County Executive Voters' Pamphlet Candidate Statement

(I intend to send the following out to the local media outlets as a follow-up to my earlier County Executive candidate announcement.)

County Executive Voters’ Pamphlet Candidate Statement

My candidacy goal is to inform the area about Dow Constantine’s failure to use his position as County Executive to promote Sound Transit Board policies that effectively deal with the area’s transportation crisis. I have no expectation or desire to win and will not seek nor accept any contributions. 

My campaign will use the voter’s pamphlet to attract attention to the 400 posts on my blog http://stopeastlinknow.blogspot.com detailing my concerns.   Sound Transit violated the RCW when it refused to consider lower cost alternatives for their light rail “spine” along I-5 corridor and across I-90 Bridge.  They could have eased congestion years ago by attracting more transit riders by adding P&R stalls with access to BRT routes along limited access lanes on both corridors.

Instead they route the “spine” through the DSTT, limiting capacity to the point where Sound Transit will use the vast majority of the $54 billion from ST3 to create light rail extensions that will do absolutely nothing to ease congestion on I-5.   That the confiscation of the I-90 bridge center roadway for the East Link portion of the spine will increase, not decrease congestion on that roadway. 

Prior to the ST3 vote Constantine’s hand picked Expert Review Panel lied to the public claiming ST3 would only increase average costs by $169.  They did so by assuming the median car value was $5333 for license tab fees and property values of $360,776 for added taxes, neither of which represented most residents.  They managed to pass ST3 because 70% of Seattle voters approved it, yet they’ll have to wait 20-25 years for Ballard and West Seattle extensions. 

While it’s not likely my efforts will stop current Sound Transit plans, my goal is to tell commuters what to expect and that it didn’t have to happen.