I
finally had my “interview” with the Seattle Times. It didn’t go well. First
a little background. I initially
filed as a candidate for two reasons.
The first was to use the Voters Pamphlet to attract voters to my
“stop-east-link-now” blog. The second
was to get the chance to talk to the Seattle Times about East Link. For three years they had ignored my
emails and offers to meet in person to explain my concerns. I had hoped to use the interview to
present my 09/05 post and answer any questions.
The interviewers were simply not interested. I had barely begun when they stopped me and asked what other issues besides “transportation” I was interested in. (I thought it was a little like asking “Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln”.) I talked very briefly about the health insurance reforms in my 8/12 post. In response to their query concerning the recent Supreme Court decision requiring increased school funding I opined the legislature ask school districts to provide more details on where the 2/3rds of their budgets that doesn’t go to classroom teachers is spent. (also in 8/12 post). I could tell they weren’t the least bit interested.
The interviewers were simply not interested. I had barely begun when they stopped me and asked what other issues besides “transportation” I was interested in. (I thought it was a little like asking “Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln”.) I talked very briefly about the health insurance reforms in my 8/12 post. In response to their query concerning the recent Supreme Court decision requiring increased school funding I opined the legislature ask school districts to provide more details on where the 2/3rds of their budgets that doesn’t go to classroom teachers is spent. (also in 8/12 post). I could tell they weren’t the least bit interested.
From then on it was one
long discussion with Rep Hunter about the state budget problems. They had a great time talking about
public employee pensions, school funding, the teachers union, and the various legislative
factions involved in prioritizing spending along with Rep. Hunter’s success in
dealing with these issues.
When there was about 15
minutes left I asked if I would be allowed to talk about my transportation
concerns. The response was they
were interested in “other issues” but suggested I interject my opinions on
these other issues. Having none, I
asked to be excused. Needless to
say I don’t expect their endorsement.
The interview convinced
me the Seattle Times is perfectly willing to go along with Sound Transits
continuing with the current East Link program. They could have stopped it years ago by exposing Sound
Transits failure to consider a cross-lake BRT. Their failure to do so has forced cross-lake commuters to
endure years of increased congestion and allowed ST to waste hundreds of
millions promoting a flawed light-rail system. Money that could and should have been used to eliminate the need for 520 tolls.
Their continued lack of
interest abets extending the current congestion problems and spending for
another 4 years. That’s when ST
finally gets around to adding the 4th lane to the outer roadways,
shutting down the center roadway forcing all traffic onto the outer roadways. ST’s own studies predict the outer
roadways won’t have the needed capacity. ST will spend billions over the next seven-plus years
devastating Bellevue to install light rail tracks and 5000-volt power lines for
a light rail system that will have a miniscule effect on outer roadway
congestion. The inevitable result
will surely be cross-lake gridlock.
My other posts have
described Sound Transits actions as giving a whole new meaning to the word
“Incompetent”. The Time’s lack of
interest in East Link represents a new low in responsible journalism.
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