Avoiding Metro Transit cuts: New plans expected today, tomorrow

| Transportation | West Seattle news

Can major cuts in Metro Transit be avoided, in the aftermath of Proposition 1’s defeat? As reported last week, Mayor Murray has said he’s working on a plan, which at last report is expected to be announced tomorrow (and as a result, the I-118 signature-gathering campaign is on hold). Now, we’ve just received a media advisory saying that County Executive Dow Constantine “will hold a news conference today to announce a program for funding of Metro Transit service.” He’s making that announcement downtown at 3:30 pm. No hints yet about what that’ll entail.

P.S. However it all shakes out, it’ll certainly be a hot topic at tomorrow night’s monthly meeting of the West Seattle Transportation Coalition, with the mayor’s transportation point person Andrew Glass Hastings already a scheduled guest. That’ll be at 6:30 pm Tuesday, Neighborhood House’s High Point Center.

Ray May 12, 2014 (10:51 am)

I cannot help but be skeptical that Dow and his cohorts, who are likely to lose $$$ and employees/supporters by cuts to Metro, somehow seem to have figured out a solution to their whole funding mess, that did not require the failed tax measure….

West Seattle since 1979 May 12, 2014 (11:15 am)

I guess we’ll see what happens. Interesting that they’re both coming up with plans.

Ray May 12, 2014 (12:24 pm)

Well, the Times is purporting it is the same plan as the failed taxes, just for Seattle only, since it “passed” here.

My question is how can we guarantee that IF this goes through that the money is spent ONLY on Seattle service and does not support bus service for ANY OTHER PART OF KING COUNTY.

WSB May 12, 2014 (12:28 pm)

That’s what Murray was supposed to propose tomorrow, according to “rumors.” Would seem odd for the executive to have a news conference today to say something like “here’s what the mayor is going to announce tomorrow,” or maybe they will all show up together today and never mind tomorrow. We’ll see soon enough!
- WSB May 12, 2014 (12:30 pm)
  
  Oh, and to the question: Seattle does this now, “buying” certain hours of transit services. The money comes in through Seattle, Seattle sends the money to the county. It doesn’t go to the county with the “expectation” that it will be spent only on Seattle.

SomeGuy May 12, 2014 (1:26 pm)

I’m with Ray on this one – if they can figure out a solution now, why couldn’t that same solution have been determined before we spent a bunch of money on a failed ballot measure??? Cue Almost Live and the “Lame List” – lame! lame! lame!

Ray May 12, 2014 (1:26 pm)

WSB: Can you clarify? Do you mean that the money that Seattle would send in could still be used to support parts of the county outside the city limits?

If so, then this should be voted down by every Seattle resident.

WSB May 12, 2014 (1:47 pm)

No, that’s not what I said at all. The city uses its money to buy transit hours for transit inside Seattle already (from the Bridging the Gap levy). For an example, look at the text of Initiative 118 (whose primary sponsor has suspended signature gathering awaiting whatever local leaders are about to announce) – section 4 and beyond – http://www.keepseattlemoving.com/initiative_text – sorry I don’t have time at the moment to go look up however it’s being done currently … TR

Ray May 12, 2014 (1:52 pm)

OK, your sentence “It doesn’t go to the county with the “expectation” that it will be spent only on Seattle.” reads like the money could be spent on the whole county.

Was just looking for clarification.