Yes on Proposition 1: Save buses, fix roads throughout King County

Our growing region can’t afford more traffic gridlock and deteriorating roadways. With 400,000 daily rides, Metro keeps us moving. Proposition 1 protects bus service and fixes our roads and bridges - an affordable, needed investment in our economy, environment, and quality of life. 

Proposition 1 replaces expiring Metro funding - preventing planned cuts that will affect 80% of bus riders, put 30,000 cars back on congested streets, and leave some seniors, students, people with disabilities, and working families stranded. 

Prop 1 dedicates 40% of revenue to roadway safety, preservation, and maintenance - critical funding for every city and rural area.

Prop 1 addresses affordability, creating $1.25 low income bus fare and partial rebate for low income car owners.

Unanimous, bi-partisan support of County Council, Executive Dow Constantine & endorsed: League of Women Voters; Senior Services; OneAmerica; El Centro de la Raza; Seattle Human Services Coalition; Downtown Seattle Association; Labor Council; Virginia Mason; SEIU; King County Democrats; Machinists 751; Sierra Club; Federation of Blind; Mayors of Seattle, Redmond, Kent, Shoreline, Burien, Mercer Island, Tukwila, Des Moines, Auburn, Kenmore, SeaTac, Issaquah, Snoqualmie, Duvall, Renton, Maple Valley, Sammamish, Federal Way, and more!

Your “No” vote will send the essential message that King County taxpayers no longer accept Metro Transit’s refusal to deal with its primary financial problem:  excessive operating costs.

Public transit is an important part of our transportation system, but Metro’s current shortfall of $75 million, annually, results from its expenses long increasing at over twice the rate of inflation despite its own stated commitment to reduce those costs to or below inflation.

This is why Sound Transit stopped purchasing services from Metro for several bus routes within King County and, instead, substituted Pierce Transit in order to save nearly 30%.  Pierce Transit has worked to reduce costs while Metro’s continue rising.

Proposed new taxes would burden low-income and transit-dependent individuals, through highly regressive impacts, while unjustly skyrocketing taxes on motorists from $40 for every vehicle over two years to $600 each over 10 years:  an unacceptable 1,500% increase.

For taxpayers living in east-and-south county – who already pay 65% of transit taxes but receive just 37% of transit services – piling on these added taxes would make this unfairness even worse.

Sustainable transit requires real financial controls, not Metro’s repeatedly broken promises. Please vote “No” to save transit from Metro’s ongoing mismanagement.

Unfortunately, opponent’s statement is inaccurate and misleading.

The Facts:

Through efficiencies and fare increases, Metro has saved $130 million annually while still meeting record pre-recession ridership levels.

Because Prop 1 replaces expiring funding, we'll pay only $40 more each year for our cars ($20 for low income car owners); with 40% of funding dedicated to local road improvements. 

Cutting Metro stalls our economy, increases congestion, and disproportionately hurts seniors, students, and the working poor.

Submitted by: Denis Hayes, Estela Ortega, and John Marchione
www.MoveKingCountyNow.org

Stop Prop 1's tripling of the car tabs tax annually. Reject Metro's regressive tax increases on the poor for the third time in 10 years. Don't bail out the politicians unwilling to reduce excessive transit operating costs in Metro's budget. Don't be fooled by more of Metro’s false promises. End bus subsidies for wealthy riders at the expense of the transit dependent. Vote No on unnecessary and excessive tax hikes. Visit www.familiesfortransit.com for more information.

Submitted by: Will Knedlik, Dick Paylor, and Jerry Galland
TruthInTaxation@aol.com

Download the full text of the resolution

Simple Majority (RCW 36.73.065)