• Express bus service would increase 17% (including a 30% increase in service on the busiest routes and a SR-520 bus rapid transit line) – all implemented through a 25% increase in the bus fleet.  New hybrid buses would replace old diesel buses.

• The Tacoma-Seattle Sounder commuter rail service would be augmented by adding four new daily round trips – a 65% increase in capacity.  Funds would be used to build permanent stations and improve parking in Edmonds and Tukwila.  Provisional stations would be built in Ballard and Broad Street in Seattle for the Everett-Seattle Commuter Rail service.  Stations and parking would be upgraded in eight other locations: Auburn, Kent, Lakewood, Mukilteo, Puyallup, South Tacoma, Sumner and Tacoma.

• Light rail lines would be extended 36 miles north to Lynnwood, south to Federal Way and east to Overlake.

ARGUMENTS FOR PROPOSITION 1:

Arguments made in support of Proposition 1 by its proponents:

• Light rail operating in its own right-of-way offers speed and reliability of travel time, free of traffic congestion, accidents or weather.  It offers capacity to satisfy the demands of population and employment growth, with a theoretical maximum daily capacity of 1 million riders.

• Light rail and commuter rail stations integrate with local bus routes, transit centers and park-and-ride facilities to offer integrated transportation options to commuters.  Buses would move more easily in traffic with the addition of bus-only ramps and turnouts and by the elimination of highway chokepoints.

• Proposition 1 invests in alternatives to driving to save energy, improve air quality and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

• Proposition 1 includes accountability measures and tax rollback provisions once the capital projects are completed.

• The measure incorporates geographic equity, with citizens in each county benefiting in proportion to the amount of taxes paid.

• It is a comprehensive regional measure – a streamlined version of the transit elements of the failed 2007 combined transit-and-road package.

• Unlike last year's ballot measure, Proposition 1 has won the support of environmental groups, including the Sierra Club.

• The proposal would deliver light rail service based on the deliberations of regional officials and with extensive input by the public.

• Cost estimates, construction engineering (including the I-90 bridge light rail line) and tax revenue forecasts have been carefully vetted by independent experts in transportation and public finance.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST PROPOSITION 1:

Opponents of Proposition 1 made the following arguments:

• The measure is the largest local tax increase in the history of the country and would collect almost $107 billion though the final retirement of bonds in 2053.

• The cost is too high and the package is fatally flawed.  It delivers too little in the way of benefits for the money and takes too long.

• The proposed light rail system is inflexible and may not serve the population centers that exist in 50 years.

• The sales tax, which is the major funding source for the package, is regressive and should not be used for transportation.

• The original 1996 Sound Move plan cost much more than promised and is still not completed.  Finish the original plan first before asking taxpayers for more money.  Sound Transit must live up to its promises before voters trust it with a system expansion.

• Transit programs should fund cost-effective means to reduce congestion such as bus rapid transit, tolling and congestion pricing – not capital-intensive rail.

RECOMMENDATION and RATIONALE

The Municipal League recommends voting YES for Proposition1:

This measure represents a comprehensive regional compromise that is the result of years of extensive planning and community input.  It adds capacity immediately and finishes projects within a reasonable timeframe.  The high cost of this investment will only grow in the future, especially since construction costs are outpacing inflation.  Sound Transit has repeatedly received the confidence of auditors in recent years so there is no reason to wait for the completion of existing construction before funding expansion.  While we have misgivings about using the sales tax to finance these improvements, it is the only mechanism approved by the state legislature for this purpose.  A well-developed transit system, including right-of-ways that bypass congested roads, is essential as our region’s population grows.  We have already waited long enough for these investments.  We recommend support for Proposition 1.