-IN-HAND WITH OUR BUSINESSES
TO GET OUR FAIR SHARE OF OUR
STATE, FEDERAL AND OTHER TAXES
TO GET THOSE BACK. BECAUSE
OTHERWISE, WE ARE LEFT WITHOUT
SUFFICIENT REVENUES TO MEET THE
NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THE ONLY
REVENUES WE REALLY CONTROL THAT
WE CAN MAKE SURE GET SPENT IN
OUR COMMUNITY ARE LOCAL TAXES.
WHEN OUR TAX REVENUES KEEP
GETTING DIVERTED TO OTHER PARTS
OF THE STATE, OTHER PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY, THE ONLY OPTION WE HAVE
TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR
COMMUNITY IS LOCAL TAXES. I HEAR
THE CONCERN WHEN OUR BUSINESSES
SAY, HEY, STOP BREATHING TAXES ,
AND MY MESSAGE THEN WOULD BE,
LET'S WORK HAND-IN-HAND. LET'S
GO DOWN TO OLYMPIA OR D.C. TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE TAXES YOU ARE
PAYING TO THE STATE AND FEDS
ACTUALLY STAY IN OUR REGION. SO
AGAIN, EARLIER YOU MENTIONED IT,
BUT I WANTED TO REINFORCE A
POINT IF WE ARE ABLE TO BE
SUCCESSFUL, AND GETTING BACK
SOME OF THOSE FUNDS FROM OLYMPIA
OR D.C., THAT THERE IS THE
OPTION TO REDUCE THE SALES AND
USE TAX.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. WE
HAVE CONTROL OF HOW MUCH OF IT
WE IMPLEMENT . THE ONE ISSUE I
WANTED TO MAKE SURE. I KNOW YOU
MENTIONED THIS, BUT THE IDEA OF
THE RECENT EXEMPTIONS THAT THE
STATE ALLOWS FOR DIFFERENT
CATEGORIES OF SALES TAX, THOSE
ARE STATE DRIVEN DECISIONS. THAT
REQUIRES US TO HAVE EFFORT TO DO
THAT AS A NUMBER OF OTHER FOLKS
HAVE MENTIONED AS WELL. THAT IS
NOT IN OUR CONTROL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, YES.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR FOR ALLOWING
ME THE TIME.
>> WELL SAID, COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER LIN. REALLY
APPRECIATED THAT. I WANT TO
FOLLOW UP ON A SIMILAR NOTE. AS
WE'VE HEARD FOLKS TALK ABOUT
TODAY, THE BALANCE BETWEEN SALES
TAXES, WHICH WE ALL KNOW ARE
REGRESSIVE, AS WELL AS THE NEED
FOR SERVICE THAT WE KNOW FOLKS
NEED, I'M GOING TO FOR SHARE AN
ANECDOTE, BECAUSE THIS IS BEEN A
REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE FOR ME TO
BALANCE. I WILL SAY OUR OFFICE
MET EARLIER THIS WEEK WITH SOME
POVERTY ADVOCATES. WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND
SAID, HEY, I'M GRAPPLING WITH
THIS AND WANT TO GET YOUR INPUT.
I WANT TO SHARE AND ACTED
THOUGH. THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD A
SIMILAR ISSUE, BUT A BOARD
MEETING, WHEN THEY WERE
DISCUSSING IT AND THIS ISSUE OF
PAYING SALES TAXES, NOT FOR
TRANSIT, FOR A DIFFERENT ISSUE,
THAT THEIR BOARD MEMBERS WERE
SPLIT ALONG ECONOMIC LINES. AND
THAT IT WAS THE LOW INCOME BOARD
MEMBERS WHO WERE IN FAVOR OF THE
SALES TAX BECAUSE THEY
UNDERSTOOD IT WAS BUYING A
SERVICE THEY OTHERWISE WOULD NOT
HAVE ACCESS TO. I HAVE ASKED THE
GROUP TO GET BACK TO ME WITH
MORE INPUT ON THIS PARTICULAR
MEASURE. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE CONTINUE TO BE CLEAR ABOUT
WHO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WHO IS
PAYING HOW MUCH. AND WITH THAT,
I WANT TO TURN TO MY
UNDERSTANDING OF THE EXISTING
MEASURE AND BRING THIS BACK UP,
WHICH IS THAT FOR AN AVERAGE
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD IN SEATTLE,
WHICH IS A HOUSEHOLD AROUND
$121,000 A YEAR, THAT HOUSEHOLDS
WILL PAY $58 PER YEAR UNDER THE
0.3% SALES TAX. THAT IS AN
INCREASE OF $29 FROM WHAT FOLKS
ARE PAYING TODAY. I WANT TO
APPRECIATE SDOT AND THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE FOR BRINGING INFORMATION
ON WHAT THE INCREASE WOULD MEAN
FOR A LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLD. MY
UNDERSTANDING IS FOR A LOW
INCOME TWO-PERSON HOUSEHOLD AT
30% AREA MEDIAN INCOME, $38,000
A YEAR, THAT HOUSEHOLD WOULD PAY
ABOUT $35 PER YEAR UNDER THIS
MEASURE. AND THAT IS
REPRESENTATIVE OF AN INCREASE OF
$17 FROM THE EXISTING MEASURE. I
WANT TO TURN TO SOME ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION. MY UNDERSTANDING
AGAIN IS THAT, AND I WILL GET A
QUESTION HERE CALVIN AT SOME
POINT, IN ORDER TO CONTINUE WITH
OUR EXISTING LEVELS OF SERVICE ,
JUST TO KEEP AS IS STATUS QUO
BECAUSE OF INCREASED COSTS,
INFLATION, THE COST OF BUYING
SERVICE HOURS FROM METRO, TO
STAY AS IS, WE WOULD NEED TO GO
FROM 0.15% TO 0. 0.15% TO
0.233%.
>> THAT WAS THE PRESENTATION.
THEY HIGHLIGHTED THE INCREASED
COST. WE KNOW THAT CALLS FOR
RUNNING OUR STREETCAR IS ALSO
INCREASED. SO MAINTAINING THE
EXISTING PROGRAMS. THAT IS THE
NUMBER THAT SDOT AND THE MAYOR
HAS PRESENTED.
>> JUST TO BE SURE, YOU SAID 0.
JUST TO BE SURE, YOU SAID 0.233?
>> TELL ME IF I'M WRONG.
>> 0. 0.223.
>> I WANT TO BE CORRECT. I
APPRECIATE THAT. I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THAT LEVEL OF
INCREASE TO MAKE SURE RESIDENTS
ARE NOT LOSING TRANSIT SERVICE
BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED COST.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR
EXPANSION, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
THE CHANGE BETWEEN 0. 0.223 AND
0.3%. I WONDER IF YOU COULD
SHARE WITH THAT IS IN TERMS OF
COST IMPACT FOR RESIDENTS. THE
DIFFERENCE . IT IS ABOUT 77% OF
THE TOTAL AMOUNT. IT ESSENTIALLY
CHANGES THE CALCULUS FROM $58
FOR A MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD TO $45 .
>> I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NEEDS FOR
EXPANDED SERVICE LEVELS . I'VE
SEEN A LOT IN WRITING AROUND THE
DOUBLING OF THE SALES TAX FOR
THIS. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT
PIECE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE,
WHICH IS TO MAINTAIN OUR
EXISTING LEVELS OF SERVICE WE
WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN INCREASE,
AND WE HAVE ALREADY HEARD FROM
SO MANY PEOPLE THAT THAT
EXPANSION IS REALLY NEEDED. I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS
UPLIFTED FOR FOLKS ENGAGING IN
THIS ISSUE. THAT I WANT TO TURN,
RINCK HAD A QUESTION SIMILAR TO
SOMETHING I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT.
AROUND THE CHANGE FROM THE 3.5
MILLION TO THE $5 MILLION. MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IS AN
ANNUAL CHANGE. THAT WOULD BE 1.5
MILLION OVER THE 10 YEARS OR PER
YEAR FOR 10 YEARS. . THE
DECISION IS WHAT SORT OF BROAD
GUIDELINES OR ALLOWANCES PER
YEAR DO YOU WANT TO INCLUDE IN
THE SPENDING. THE ACTUAL
SPENDING WILL HAVE TO BE
APPROVED THROUGH THE COUNCIL
THROUGH FUTURE BUDGETS. IF IT IS
UP TO, THAT IS A MAXIMUM THAT
CAN BE SPENT, UNLESS FUTURE
ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT FOR
SOMETHING LIKE REVENUE SERVICE,
EXCUSE ME, TRANSIT SERVICE, THE
PROPOSAL CURRENTLY IS FOR A
MINIMUM 60% OF THE REVENUE TO BE
SPENT ON. WITHIN THOSE BROAD
RESTRICTIONS THAT IS WHAT THE
MAYOR WILL PROPOSE FOR A BUDGET,
AND THAT IS WHAT YOU WILL BE
CONSIDERING THROUGH THE REGULAR
BUDGET PROCESS. THE 3.5 TO 5
MILLION IS PRESUMABLY AN ANNUAL
SPEND PLANNED FOR THAT AMOUNT OF
MONEY.
>> GOT IT. THANK YOU. I'M NOT
SURE IF I GOT MY NOTES CORRECT.
I WANTED TO GO BACK AND MAKE
SURE I GOT THOSE NUMBERS
CORRECTLY. I THOUGHT I HEARD
4000 HOURS FOR 1.5 MILLION. I'M
TRYING TO GET TO THE POTENTIAL
SHIFT FROM SERVICES TO CAPITAL
OVER THE TEN-YEAR PERIOD.
>> SDOT CONFIRMED THE 1.5
MILLION IS ABOUT 4500 HOURS OF
SERVICE.
>> OKAY. THAT WOULD BE 4500
HOURS OF SERVICE ANNUALLY OVER
THE TEN-YEAR PERIOD.
>> CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU FOR SO MUCH FOR THE
CLARIFICATION.
>> WANT TO TURN TO A QUESTION
ABOUT OUR EVALUATION. I REALLY
APPRECIATED THE PUBLIC COMMENT
HER EARLIER TALKING ABOUT
TRANSIT FREQUENCY. BUT WE ALSO
HEARD PEOPLE JUST TALK ABOUT
THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH TRAVEL
TIME. I AM JUST CURIOUS HOW WE
EVALUATE AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO
ANNUAL REPORTS WHETHER THE
SERVICE OUR INVESTMENTS WE ARE
MAKING THROUGH THIS MEASURE
RESULTS IN REDUCED DOOR TO DOOR
TRAVEL TIME FOR TRANSIT RIDERS.
ESPECIALLY THINK ABOUT CROSSTOWN
TRIPS OR THE COMMENTARY SPOKE
ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE GETTING
TO THE HOSPITAL.
>> YES. IT IS A LITTLE MORE
COMPLICATED. WE HAVE A SPENDING
MECHANISM FROM KING COUNTY
METRO. KING COUNTY METRO HAS A
BROADER SERVICE EVALUATION
PROCESS THAT WE TRACK AND ENGAGE
WITH. WE HAVE ANNUAL REPORTS
THAT IDENTIFY WHAT OUR SPENDING
HAS BEEN IN THE CHARACTERISTICS
OF WHAT THAT IS. AND I KNOW THAT
STAFF WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH
KING COUNTY METRO TO IDENTIFY
WHERE THERE ARE PROBLEMS . THAT
IS WHERE WE TEND TO FOCUS
CAPITAL SPENDING TO TRY TO MAKE
TRANSIT PRIORITY IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT IS WHERE WE , WHERE KING
COUNTY LOOKS AT POTENTIAL
ROUTING ADJUSTMENTS AS WELL. WE
CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU MORE
DIRECTLY ABOUT WHAT THE BEST
SOURCE OF THAT INFORMATION IS. I
TEND TO LOOK FOR KING COUNTY
PERFORMANCE . I CAN'T REMEMBER
THE NAME OF THE REPORT THEY
HAVE. BUT THEY HAVE AN ANNUAL
REPORTING DOCUMENT THAT PROVIDES
A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION ON A
MORE SYSTEMWIDE LEVEL . JUST AS
A REMINDER, WE ARE OBLIGATED TO
USE KING COUNTY'S ROUTES AS THE
MENU OF WHAT WE PURCHASE. WE
DON'T REALLY -- KING COUNTY HAS
TO , KING COUNTY COUNCIL
APPROVES WITH THE TRANSIT
SERVICE CHANGES ARE, AND FROM
THOSE OFFERINGS, WE ARE USING
OUR REVENUES TO HELP SUPPORT
WHERE WE THINK THERE IS
ADDITIONAL VALUE FOR OUR
RESIDENTS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND OTHER
FOLKS FOR METRO HERE TODAY. I
CAN SEE THEM NODDING THEIR
HEADS. I'M SURE WE WILL GET
THAT FOLLOW-UP. THANK YOU. WANT
TO TURN TO MY FINAL POINT YOUR.
THANK YOU CHAIR FOR THE TIME. WE
TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
PROVISIONS IN THE MEASURE THAT
ARE IN PLACE THAT ALLOW US TO
SORT OF TAKE A SECOND LOOK IF
THERE ARE CHANGES TO WHAT THE
COUNTY IS DOING IN THEIR OVERALL
WORK. CAN YOU SHARE WITH US A
LITTLE BIT MORE, CALVIN, ABOUT
THE PROCESS FOR THAT? IF WE WERE
TO SEE A CHANGE IN INVESTMENT
FROM KING COUNTY OR ADDITIONAL
HOURS FROM KING COUNTY, WHAT
DOES THIS, THE LANGUAGE IN THIS
MEASURE NOW, EITHER REQUIRE US
TO DO OR ALLOW US TO DO?
>> I BELIEVE THAT LANGUAGE IN
THE RESOLUTION BEFORE US IS
REALLY JUST A STATEMENT
ACKNOWLEDGING WE HAVE THAT
AUTHORITY. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER
THE LANGUAGE WAS THERE OR NOT,
THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY CAN DECIDE
AT WHAT LEVEL TO IMPOSE THIS
LOCAL TAXING AUTHORITY. AND SO,
IF THE VOTERS APPROVE THIS, THE
COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO TAKE AN
ACTION TO ASK THE STATE TO
IMPOSE AND COLLECT THE 0.3%
SALES TAX. COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
I KNOW REMEMBERS WE ACTUALLY RAN
INTO A TIMING ISSUE IN THE PAST
WHERE IT TOOK TIME FOR THE STATE
TO ACTUALLY GET THAT IN PLACE.
THERE WAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
THAT SHOULD TAKE SOME TIME FOR
THE STATE TO PUT SYSTEMS IN
PLACE AND START TO BE IN
COLLECTIONS. THE PROCESS WOULD
BE THE REVERSE. THE COUNCIL
WOULD SAY INSTEAD OF COLLECTING
0.3%, WE WOULD COLLECT 0.2 OR
WHATEVER THE AMOUNT IS. IT WOULD
TAKE SOME AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE
STATE TO PUT THAT IN PLACE AND
CHANGE THE COLLECTION AMOUNT.
>> GOT IT. THANK YOU. A
RESTATEMENT OF OUR AUTHORITY TO
MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT CLARIFIED
IN THE RESOLUTION.
>> I VIEW IT AS A WAY TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE VOTERS WERE GOING
TO VOTE ON IT ARE AWARE THAT
SEATTLE ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE
PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT
CONCERN.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CALVIN.
>> APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANT TO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER FOR
HER QUESTIONS. NOW I HAVE MORE
MATH FOR EVERYBODY. THINK ABOUT
1.5 REDUCTION ANNUALLY, 4500 BUS
SERVICE HOURS PER YEAR. LOOKING
ACROSS THE 10 YEARS OF THE
MEASURE THAT IS 45,000 HOURS. I
THINK IT IS A LITTLE BIT
AMBIGUOUS TO BE TALK ABOUT BUS
HOURS. WHAT THAT MEANS EVERY DAY
FOR PEOPLE. I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT 4500 BUS
SERVICE HOURS IS ABOUT A WEEK
AFTER IS WORTH OF BUS SERVICE.
SO ACROSS THE COURSE OF THE
MEASURE AS PROPOSED . WE WOULD
BE LOOKING AT 10 WEEKS OF BUS
SERVICE AS THE TRADE-OFF HERE. I
THOUGHT THAT WAS PARTICULARLY
IMPORTANT TO JUST NAME TO CLOSE
THE LOOP ON THAT POINT. I DO
HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
HAS COME UP SINCE WE HEARD FOLKS
TODAY TALK ABOUT THE FREQUENT
NETWORK AND IMPORTANCE OF BEING
ABLE TO DELIVER ON THAT. I'M
WONDERING HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST
TO GET TO 100% OF THE FREQUENT
TRANSIT NETWORK? IS IT POSSIBLE
TO ACHIEVE THAT THROUGH
REDUCTIONS TO CAPITAL SPENDING?
WHAT IS THE TRUE DELTA?
>> I THINK THAT IS A LITTLE BIT
OF A MOVING TARGET DEPENDING ON
WHAT YOU CONSIDER THE FREQUENT
TRANSIT NETWORK TO BE. IT IS A
STRUCTURAL IDEA. THESE ARE THE
CORE ROUTES, AND WE WANT TO HAVE
HIGHER SERVICE. WHAT IS THAT
LEVEL OF SERVICE YOU MEAN WHEN
YOU TALK ABOUT FULLY EMBRACING
THAT? IS THAT FIVE MINUTES
HEADWAYS ON EVERY SINGLE ROUTE?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE TWO. THERE IS A SPECIFIC
SORT OF PROPOSAL IN THE SOUND
TRANSPORTATION PLAN. WE WILL GO
BACK AND TRY TO GET A SENSE OF
HOW MUCH OF THAT IS UNFUNDED SO
YOU HAVE THAT SENSE. BUT I
DON'T KNOW IT OFF THE TOP OF MY
HEAD. WILL DO A LITTLE BIT OF
RESEARCH ON THAT.
>>
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. A
POINT OF CURIOSITY. I THINK
FOLKS ARE HAVING AND SOMETHING
WANT TO CENTER FUTURE
DISCUSSIONS BROADLY ACROSS ALL
TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS.
>> ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE
AS PART OF THIS CONVERSATION IS
GENERALLY WHAT KING COUNTY IS
GOING TO DO OVER THE NEXT TWO
YEARS, BRINGING ABOUT 100,000
SERVICE HOURS IS GOING TO BE A
BIG DEAL. COULD POTENTIALLY
DRESS THE NUMBER OF CONCERNS
THAT FOLKS HAVE ABOUT WHERE
EXACTLY ARE THESE BUSES GOING TO
GO. WE HAVEN'T HAD A BIG
RESTRUCTURING LOOK AT THIS IN
SEATTLE FOR SOME TIME. THE MOST
RECENT ONE WAS AROUND MADISON.
THE MEDICINE BRT. IT WILL BE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY RAISE A
NUMBER OF THESE DIRECT SERVICE
ISSUES.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR. LAST
BUT NOT LIST -- LEASE, COUNCIL
MEMBER STRESS.
>> THANK YOU, COLLINGS. I
APPRECIATE THIS BEING BEFORE US.
WE NEED TO MAKE THIS MEASURE
ABOUT TRANSIT . THE CURRENT
PROPOSAL DOUBLES THE TAX FOR
FEWER TRANSIT HOURS, AND WE NEED
TO FIX THIS. WE HAD BETTER BUS
SERVICE IN THE PANDEMIC THAT WE
DO TODAY IN THE BALLARD REGIONAL
CENTER. METRO'S ISSUES AS
DISCUSSED HERE DURING THE
PANDEMIC CAUSED FUNDING
DIVERSIONS AS CALVIN CHOW
DISCUSSED HERE TODAY. WE WERE
LITERALLY IN A PLACE WHERE IF
METRO, IF WE COULD HAVE BOUGHT
THOSE HOURS FROM METRO, WE WOULD
HAVE, BUT WE COULDN'T, AND WHAT
IS THE NEXT BEST OPTION. THAT IS
WHY I THINK THE 2020 PROPOSAL
MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST APPLES TO
APPLES. IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE THE
FIRST PROPOSAL . WE CAN TALK
MORE ABOUT THAT LATER. ALL THAT
TO SAY, IF WE WERE IN A PLACE WE
KNEW METRO COULD SPEND AS MANY
DOLLARS AS WE PROVIDED, WE WOULD
HAVE EVEN MORE TRANSIT HOURS.
SEATTLEITES RIDE TRANSIT. I
WOULD BE -- WE WOULD LITERALLY
BUY AS MANY HOURS AS DOLLARS
COULD BE COLLECTED. I SAY THAT
BECAUSE IF METRO IS ABLE TO GET
THESE BUSES ON THE ROADS,
OPERATORS DRIVING THEM, IF THAT
WAS EXPONENTIAL, I WOULD BE
ADDING TO THESE SALES TAX.
BECAUSE SEATTLEITES ENJOY RIDING
TRANSIT. WE ARE NOT THERE YET.
BUT METRO IS BUILDING BACK. AS
METRO BUILDS BACK, WE NEED TO BE
READY TO BUY MORE HOURS, NOT
FEWER. IN LAND USE COMMITTEE
YESTERDAY, CHAIR LIN HAD A
DISCUSSION ABOUT THE REGIONAL
CENTER PLANNING. COLLEAGUES, FOR
REFERENCE, THE REGIONAL CENTERS
IN OUR CITY OUR FIRST HILL
CAPITAL HILL DOWNTOWN,
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT, NORTHGATE,
SOUTH LAKE UNION, UPTOWN, AND
BALLARD. I WILL DO BETTER NEXT
TIME. JUST TO RECAP, FIRST HILL
CAPITAL HILL HAS THE STREETCAR
AND LIGHT RAIL, DOWNTOWN AS
LIGHT RAIL, U DISTRICT HAS
LIGHT, NORTHGATE, SOUTH LAKE
UNION HAS THE STREETCAR. A
NUMBER OF RAPID RIDES AND SHOULD
HAVE LIGHT RAIL AND UPTOWN HAS
RAPID RIDES THAT ARE
UNENCUMBERED THAT HAVE DIRECT US
LANES ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN TO
THE CENTER OF UPTOWN. WILL BE
HEARD IN PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY IS
THAT BETTY WHO LIVES IN A
REGIONAL CENTER HAS MANY OPTIONS
TO GET TO HER TWO TRIMS. I MEAN,
THAT'S GREAT. A LOT OF
DIFFERENT OPTIONS, BUT WE HEARD
THAT KIMBALL IN A DIFFERENT
REGIONAL CENTER HAS TO PLAN TWO
HOURS TO GET TO HER DOCTOR . WE
HEARD JONATHAN SHARED THAT HE
LITERALLY HAS TO GAMBLE WITH
THEIR PLANS IF THEY WANT TO USE
TRANSIT . THIS ISN'T DIFFERENT
FROM MY SITUATION. COLLEAGUES,
USUALLY THURSDAYS ARE DAY I WORK
OUT OF MY DISTRICT 6 OFFICE IN
THE BALLARD REGIONAL CENTER.
TODAY CAME DOWN HERE FOR THIS.
AND I WOULD RATHER BE ABLE TO
RELY ON TRANSIT TO GET BACK FOR
OFFICE HOURS TODAY, BUT I CAN'T,
BECAUSE TO GET FROM THIS OFFICE
AT CITY HALL TO MY DISTRICT 6
OFFICE IT TAKES THE SAME AMOUNT
OF TIME ON TRANSIT AS IT DOES TO
GET FROM THIS OFFICE TO TACOMA.
SO KIMBALL, IF YOU WOULD LIKE A
RIDE BACK TO BALLARD, I WILL BE
GOING BACK AT 1:00 FOR OFFICE
HOURS. JONATHAN, YOU AS WELL. IN
THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON JUNE 4
WE HAD A SLIDE FIVE . THE WORDS
ON THE SLIDE SAID THAT THIS
PROPOSAL IS IN LINE WITH THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. BUT THE MAP
THAT SHOWED THE FREQUENCY OF
TRANSIT SHOWS THAT IT DOES NOT.
THROUGH ACTIONS. WORDS ARE
HOLLOW WHEN ACTIONS ARE NOT
FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH. THE MAP
ON THAT SLIDE SHOWS THE CLOSEST
TO BALLARD THAT THE MOST
FREQUENT TRANSIT GET IS LEERY
AND 15th, AND INDUSTRIAL ZONE.
IT IS NOT NEAR HOUSING. NOT NEAR
THE CENTER OF BALLARD. THIS IS
NOT ABOUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS
IS ABOUT HER COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IF WE ARE PUTTING THIS TYPE OF
ZONING, FOCUSING JOB AND HOUSING
GROWTH IN A PART OF OUR CITY,
OUR TRANSIT NEEDS TO DO THAT AS
WELL. IN THAT SAME COMMITTEE ON
JUNE 4, COMMITTEE STAFF STATED
THE ONLY WAY THIS PROPOSAL WILL
FUND TRAFFIC TO THE BALLARD
REGIONAL CENTER IS BY RAPID RIDE
D OR ROUTE 40. AGAIN, TAKES THE
SAME AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET FROM
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE TO TACOMA. IS
SLIDE FIVE IS ACCURATE, WE NEED
TO MAKE SURE THIS TRANSIT
MEASURE TRANSITS . IT WAS CLEAR
THAT NEITHER SDOT OR METRO ARE
INTERESTED IN RETURNING DIRECT
ROUTES BETWEEN DOWNTOWN
REGIONAL CENTER AND DOWNTOWN --
AND BALLARD REGIONAL CENTER. THE
OPTIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED AT
THE LAST COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE
THAT WE CAN FUND EITHER ROUTE 40
RAPID RIDE D AND THAT EXPRESS
BUSES FOR EITHER OF THOSE IS NOT
SOMETHING WE CAN DO. COLLEAGUES,
I AM ASKING WE TAKE A CLEAR LOOK
AT THIS AND MAKE SURE THIS
PROPOSAL IS IN LINE WITH HER
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MORE THAN IT
WAS ON SLIDE FIVE. THIS MUST BE
FIXED, AND WE HAVE TO BRING THE
TRANSIT PLAN IN LINE WITH HER
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. JUST TO BE
CLEAR, I'M NOT ASKING FOR MORE
THAN ANYONE ELSE HAS. I'M JUST
ASKING FOR THE SAME AS EVERYONE
ELSE HAS. I'M NOT EVEN ASKING
TO , FOR MORE COACHES OR
DRIVERS. I'M NOT ASKING FOR THE
SERVICE THAT IS SERVING YOUR
NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE TAKEN UP
INTO THE BALLARD REGIONAL
CENTER. I AM JUST ASKING TO USE
HER EXISTING COACHES AND
OPERATORS BETWEEN THE DOWNTOWN
REGIONAL CENTER, BALLARD
REGIONAL CENTER, MORE
EFFICIENTLY. IF YOU TAKE ONE BUS
OFF OF THE RAPID RIDE D AND ONE
OFF OF ROUTE 40, IT IS A 50%
INCREASE OF DIRECT SERVICE
BETWEEN DOWNTOWN REGIONAL CENTER
AND BALLARD REGIONAL CENTER.
AGAIN, KIMBALL COULD'VE TAKEN
THE 17 BUST DIRECTLY HERE TO GET
HERE. BUT THEN HAS NO WAY HOME
UNTIL 3:30 UNLESS THEY WANT TO ,
UNLESS SHE WANTS TO TAKE A BUS
TO TAKE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME
THAT GETS TO TACOMA. I HAD THE
SAME EXPERIENCE YESTERDAY ON THE
17 WHERE SOMEBODY GOT ON THE BUS
AND THEY WERE GOING TO DOWNTOWN
AND THEN TO WEST SEATTLE . AND
IT WAS ALL DIRECT UNTIL THEY HAD
TO GET BACK TO BALLARD FROM
DOWNTOWN MIDDLE OF THE DAY. I
DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR
YOU, CALVIN OR AMANDA.
APPRECIATE YOUR ANALYSIS.
BECAUSE IT REFLECTS EXACTLY WHAT
MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THE LAST
SIX YEARS REGARDING THIS. THIS
PROPOSAL NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
NEEDS TO BE FIXED TO MAKE IT
MORE ABOUT TRANSIT, TO ALIGN
WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, TO
ENSURE WE ARE READY TO BUY HOURS
THAT PROVIDE HOURS AND SERVE
SEATTLEITES WITH EFFICIENT USE
OF TAX DOLLARS. THANK YOU,
COLLIES.
>> WELL SAID. COUNCIL MEMBER
FOSTER, IS THERE A NEW HAND? ALL
GOOD. LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE NO
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. LET
ME FINISH MY QUESTIONING . VERY
RICH, AWESOME DISCUSSION,
COLLEAGUES. REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU ALL. LEARNED A LOT.
ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THE
CONVERSATION AROUND THE PROPOSED
CUTS TO ACCESSIBILITY , WHAT IT
WOULD MEAN AND HOW WOULD IT
IMPACT TRANSIT SERVICE . I HAVE
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. WHAT I
WANT TO DOUBLE-CLICK A LITTLE
BIT ON THAT CONVERSATION TO
HOPEFULLY HELP ILLUMINATE THE
FULL VARIOUS TRADE-OFFS AT ISSUE
RIGHT HERE TODAY. WE LEARNED
POTENTIAL SERVICE HOURS THAT CAN
BE PURCHASED WITH ADDITIONAL 1.5
MILLION ANNUALLY . IN A MOMENT,
I WILL ASK YOU ABOUT HOW MANY
SPECIFIC CURB RAMPS , ADA
ACCESSIBLE CURB RAMPS CAN 1.5
MILLION PURCHASE ANNUALLY. THE
REASON I AM GOING TO MENTION
THAT, COLLEAGUES, THIS CAPITAL
BUCKET AIN'T JUST ABOUT
SIDEWALKS OR NEW SIDEWALKS. IT
IS ONE SPECIFIC -- SIDEWALKS A
NEW SPINE SIDEWALKS ARE ONE
SPECIFIC POTENTIAL
IMPLEMENTATION. BUT A BETTER I
THINK, MORE ILLUSTRATIVE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT IS CURB
RAMPS. WHAT A CURB RAMPS?
EARLIER THIS YEAR IN COMMITTEE,
REGULAR COMMITTEE, WE HAD A
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION FROM
SDOT ON THE CONSENT DECREE. AND
FOR COME -- SOME CONSENSUAL
FRAMING -- CONTEXTUAL FRAMING, A
FRIENDLY REMINDER, I HAVE ASKED
OUR OWN LEGAL EXPERTS OR LEGAL
TEAM TO PROVIDE A SHORT SYNOPSIS
OF EXACTLY WHAT THE CONSENT
DECREE IS IN ITS CURRENT STATE.
HERE IT IS. IN 2015, DISABILITY
RIGHTS WASHINGTON FILED A
LAWSUIT IN FEDERAL COURT.
ALLEGING SEATTLE VIOLATED
FEDERAL AND STATE DISABILITY
ACCESS LAWS BY FAILING TO ENSURE
ITS PEDESTRIAN RIGHTS-OF-WAY
CONTAIN CURB RAMPS TO CREATE
ACCESSIBILITY TO INDIVIDUALS
WITH MOBILITY DISABILITIES. IN
2017, THE CASE SETTLED BY
CREATING A CONSENT DECREE .
THROUGH THIS DISSENT THAT'S
CONSENT DECREE, SEATTLE MADE AN
18 YEAR COMMITMENT IN THESE
CRITICAL AREAS. ONE, INSTALLING
ACCESSIBLE CURB RAMPS AND NEW
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OR
ALTERATIONS . TWO, MEETING
ANNUAL COMMITMENTS INTO
CATEGORIES. INSTALLING OR
REMEDIATING AT LEAST 1250 CURB
RAMPS ANNUALLY AND BUDGETING FOR
THE INSTALLATION OR REMEDIATION
OF AT LEAST 150 CUSTOMER SERVICE
CURB RAMPS ANNUALLY AND ANNUAL
REPORTING AND FINALLY, HIRING
AND SDOT COORDINATOR. THAT
CONCLUDES THAT SINCE THE CITY
BEGAN IMPLEMENTING THE CONSENT
DECREE, THERE BEEN NO FURTHER
PROCEEDINGS IN FEDERAL COURT
REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OR
COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONSENT
DECREE, SUGGESTING SEATTLE HAS
MET ITS MANDATES TO DATE.
MINIMUM REQUIRED , IT LEGALLY
REQUIRED BINDING MANDATES TO
DATE. IN 2026, THIS YEAR, BOTH
SDOT AND DISABILITY RIGHTS
WASHINGTON REPORT BEING PROUD OF
THE WORK THAT HAS HAPPENED. WITH
DISABILITY RIGHTS WASHINGTON,
STATING THERE WAS A LONG WAY TO
GO. END OF THE EXPERT LEGAL
ANALYSIS. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST
A LEGAL SUMMATION AND OVERVIEW
OF THE CONSENT DECREE IN THE
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT AND THE
CURRENT STATE. MORGAN LEGALESE
THAT I READ OUT LOUD . IT IS
ABOUT PEOPLE. VERY RECENTLY I
WAS IN AN AREA OF WEST SEATTLE .
DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF SIDEWALKS
BUT DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF
SIDEWALKS. DOESN'T HAVE A LOT
OF CURB RAMPS EITHER. AND
STROLLING THROUGH THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WITH DIFFERENT
MOBILITY NEEDS. A WHEELCHAIR.
THE TOPIC OF THE TRANSIT MEASURE
, RENEWAL CAME UP. THEY LOOKED
AT ME AND SAID, HOW CAN I AS A
VOTER VOTE TO APPROVE A MEASURE
TO RAISE MY TAXES WITH THE GOAL
OF PROVIDING MORE ACCESS TO
TRANSIT, AND I CAN'T EVEN
ACCESS TRANSIT SAFELY. CURB
RAMPS. I HAVE FOUGHT FOR THE
RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT
ABILITIES , DIFFERENTLY ABLED
PEOPLE, TO NAVIGATE OUR
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE EVERYBODY
REGARDLESS OF YOUR ABILITIES OR
INABILITIES , DESERVES TO SAFELY
ACCESS TRANSIT . I GOT A BUM
KNEE. FROM THE MILITARY. A
COUPLE WEEKS AGO I HAD COACHED
MY YOUNGEST SON'S -- HIS LITTLE
LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM . DURING
PRACTICE, I TOOK A LINE DRIVE
SHOT TO THE RIGHT KNEE. THE
HARDEST HIT THIS KID HAS EVER
HIT . VERY PROUD OF HIM AS A
FATHER AND A COACH. BUT HE HIT
ME RIGHT IN MY BUM KNEE FROM THE
MILITARY. AND FOR COUPLE DAYS ,
I HAD TO NAVIGATE , AS I
SOMETIMES DO BECAUSE OF MY
FLAREUPS, AROUND OUR CITY IN A
CANE. YOU MIGHT SEE ME LIMPING
SOMETIMES BEHIND THE SCENES
HERE. OCCASIONALLY IT IS BECAUSE
OF A FLARE UP. I JUST
EXPERIENCED FOR A FEW SHORT DAYS
WHAT IT IS LIKE TO HAVE A
DISABILITY AND NOT BE ABLE TO
SAFELY NAVIGATE AND ACCESS OUR
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT SIDEWALKS.
THAT IS ONE SPECIFIC POSSIBLE
IMPLEMENTATION. IT IS ABOUT
PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORS WITH
DISABILITIES, MAKING SURE WE
HAVE DISABILITIES, MAKING SURE
WE HAVE ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN
RIGHTS-OF-WAY. EXACTLY THE
SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CONSENT
DECREE. SO I ASK AGAIN WITH THAT
$1.5 MILLION , HOW MANY CURB
RAMPS COULD THAT FUND ANNUALLY?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. WE WILL
DEFINITELY HAVE TO GET BACK TO
YOU ON THAT. I CAN ONLY SHARE
THAT THE CONSENT DECREE REQUIRES
1250 CURB RAMPS A YEAR. AND SDOT
CONSISTENTLY SURPASSES THAT. THE
AVERAGE DELIVERY IS 1352 A YEAR
. WE ARE STILL A LONG WAY OFF
FROM HAVING ALL THE CURB RAMPS
DONE. 2035 IS THE DATE WHEN WE
WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT DONE.
>> A LONG WAY OFF. FROM BEING
ABLE TO HAVE THE CURB RAMPS DONE
. WE ARE MEETING OUR MINIMUM
COMPLIANCE OBLIGATION. THIS
AIN'T ABOUT MINIMUM. THIS IS
ABOUT INVESTING ABOVE AND BEYOND
WHAT WE ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED AND
OBLIGATED TO DO. THIS IS MORE
THAN OBLIGATION. COLLEAGUES, I
WOULD SUBMIT THIS IS A DUTY. AS
WAS NOTED ON PAGE 6 OF THE
CENTRAL STAFF ANALYSIS MEMO IN
TABLE 3, IT NOTES THAT THE
SOON-TO-BE EXPIRING 2020 MEASURE
IS UP TO 16.4 MILLION A YEAR FOR
TRANSIT AND ACCESSIBILITY
INFRASTRUCTURE , THE BASELINE,
THE REVISED BASELINE PROPOSAL
THAT MYSELF AND THE EXECUTIVE
ALIGNED ON IS UP TO $5 MILLION.
COLLEAGUES, YOU GUYS ARE SMART
WITH YOUR MATH. I LOVE IT.
INSPIRE ME TO BRUSH UP ON MY
MATH SKILLS IN THE INTERVENING
TIME. ACTUALLY BECAME A LAWYER,
WENT TO LAW SCHOOL UNDER THE
IMPLICIT GUARANTEE AND PROMISE I
DIDN'T HAVE TO BE GOOD AT MATH.
BUT YOU ALL INSPIRED ME SO MUCH,
I LEARNED MATH IN -- EVEN UNDER
THE REVISED AMOUNT. IS TO
REFLECT A 69. EVEN UNDER THE
REVISED AMOUNT. IS TO REFLECT A
69.15% CUT TO THE LEGISLATIVE
MAXIMUM AMOUNTS . 70% CUT. I
WOULD IDEALLY WOULD HAVE LIKED
TO DO MORE FOR NEIGHBORS WERE
DIFFERENTLY ABLE TO MAKE SURE
THEY CAN BETTER ACCESS TRANSIT.
I'M SURE THE MAYOR WOULD
IDEALLY NOT LIKE TO HAVE MOVED
AWAY FROM THE 3.5 AMOUNT IN THE
ORIGINAL PROPOSAL. CAME TOGETHER
AND ALIGNS ON A COMPROMISE
SOLUTION . BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT
PEOPLE. NUMBERS ON A BALANCE
SHEET, SERVICE HOURS , EVEN CURB
RAMPS IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE.
ANYWAY. FARE BOX RECOVERY
RATIOS. WHAT IS THE CURRENT -- I
GUESS AS A BASELINE, CAN YOU
HELP CLARIFY WHAT THE RATIOS
ARE?
>> FARE BOX RECOVERY RATIO, A
COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS PEOPLE
THINK ABOUT IT. OFTEN IF YOU
LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF THE COST
OF WHAT IT TAKES TO PROVIDE A
TRANSIT SERVICE, HOW MUCH OF IT
IS FUNDED THROUGH RECOVERY. THE
CLASSIC PIECE. OFTENTIMES, WE
TALK ABOUT MORE LIKE THE
ENFORCEMENT OF THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE WRITING THAT, HOW MANY
PEOPLE ARE PAYING FARES. THOSE
ARE USUALLY THE TWO DIFFERENT
WAYS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT FARE BOX.
>> OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. CAN
YOU HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND
WHAT IS KING COUNTY METRO'S
CURRENT RECOVERY RATIO AND HOW
THAT COMPARES TO NATIONAL
AVERAGES OR TRENDS?
>> I DON'T HAVE THAT
INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME.
HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
>> PLEASE DO. VERY HELPFUL AND
IMPORTANT INFORMATION. WE ARE
BEING ASKED TO PUT A MEASURE
BEFORE VOTERS THAT WOULD DOUBLE
THE TAX . TO ENSURE THAT MOST
ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT,
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT
IMPORTANT NITTY-GRITTY POLICY
WONK FEATURE OF THIS UNDERLYING
WORK WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
TRANSIT SERVICE. SO PLEASE DO
FOLLOW UP OFF-LINE ABOUT THAT
IMPORTANT ISSUE. KING COUNTY
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT
. BRING THAT UP IN A MOMENT.
SURE IF YOU FOUGHT FOR MY
PERSPECTIVE A SECOND GUY
>> I WAS WORKING THE HORNS ALL
LAST WEEK. I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER OF LIN FOR
UNITING A GROUP OF US AND
RALLYING THE TROOPS TO LOBBY AND
GET RID OF THAT PUNITIVE CAP
THAT TARGETED SOLELY THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. I APPRECIATE THE KING
COUNTY COUNCIL FOR PASSING THAT.
I WANT TO THANK VICE CHAIR RINCK
FOR ORGANIZING THAT LETTER. I
THINK ALL THOSE THINGS
COLLECTIVELY MADE A DIFFERENCE .
WITH A, THE KING COUNTY COUNCIL,
ENDED UP DOING WAS PASSING THEIR
MEASURE WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
PAST REFUNDS, ROUGHLY 4.5
MILLION IS THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT
SEATTLE CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE
UNDER THAT PROPOSAL, THE REST
GOING TOWARDS ROAD -- ROADS IN
UNINCORPORATED AREAS, AND THE
NEED IS SIGNIFICANT. I SURE
BOUNDARY WITH UNINCORPORATED
KING COUNTY. BUT HERE IS THE
TRUTH, MAYBE A LITTLE
UNCOMFORTABLE. CERTAINLY
PRACTICAL. HERE IS THE TRUTH
ABOUT TRANSIT. ONE, WE ALL NEED
IT FOR SO MANY REASONS. WE NEED
IT. WE NEED MORE OF IT. WE NEED
MORE PEOPLE TO TAKE IT AND ADOPT
IT. BUT SECOND, UNCOMFORTABLE
TRUTH IS THAT THESE HEAVY BUSES
IMPOSE A SIGNIFICANT STRAIN ON
OUR TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE, ESPECIALLY, AND
INCLUDING, OUR ROADS . AND SO,
WHILE ON THE ONE HAND THE KING
COUNTY PROPOSAL AND MEASURE IS
KIND OF SEPARATE AND DISTINCT
FROM OUR OWN PARALLEL
CONVERSATIONS RIGHT NOW, I THINK
THEY ARE ACTUALLY DIRECTLY
RELATED. IN MY OWN DISTRICT
RIGHT NOW, WESTWOOD VILLAGE IN
WEST SEATTLE, ALONG BURTON, SDOT
IS DOING SOME MAJOR
REHABILITATION ROAD WORK REPAIRS
OF A SPECIFIC PORTION OF THAT
ROAD BECAUSE A LOT OF BUSES
CONGREGATE THERE. THEY PARK
THERE . IT IS A BUS STOP.
THEY'RE NOT DOING A FULL OF THE
ENTIRE ROAD, BUT SPECIFIC PANELS
THAT YOU COULD TELL THE BUS
STOPS. BUSES PARK. AND SO, BUSES
IMPOSE A VERY SIGNIFICANT STRAIN
ON OUR ROADS. THAT IS AN
ACCEPTABLE TRADE-OFF FOR MY
PERSPECTIVE. BECAUSE THERE ARE
-- THEIR OVERRIDING, MORE
COMPELLING POLICY INTERESTS AND
GOALS ASSOCIATED WITH MASS
ADOPTION OF TRANSIT, INCREASING
FREQUENCY RELIABILITY AND SAFETY
OF TRANSIT. THE CLIMATE
RATIONALE. ALL THOSE THINGS. IT
DOES IMPACT OUR ROADS. I THINK A
LOT OF THOSE FUNDS, 4 1/2
MILLION, WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE
ONE IN AREAS THAT ARE HEAVILY
UTILIZE ALONG FREQUENT TRANSIT
NETWORKS WHERE THE ROADS ARE
HORRIBLE . TWO, PROBABLY IN THE
REVERSE ORDER, A LONGER BOUNDARY
AREAS WITH KING COUNTY. THERE IS
A FEW OF THOSE . I HAPPEN TO
HAVE ONE. KING COUNTY
COUNCILMEMBER WAS A PIVOTAL VOTE
AND THOUGHT LEADER AND A STRONG
ADVOCATE FOR GETTING THAT
MEASURE DONE AT THE COUNTY
LEVEL. IN HER COMMENTS, SHE
NOTED ROXBURY. THAT IS THE
SOUTHERNMOST BOUNDARY OF MY
DISTRICT IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE
THAT ABUTS DIRECTLY
UNINCORPORATED KING COUNTY. SHE
WAS A DECISIVE VOTE IN THAT . I
THINK WE SHOULD START LEVERAGING
THOSE FUNDS IN ROADS THAT ARE
SHARED WITH THE COUNTY. IN ANY
EVENT, I SEE THOSE TWO THINGS.
SEPARATE AND DISTINCT, BUT ALSO
SOMEWHAT RELATED. WHAT WERE
TALKING ABOUT HERE IS THE
COMPLETE PICTURE. TRADE-OFFS
WITH ALL THESE THINGS. I THINK
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ILLUMINATE
SOME OF THOSE TRADE-OFFS FURTHER
HERE TODAY . ALL RIGHT. LAST
THING.
>> JUST A HIGHLIGHT, WE WILL
FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU ON WHAT SOME
OF THESE COSTS ARE. I WILL SAY
THAT THE COSTS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL
CURB RAMP ARE GOING TO BE
MINUSCULE COMPARED TO THE COST
OF GETTING ROADS UP TO THE
CAPACITY NECESSARY TO HANDLE THE
BUSLOADS. WE KNOW THAT BUSES ARE
MUCH HEAVIER THAN THEY WERE 20
YEARS AGO, 40 YEARS AGO. WE HAVE
VARIABLE INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT
HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF A LOT OF
OUR TRANSPORTATION DISCUSSIONS .
I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT OUT
THERE THAT THE COST OF DOING
SESSION DEALING WITH THE ROAD
STRUCTURE DEFICIT IS
SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN WHAT
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
>> 100% AGREE. COULD NOT AGREE
MORE. WE NEED MORE MONEY FOR
ROADS. THAT IS WHY I AM EXCITED
FOR THE TRANSPORTATION FUNDING
TASK FORCE . LOOK FORWARD TO
LEARNING WITH THE COME UP WITH
IN TERMS OF THEIR REPORT AND
RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTING
SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT FOR CLARITY FROM THE
POLICYMAKER'S PERSPECTIVE, MY
COMMENTS ARE TWO DISTINCT
THINGS. WE SHOULDN'T USE ANY OF
THE ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES FOR
ROAD ME PAVEMENT OR EVEN SPOT
REPAIRS. THIS IS ABOUT
ACCESSIBILITY, PEDESTRIAN,
RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND SAVE ACCESS TO
TRANSIT. ALL RIGHT. THAT SAID,
COLLEAGUES, ANY FINAL QUESTIONS,
COMMENTS FOR THE GOOD OF?
HEARING AND SEEING NONE. THANK
YOU . TOMORROW, HAPPY
JUNETEENTH, EVERYBODY. AND ALSO
WANT TO THANK MY OWN STAFF AND
TEAM , BRENDAN, MICHAEL, FOR NOT
ONLY HELPING OUT AND GETTING US
TO THE STATE WE ARE AT RIGHT
NOW, BUT ALSO RECENTLY WE PASSED
THIS BODY UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED
AND PASSED A COUNCIL JOINT
RESOLUTION AFFIRMING OUR
COMMITMENT TO RENOVATE THE
SEATTLE CENTER . DURING THOSE
COMMENTS, WE PASS THAT, I THINK
EVERYBODY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
MY OWN TEAM. REALLY APPRECIATE
MY OWN TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK
THEY HAVE DONE , ARE DOING AND
WILL CONTINUE TO DO TO SUPPORT
TRANSPORTATION, SEATTLE CENTER ,
AND THE WATERFRONT. COLLEAGUES,
THANK YOU. HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE, WE ARE ADJOURNED. IT
IS 12:14 P.M.