It's very gutsy of Proposition 1 proponents to come at the state with another bid to raise taxes in an effort to bring more public transportation to Snohomish, King and Pierce counties. Prop. 1 comes on the heels of last year's failed proposition, which would have built new roads, widened existing ones, added more light rail components and increased taxes.
This year's version is a $17.9 billion transit-only plan that would add $0.05 sales tax to every $10 purchase. Pro Proppers say passage will bring a 17 percent increase in bus hours, more Sounder trains traveling between Pierce County and Seattle, and more than a decade from now, extensions to the existing light rail lines as far north as Lynnwood, as far east as Redmond and as far south as Federal Way. They also say that until around 2038, each adult can count on paying about $70 a year in added sales taxes.
Had our current economic situation been a healthy one, passage of the proposition might have sailed through. But times are tight. And for many, $70 means one less trip to the grocery story.
However, we need to do something, and if not now, when? Should we forfeit the $895 million in federal grants to the likes of Atlanta again? No. Something must be done and for two reasons. First, the population is growing and as with housing, particularly condominiums, we need to accommodate that growth by providing clean, alternative transportation. Secondly, the environment. Even if we had oil coming out of our garden hoses, it is our duty as stewards of the planet, to keep it clean.
The plan is not perfect for sure. In fact, too much is dedicated to Sounder travel, which is slow and arcane. But how can we expect to please everyone? We cannot. But if we wait longer, the costs of building more clean transportation infrastructure will only skyrocket further and perhaps beyond our ability.
Nobody wants to be taxed. But it's no longer about wanting. It's about needing, and moving forward for the sake of the region's future.[[In-content Ad]]
