Despite that, Proposition 1 on this November’s ballot — which was originally proposed to save Seattle’s buses from those cuts — still needs to pass. Metro officials have long said that the proposed cuts came at a time when we should ramp up, not cut, services. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has identified 58 routes that could be improved with money from the proposition, according to Crosscut News.
Prop. 1 would create a 0.1-percent sales-tax increase and $60 car-tab fee; both would expire in December 2020. Those are the same funding solutions that were struck down when a countywide Prop. 1 went to vote last April. If passed, this citywide fund would generate approximately $40 million each year.
This money would be used to add buses to routes that are chronically late or too full. It could also restore service that was cut in the first round of cuts. Then, with the remainder of the money, it would “fortify the citywide network,” The Seattle Times reported.
This could be good for jobs, too, with approximately 266,000 more bus hours, 120 drivers would be hired, the Times said.
With already-crowded buses and increasing density, bolstering Metro’s service is a necessity. Let’s hope for a different Prop. 1 fate this time around.