About this blog

My name is Bill Hirt and I'm a candidate to be a Representative from the 48th district in the Washington State legislature. My candidacy stems from concern the legislature is not properly overseeing the WSDOT and Sound Transit East Link light rail program. I believe East Link will be a disaster for the entire eastside. ST will spend 5-6 billion on a transportation project that will increase, not decrease cross-lake congestion, violates federal environmental laws, devastates a beautiful part of residential Bellevue, creates havoc in Bellevue's central business district, and does absolutely nothing to alleviate congestion on 1-90 and 405. The only winners with East Link are the Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington and their labor unions.

This blog is an attempt to get more public awareness of these concerns. Many of the articles are from 3 years of failed efforts to persuade the Bellevue City Council, King County Council, east side legislators, media, and other organizations to stop this debacle. I have no illusions about being elected. My hope is voters from throughout the east side will read of my candidacy and visit this Web site. If they don't find them persuasive I know at least I tried.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

The Emperors New Clothes

I submitted this to the Build a Better Bellevue website.  They declined to allow it.



Sound Transit East Link proposal reminds me of Hans Christian Andersons fable  “The Emperor’s New Clothes”.  In this version the weavers, played by Sound Transit, are proposing a magic carpet, East Link, for crossing a nearby large lake to reach the neighboring village.  The weavers’ friends in the media who willingly pontificate about the magic carpets merits play the wise men.

My role is that of the little girl who tells the villagers here tonight and throughout the land of Bellevue.  East Link is no magic carpet.  It won’t have the promised capacity, it will increase not decrease congestion,  it will needlessly devastate parts of our village and those who live there, and it violates the laws of our land.  In short, East Link, like the weavers’ magic cloth, is a fraud that must be rejected by the council.

Bill Hirt
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