Municipal League of King County

 

Contact:  Keven Franklin
Vice Chair, Issues Committee
206-353-3550

810 Third Avenue, #224

Seattle, WA  98101

For release October 22, 2002
Municipal League Opposes Seattle Monorail

Because the building of the monorail “Green Line” would commit a high proportion of the city’s available resources for transportation improvements to the construction of a facility that addresses a relatively minor part of the need, the Board of Trustees of the Municipal League of King County opposes passage of Proposition 1 on the general election ballot in Seattle.  If passed, the measure would authorize additional taxes for the construction of a monorail running from Ballard through downtown Seattle to West Seattle.

“The region’s worst safety and congestion problems are the Viaduct, I-5, SR-520 and I-405,” the Municipal League’s study committee’s report concludes. The areas that would be served by the proposed monorail “are not as affected by congestion as other areas of the city and do not require major transportation investments at this time.”

The Municipal League annually reviews measures that will appear on the ballot at primary and general elections.  The Trustees select measures for study that will affect King County communities or have a significant impact on local government within King County. Volunteer study committees interview proponents, opponents and independent advisors and review available material bearing on the issue.  Members of the committee are not active in support of or opposition to the measure. The committees make recommendations to the Trustees who, after review, determine the League’s position by a two-thirds vote. 

The Trustees of the Municipal League voted to oppose passage of Seattle Proposition 1 (the monorail proposal) at their regular monthly meeting on October 21, 2002.