Would you pay more to speed up West Seattle light rail? You might be asked to, under bill that state legislators just approved

| Sound Transit | West Seattle news

Light rail is currently scheduled to arrive in West Seattle in 2032, two years later than the original plan when voters passed ST3 in 2016. Would you support paying extra to speed that up? A bill enabling that option is headed to Gov. Jay Inslee‘s desk after final passage in the Legislature today, as reported when the City Council got a legislative briefing this afternoon. Here’s how the transit-advocacy group Seattle Subway summarized the legislation, Senate Bill 5528:

The bill allows a city, subarea, county, or combination thereof to have the option to create an “Enhanced Service Zone” to target the investments their voters care about most. SB 5528 allows the Sound Transit Board to give voters the opportunity to fund faster construction timelines on existing projects and/or fund new transit improvements and services for individual cities and sub-areas within the Sound Transit district. The funding mechanisms included in the bill are a motor vehicle excise tax (MVET) not to exceed 1.5%, and a commercial parking tax. If authorized for public vote by the Sound Transit Board, voters still must register a majority in favor for the funding mechanisms to go into effect.

You can read the Legislature’s report on the final version of the bill here. Speeding up construction is just one of the possible uses of extra funding it spells out.

Auntie March 7, 2022 (5:24 pm)

NO. Just NO. We’re paying enough already.

TJ March 7, 2022 (5:35 pm)

What a joke. People voted for ST3 based off the merits presented at the time, not for micro areas to pay more to get the timeline back on track to what was promised. Unless people had their heads in the sand then they knew that Sound Transit is never on time or budget. That agency is proving it is a parody and needs to go away.

Drew C March 7, 2022 (9:22 pm)

Sound Transit has a much better track record compared to WS-DOT on light-rail projects. Both U-Link & North-Link were way under budget.it would be great if ST could’ve made original dates from ST3 but things have come up! What can you do?
- Roms March 8, 2022 (8:01 am)
  
  One should not compare against worse, but against better!
Seattle Subway March 8, 2022 (9:35 am)

Northgate Link opened last year about $50M under budget.

K March 7, 2022 (5:43 pm)

Hell no. Give them more money to do what they are supposed to do anyway? Not to mention the near-zero chance that they’d actually meet those sped up deadlines, even if the voters paid for it. AND it would incentivize the government to move even more slowly on projects, with the hopes people would get frustrated and throw more money at them? Nope nope nope. Do your jobs.

Morgan March 7, 2022 (6:53 pm)

That’s it…now I really am team gondola.We should re examine assumptions and be wary of sunk cost fallacies. Because we should of done something in the 1970s doesn’t mean we should mortgage everything to make it right in 2030s….too much has happened to costs and deployment of wfh technologies to just lemming off a cliff.
- Pro Gondola March 8, 2022 (2:37 pm)
  
  I’m leaning more and more towards the gondola. We can get it sooner and at a lesser price.Paris announced today they’re building a 3.5 mile gondola for $140M. They determined it was the most efficient way to convey people throughout Paris.
  - Jared March 8, 2022 (3:54 pm)
    
    Yes, gondola, please. Faster to implement, lower community impact, and WAY under budget.

Midi March 7, 2022 (5:44 pm)

No. First, it’s a terrible idea to pay extra for something to be done as was originally promised. What happens when there is another delay, we pay more more? But aside from that, 2 years in the scheme of these things is not life changing. We have a budget, stick to the budget and don’t default to asking for more money.

The King March 7, 2022 (5:50 pm)

Sounds like the unelected officials in charge of 60 billion of taxpayers dollars are now accepting bribes. Lol

Wseattleite March 7, 2022 (9:12 pm)

This.

CarDriver March 7, 2022 (6:39 pm)

Amazing. Sound Transit/Metro people want us out of our cars and on busses/light rail but they’re happy to tax car drivers 6 ways from Sunday. What will they do if we do as they want and sell our cars??? Who will they tax??? Clearly, they don’t want bus/light rail riders to pay the actual cost.

skeeter March 8, 2022 (10:59 am)

CarDriver you are misunderstanding the problem. You think expensive transit is the problem, so transit users should pay for it. The problem is our roads are completely clogged with cars. Many roads are basically unusable for portions of the day. We need to provide transit to get *some* people out of their cars so that car drivers with no options to take transit can drive their cars where they need to go. Car drivers have the MOST to gain by robust transit because it will free up road space for cars. Even if you are NEVER going to take transit I think you want to support and pay for transit so you can actually drive your car places. Unless you prefer to sit in traffic for hours on end.

Derek March 7, 2022 (6:45 pm)

Yes. Yes. Yes! Shut up and take my money!!! For real though I would. I’d rather reappropriate existing taxes and levies but yes! Whatever it takes to get a train here.

Canton March 7, 2022 (7:01 pm)

Please donate if you have a couple billion laying around. They’ll probably throw you a 858k party after (like UW/ Cap hill opening), and name a train after you.
Wseattleite March 7, 2022 (9:15 pm)

Derek, there is nothing stopping you from giving more to this project than you are! Go ahead! You don’t need other people to agree with you! Great news. Give everything you have. Just keep enough so that you can afford to pay for a Choo Choo ride to SODO.

Darius March 7, 2022 (7:11 pm)

Heck yeah. It’s the first time we’ve had the opportunity to take local charge of the process. We’ve already paid for the rest of the system, it’s time for West Seattle to feel the benefit!

Rocky Bullwinkle March 7, 2022 (7:17 pm)

No. We’re paying enough in property taxes.

StopCuttingDownTrees March 7, 2022 (7:20 pm)

This is why my vehicles are registered in Skagit County.

WS Res March 7, 2022 (9:13 pm)

Thanks for stealing from the rest of us. Here’s hoping you never complain about anything here that’s meant to be funded by car tabs.
- momosmom March 8, 2022 (7:20 am)
  
  I just received my tab renewal it’s $379.25 and $291.00 of the fee is for the RTA tax. If you all hadn’t voted this in (this household did not) I’m sure there’d just be something else they’d get our hard earned money for. SMH. As for “Stopcuttingdowntrees” you DO what’s best for your household, because I’m sure you have other things that money can help you with!!! When my dad was alive we had all our vehicles registered at his home in Sequim.
  - Lagartija Nick March 8, 2022 (9:34 am)
    
    Oh look, two of the more strident “law and order” voices on the blog (trees and mom) are all for breaking the law when it suits them. How utterly and pathetically predictable.
    - shotinthefoot March 8, 2022 (11:33 am)
      
      Yeah, I sure don’t want to hear either of their voices when it comes to griping about how bad the roads are here. I am sure the roads in Skagit County are pristine and pothole-free thanks to scofflaws like trees just giving them free money.
    - momosmom March 8, 2022 (12:44 pm)
      
      I said when my dad was alive, he has been gone for 13 years and OK I broke the law in your eyes for 7 yrs to get out of having to take the EMISSION TEST but do I need to explain that to you all that are righteously shaking your finger at me (and Stopcuttingdowntrees)! Like you all have never done anything wrong. I have been paying property taxes and every other damn tax we are taxed my whole adult life never once tried to get out of anything but the emission test so get off of your high horse Lagartija Nick & Shotinthefoot!
shotinthefoot March 8, 2022 (8:15 am)

“I break the law, because I clearly think I am better than everyone else” – Stopcuttingdowntrees

Delridge neighbor March 7, 2022 (7:41 pm)

Yes. It’ll improve my property values having light rail brought to west seattle.

jessie March 9, 2022 (6:50 am)

Yeah kind of like living under those huge humming power lines!

Sixbuck March 7, 2022 (7:43 pm)

If our government passes this crap I will refuse to renew my vehicle registrations.

Jim March 7, 2022 (7:44 pm)

Jut say no!!!!

G-Man March 7, 2022 (7:45 pm)

NO! Hell no!

DH March 7, 2022 (8:13 pm)

No and I work for a local government. I get the costs rising but no.

Ant March 7, 2022 (8:16 pm)

I would be happy to pay my fair share to pull forward this infrastructure. The ROI on such a low tax makes this a no-brainer. But by all means, lets sit on our front porch and complain about traffic and gas prices instead of paying like an extra $8 a month to solve it.

potatospotatos March 8, 2022 (4:33 pm)

Absolutely. From a purely financial sense this is obvious to vote yes, the sooner we have the train the sooner we get to use it, the sooner the traffic is better, your property value goes up, the air is better. YES YES YES

justind March 7, 2022 (8:22 pm)

I’d pay more for a tunnel! But I’d rather not have a light rail at all than the raised rail they’re planning. The gondola sounds like a much better option. Cheaper and faster to build. Cheaper and faster to operate. Plus, we get to keep our neighborhoods intact.

Seattle Subway March 8, 2022 (9:33 am)

The medium tunnel option on 41st out of the EIS looks to be the same price (when mixed with a less expensive Delridge option) as the cheapest elevated option which is Fauntleroy. So you might want to tell Sound Transit you want the medium tunnel.

1994 March 7, 2022 (8:48 pm)

Sound Transit should try a gofundme or crowdfunding campaign to raise additional revenue so those, like Derek, can add extra funding to ST. Good luck!

Canton March 7, 2022 (10:11 pm)

That is an excellent idea, and it makes sense. Those that can make it rain, cash wise should be good with that. Not sure what the cap is, but maybe 50 billion, just for some wiggle room.

Wseattleite March 7, 2022 (9:10 pm)

Absolutely not in any way in any form. Complete misrepresentation of the original vote on what it would actually cost and what we would actually get should not in any way be handled with more additional funds. Punishing people more for Agency and political ineptitude? Scrap the whole thing.

Jon Wright March 7, 2022 (9:12 pm)

Good luck with all that righteous indignance. ST3 passed in Seattle with 70% of the vote. City residents have demonstrated an overwhelming willingness to pay for transit.

Canton March 7, 2022 (10:19 pm)

It passed, and the taxes are being collected but there is a major shortfall somehow? This segment is supposed to be already funded by that measure. What happened? Now they are underfunded by their current metrics. A Gofundme, now makes sense. Those that really, really want it can donate to make up the shortcomings.
- Roms March 8, 2022 (8:07 am)
  
  Well, among other things it happens that public agencies pay for example more for concrete than private companies, and that this sort of agreements keep on being extended/increased in value (e.g. King County proposing to favor companies using Teamster Local 147 comrades at a higher cost for taxpayers).
- Rocket March 8, 2022 (9:25 am)
  
  What happened was everyone freaked out when they saw the first car tab bill and the legislature reworked the tax and they lost a lot of money.
  - T Rex March 8, 2022 (2:20 pm)
    
    It was too late Rocket, the people voted on it and it was a done deal.
  - 1994 March 8, 2022 (9:33 pm)
    
    Looking around at all the expired tabs, I would guess people are just NOT PAYING for their car tabs. A silent protest of sorts….. And law enforcement has decided this is low hanging fruit – not going to ticket people for expired tabs….
Wseattleite March 8, 2022 (8:19 am)

What is happening now is very clearly not what the voters voted on. Period.
- Jon Wright March 8, 2022 (11:06 am)
  
  Not sure what you claim that “is happening now” diverges from the plan. ST3 is on track to deliver EXACTLY what was overwhelmingly approved by Seattle voters.
  - Wseattleite March 8, 2022 (1:42 pm)
    
    False. Budget and schedule were part of the vote. Most voters did not vote for a completely open ended idea with no measurable metrics or accountability for performance.
  - Bronson March 9, 2022 (9:08 am)
    
    In no way is Sound Transit “on track” for anything at this time. Behind schedule, over budget, and have even alluded in the past year or so to not even being able to provide light rail to WS and Ballard. You can be pro-transit and still feel this is a hard no. They have proven themselves incapable of delivering with the money provided; and amount they said they needed. I’m sure in another 5-10 years they would be back for more and probably not have delivered on the promise of ST3.

Alex Rhode March 7, 2022 (10:16 pm)

Hard NOOOOOO

star 55 March 7, 2022 (10:25 pm)

No and no. We were already screwed by paying taxes for the monorail. No other projects have been asked to pay more for sooner projects. This is total BS

S March 8, 2022 (2:21 am)

Not a chance in hell..

Jim March 8, 2022 (3:27 am)

Joe’s why we should defund Sound Transit divert the money to something actually worthwhile

flimflam March 8, 2022 (5:26 am)

very strange idea by ST and yet another reason to seriously consider what we vote for.

Corla March 8, 2022 (7:12 am)

We shouldn’t even bother to build it or some how just have it start down on Harbor Island. We are so close to downtown already and just take the bus to catch the light rail from there. People are going to be extremely unhappy once they do start since they are going to have to buy up so much property.

Alex March 8, 2022 (7:25 am)

Given climate change, skyrocketing oil prices, and the costs to public health of car-focused infrastructure (car accidents, pedestrian deaths, pollution, etc), I am absolutely in favor of any way to speed up transit alternatives. Of course Washington is hampered by having no income taxes, and therefore the most regressive tax system in the country, so additional taxes of this kind are not the ideal funding mechanism. Nonetheless, the sooner we can get fast, reliable, easy public transit up and running the better.

Lola March 8, 2022 (7:35 am)

We did the car tabs the last time we were going to get a Monorail to WS. You took our money from our tabs a few years ago and nothing ever happened, you kept our money and we have squat. I will not believe that WS will vote for this. Total BS.

momosmom March 8, 2022 (4:30 pm)

@Lola, you think so, WS votes in favor on everything else why not this!??? “ I will not believe that WS will vote for this.”

Rico March 8, 2022 (7:59 am)

Another reason a gondola is a better option for the residents of west seattle. If you haven’t already done so, checkout Skylink for a better option. Less expensive, less disruptive to neighborhoods, completed sooner, and a better end-user experience. Btw, I am not associated with this organization, but I am a fan of gondolas having ridden them in other parts of the worldhttps://www.westseattleskylink.org/

Look Both Ways March 8, 2022 (11:54 am)

Terrific option! Agree this is a very viable option here, as in many other global metros. Petition signed!

Erin98126 March 8, 2022 (8:03 am)

I’m still waiting for the monorail from West Seattle that I had to pay $700+ tabs for. Oh, right. That’s not happening. So, no. I do not trust that my money will be solely allotted to JUST the light rail in West Seattle. Nor do I believe it’ll speed up the delivery.

Zoomy March 8, 2022 (8:16 am)

Absolutely NO. Who actually thinks they will even appropriate these fund responsibly and efficiently? They couldn’t do it with what we already gave them. WHY in the heck would we trust them to do it with new and more money? NO. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

A98116 March 8, 2022 (8:18 am)

This is a hard pass for me. I’m a huge transit fan and strongly support transit; however, ST is a joke and I mean joke. Their entire system plan is comical. It wants to be everything – regional light rail – deep urban stations [typically subways or heavy rail] – and it wants to go everywhere but no where at the same time.ST already has way more than enough $$$$$$$. Plus, they are borderline incompetent.

Villagegreen March 8, 2022 (8:44 am)

Yes I would. I want to use it before I’m dead.

Seattle Subway March 8, 2022 (9:07 am)

Speeding up ST3 is just one of the things that this bill can do (with voter approval.) It can also make an extension to White Center/Burien happen faster (among other things.) The other two: 1) Add expansion features to ST3 and fund preliminary work for a citywide system. 2) Enable a citywide system like this and make it happen faster: https://www.seattlesubway.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/City-Vision-Map-2021-09-22.pdf

My two cents … March 8, 2022 (9:18 am)

Poorly designed proposal. Hard to get public support when you don’t know what specifically could be speeded up and at what price?

WSB March 8, 2022 (9:25 am)

That would come at some point later. This is the bill enabling future potential proposals, which would then require voter approval.

Mellow Kitty March 8, 2022 (9:48 am)

Absolutely not.

Lagartija Nick March 8, 2022 (9:55 am)

Reading is fundamental and (no surprise) completely lacking in these comments. Sound Transit didn’t ask for this bill, transit advocacy groups and voters did. Sound Transit didn’t pass this bill, our democratically elected officials in the legislature did. Sound Transit can’t implement this policy WITHOUT a vote of the people so you will still get your say. Property taxes will NOT be affected by this bill.

Ex-Westwood Resident March 8, 2022 (10:20 am)

Sure!!! Lets just give Sound Transit MORE of our money since they have been such GOOD stewards of the money the have already taken from us!!!

The original proposal was a Light-Rail system from Seatac to Northgate. The ballots weren’t even fully counted before they CHANGED the proposal to Tukwila to Westlake. They said the goal for ridership would be met within 2 years of starting service, it took FIVE.

Then MORE money was asked for/taken to provide the link to Seatac promised in the original.

Then ST2 was passed with the promise of LLR from Redondo to Lynnwood and the Bellevue Loop by 2020 and here we are 2022 and it’s STILL not operational. In fact it only goes to Northgate. But they did throw a $1 MILLION party for selected officials and sycophants.

Then ST3, where they asked and took MORE money to extend LLR to Everett and Tacoma with spurs to West Seattle, Ballard, Redmond and Issaquah. But they needed to “rob” ST3 to pay for the cost overruns in ST2.

It is time to stop funding this “money pit” until they meet ALL the promises they made to the voters before they ask for more money.

Sound Transit 2

Sound Transit 3

zark00 March 8, 2022 (10:22 am)

This is a crazy ‘blank check’ bill – never seen anything like it really. Approve future tax increases for as yet unplanned and unnamed projects, pit neighborhoods against one another to compete for funding, give Sound Transit defacto taxing power. None of those sound like a good plan in any way.Why would we ever give ST the ability to increase taxes? That feels insane just typing it. Scrap this mess. Pass a bill that gives Seattle Public Schools the power to levy car tab taxes for teacher salaries.

WSB March 8, 2022 (10:24 am)

No, the bill does not approve future tax increases. It allows them to be requested but they would have to be approved by voters.

CAM March 8, 2022 (10:23 am)

It continues to confound me why people who do not want to live in a city, live in a city. With few exceptions, all major cities are built around rail systems. The fact that Seattle has put this off until the 2020s is not the fault of current residents and I don’t care how many times it has failed to happen in the past, it needs to happen now or this city will become increasingly unliveable. You cannot bury your head in the sand and pretend that the apartments and multiunit housing is not getting built and that SFHs are becoming less dominant. The population will continue to increase and you need to move them all. Buses do not cut it. And this comes from a person who rode the bus every day. We will get back to where we were before with commutes and then some. Stop kidding yourself and if you don’t want to pay for it than stop pretending it’s for any other reason than you aren’t concerned with the future of this city.

Roms March 8, 2022 (1:16 pm)

I’m puzzled by that statement: “With few exceptions, all major cities are built around rail systems.” What are these many cities which are built around rail systems *for commuters*? Ok, there’s the Northeast corridor. Then there’s some bits in California. And then? I’m pretty sure it’s easy to enumerate the remaining ones: Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, etc. That’s a short list compared to the number of major cities.
- CAM March 8, 2022 (8:58 pm)
  
  Here, LMGTFY:
  
  Major US cities with heavy rail by ridership: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_rapid_transit_systems_by_ridership
  
  Major US cities with light rail by ridership: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_light_rail_systems_by_ridership
  
  And because the world is bigger than what you can see from your front porch, here is a list of world cities with light rail as a jumping off point (meaning it doesn’t include heavy rail or medium rail):
  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tram_and_light_rail_transit_systems
  
  And finally, to answer the point you appeared to be trying to make, here’s the list of major US cities with no commuter rail system which is not as extensive as you seemed to think: https://www.opsinventor.com/list-of-largest-cities-in-the-usa-with-no-metro-passenger-rail/
  
  I could make a spreadsheet?
  - Roms March 9, 2022 (8:56 am)
    
    No need for a spreadsheet, CAM, as you’re making my point: The number of major metropolitan areas/cities in the US is low as can be visibly seen in these lists you point out. It’s trying to catch up when compared to the rest of the world which has had systems for decades. But it’s far behind. And the ridership remains low. (Will you use Link once it reaches WS? I will, in lieu of the bicycle or buses.) Let me give you one crisp example: The ridership of the one-line tram in Clermont-Ferrand, France, city of 150K inhabitants, is 17.4M, higher than major cities in the lists you shared. PS: I don’t have a front porch. PPS: Having lived in Europe and Asia, I’ve experienced and used many extensive rail systems. So, yeah, I know what I’m talking about.
    - CAM March 10, 2022 (8:01 pm)
      
      I’m not going to debate you on who has more experience with mass transit by dint of where they’ve lived. And I can’t prove a negative to you. I also won’t be trapped into a debate dependent on multiple logical fallacies you are inserting. You aren’t satisfied because you say the ridership is too low, which isn’t the point you were making, but you don’t have any comparison point for that with the population of those areas and the reduction in driving/commuting trips the transit system has produced. You seem rather convinced that your interpretation is valid yet you aren’t doing any of the work required to get there and are making inferences based on single data points. Maybe you could go back to your original question and list for me the long list of cities in the US that you believe could be considered major cities that do not have a functional commuter rail system? I’ve given you a resource with a version of that list and I wouldn’t consider it lengthy. That was the question I did your research for you on.

skeeter March 8, 2022 (10:54 am)

I’m pro transit and voted for ST3. But I would not support additional taxes levied (or approved) on a smaller geographic area in exchange for staying on schedule. ST3 is a regional solution to a regional problem. If there is not enough revenue then the new tax should be applied to the whole benefit district. Otherwise some people are just subsidizing others. No thanks.

Ant March 8, 2022 (11:36 am)

If it’s so regional than why isn’t the property value of Ballard and Beacon Hill the same?
- skeeter March 8, 2022 (12:16 pm)
  
  Hi Ant – both Ballard and Beacon Hill are included in the Sound Transit benefit district. Here is a map: fly_sound-transit-district.pdf (soundtransit.org)

Look Both Ways March 8, 2022 (11:24 am)

Having lived in other major cities before here, it’s bizarre that the knee-jerk reaction here is to punish (ie. tax) vehicle owners for officials’ failures (whether in planning or execution). 10 years isn’t enough to complete?! A huge NO on this prospective tax. If it’s important enough to avoid delays — which is absurd at this early stage — then increase fares on those using the transit system. Increase the 99 tunnel toll. Increase street parking rates downtown (which are comically low vs. other major metros). But enough with the blanket tax proposals and assault on every car owner. And while they’re at it, maybe give Elon’s Boring Company a call…and figure out how they built the Las Vegas tunnel (1.7 miles) in a year, and on a fixed budget.

Jay March 8, 2022 (12:27 pm)

I want the state to step in with a stronger hand so that Sound Transit doesn’t have to keep wasting money on bribing local officials to get the right-of-way and permits. Local officials are asking way too much in exchange for not obstructing the project. Megaprojects like this need stronger central planning and approvals.

Todd March 8, 2022 (12:47 pm)

Money has to come from somewhere to build the rail, and the faster rail gets here, the healthier our local economy will be. West Seattle’s an attractive, fun part of Seattle, and Light Rail’s going to bring a lot of people to local businesses. Moreover, we’ll all save in the long run by having rail (and being able to leave cars at home). It’s a good investment, to get it here sooner.

BettyTheYeti March 8, 2022 (3:57 pm)

No. And incase there is a misunderstanding . . . NO !

KD March 8, 2022 (4:42 pm)

What a pathetic joke. The little choo choo train for rich white people in Admiral / AK. Junction who will never take it anyway? This thing is not only a monstrosity but doesn’t even serve the people who need it most in Delridge, White Center and Burien. Now some jokers want more money? Cancel.

Jessie March 8, 2022 (9:44 pm)

delays-cost-overruns-continue-to-plague-sound-transit-projects For your reading enjoyment

Admyrl Byrd March 9, 2022 (5:13 pm)

West Seattleites approve taxes to pay for an 18-month acceleration only to find that this is the time the concrete truck driving teamsters have their contract up for renewal again. You know this will happen.

Marie March 12, 2022 (2:22 pm)

Let’s remember that ST3 passed 6+ years ago with 54% of the vote. Hardly a tsunami of support. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_Transit_3 Now that we finally see some of the details, it’s hard to believe that it would pass if put to a vote again now.