Dear friends and family,
Thank you to all of you who showed up at my last “Meet Your Legislator” event on Monday! I heard from you about the importance of many issues – ranging from stormwater infrastructure to K-12 funding – but transportation was the clear priority.
I share your frustration with the State Senate’s inability to put a transportation package on the floor for a vote. Negotiations are continuing in Olympia, but as with every piece of legislation, the devil is in the details. I’m tracking very closely what the package offers and what it asks us all to give up.
Will it ask us to give up monies to clean up Puget Sound in order to fund new roads? Are we willing to give up $700 million in bike, pedestrian, and transit infrastructure already passed by the State House on a bipartisan vote?
Not in King County. These are the policy choices contained in the current version of the Senate draft.
King County Executive Dow Constantine responded today by presenting a back-up plan to save our transit and roads. Our county has reached a tentative deal on a contract with Metro workers that could save millions of dollars.
While I continue to support the ongoing efforts to negotiate a statewide transportation package, King County faces potentially devastating cuts to Metro. Examining alternative options is the responsible thing to do.
If you’re interested in learning more about this potential agreement, I encourage you to check out King County’s press release.
The situation with the transportation package continues to evolve even as we try to shift from roads congested with single-occupancy vehicles to a cleaner, less congested multi-modal system to move people and goods.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at gael.tarleton@leg.wa.gov or (206) 216-3185.
Your voice in Olympia,
Gael Tarleton