Now is the time to regionalize transit funding
by Kelsey Mesher
Atomic Taco / FlickrA countywide 2020 transportation measure would help address affordability, growth and mobility needs - and maintain Seattle's current level of service.
With one of the largest and most progressiveelectorates expected to turn out this year, 2020 presents an opportunity toaddress our region's largest challenges, including transportation. OnWednesday, February 26, the King County Council kicked off its first public discussion of going to the ballotto ask voters to support a countywide Transportation Benefit District, whichcould raise as much as $160 million annually for bus service, programs andimprovements through a 0.2% increase in sales tax.
We have seen the successes of transitinvestment through Seattle's Transportation Benefit District. In the last twoyears alone, Seattle has increased TBD-funded Metro service by 36%. As aresult, more than 7 in 10 residents live within a 10-minute walk of veryfrequent bus service. While transit ridership has declined in cities across thecountry, Seattle has bucked the trends - increasing transit ridership and keptdrive alone commute rates at bay. The City has also used TBD funds to supportaccess and affordability programs, providing free transit for students and someresidents of low-income housing.
Metro'slong range plan, Metro Connects, outlines how we can achieve outcomes likethese throughout King County, which is why Transportation Choices Coalitionstrongly supports taking a countywide approach to funding transit. The alternative is continuing with a "pay-to-play" system where themost well-resourced cities, like Seattle (or potentially Bellevue or Redmond,should they choose to run their own measures), receive a higher level ofservice, creating a two-tiered transit system.
We are all well aware of the needs:
- We need to improve equitabletransportation access; parts of our region have not received adequate transitinvestments and a lack of fast, frequent, reliable, and accessible transit isleaving people behind.
- We need transit to serve ourregional growth. Tens of thousands of jobs are being added in Bellevue andbeyond, and our population growth shows no signs of slowing.
- Over 20 light rail stations arecoming online by 2024 - we need to get people there and cannot afford(financially or environmentally) to build massive amounts of parking.
- We need for transit service to beaccessible and affordable. Transportation is the second highest cost forhouseholds, behind housing - frequent and affordable transit connects people toplaces that they can afford to live, jobs and education.
The passing of I-976 has complicated how weapproach these challenges, and further limits what tools we have to fundtransit. Without the option to levy vehicle license fees, Seattle likely can'tmaintain its current level of investment if it renews its TBD alone. And ofcourse, without a change in state law, or a court victory against I-976,options for funding transit remain extremely limited. The County must bethoughtful about how to mitigate the regressive impacts of a sales taxincrease.
We will not be able to address thesechallenges without a shared effort to increase funding and deliver more transitacross King County. Through TCC's outreach we know that a countywide transitmeasure will have the support not only of transportation advocates, but ofaffordability advocates, labor partners, businesses big and small, climateactivists, and the general public - who understand thatimproving transit in our region benefits everyone. The time to build a broad and winning coalition is now.
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Kelsey Mesher is the Advocacy Director at Transportation Choices Coalition