Over the last several sessions, we worked consistently to find solutions for our troubled transportation and education systems.

We all know the WASL and how our teachers, administrators and parents have worked to improve student performance, yet we have not met the goals of making sure every student leaves high school ready for college, career and life.

We know how the legislature voted two increases in state-wide funding for transportation and we can see the orange cones around the region, yet congestion continues to grow and we lack choices in how we get where we need to go. We need regional revenue because statewide funding won’t be adequate to improve central Puget Sound mobility.

We have been leaders in our parties to build bi-partisan solutions to these problems. We led bi-partisan majorities to provide transportation funding by creation of the Regional Transportation Investment District. And we led bi-partisan majorities to pass EHJR 4204 providing local school districts to pass levies with simple, not super, majorities.

Now it’s your turn to vote on Roads and Transit, and on Simple Majority. We voted “Yes” to provide these local choices. We hope you will vote “Yes” to make them happen.

SIMPLE MAJORITY

Local excess school levies were originally designed to provide “extra” programs for communities wanting to tax themselves for the extras. No longer.

Excess levies today provide essential, fundamental needs - like text books, classroom computers, teacher training and smaller class size. The change in our expectations for education and the growth of a global economy make it so.

We on Mercer Island are blessed to have a community supporting our school levies by upwards of 70 percent margins, but this isn’t true across the state. Last year, 31 levies failed even though they received 50 percent If they’d been a sports stadium, jail or a park levy, they would have passed.

These districts matter to us on Mercer Island. We are all Washingtonians and every child should get a good education. Our futures depend not just on our kids, but all kids who will grow up to create our future. Education is our best investment in that future.

The failure of a levy election, even if passed on a second try, distracts from the mission of schools. Parents and educators both must concentrate on campaigning not educating our kids.

For us, it came down to simple fairness and belief we must invest in the future. We urge a “Yes” vote on EHJR 4204.

ROADS AND TRANSIT

Roads and Transit is a balanced, comprehensive approach to solving our transportation problems and improving our quality of life.

It continues the region’s investment in light rail by extending Link to Tacoma, Seattle, downtown Bellevue, Redmond and Lynnwood and adds 12,000 park and ride parking spots.

It addresses major chokepoints and will reduce congestion. The “Roads” component of Roads and Transit focuses on completing the work started by the gas tax increases voted by the legislature in 2003 and 2005 and fixing chokepoints so traffic can flow moving people and goods more quickly and reliably.

The completion of the I-405 corridor, improvements to SR 167, SR 522 and SR 9 have particular impact on our community’s mobility. It will be easier to get to Bellevue, Kent and Steven Pass!

Roads & Transit, Proposition 1, upgrades our infrastructure and improves safety. We have to address our aging infrastructure, particularly vulnerable bridges and roads. Roads and Transit provides critical funding for the replacement of the SR 520 bridge as well as many other safety improvements. These investments also make transportation safer for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Just like the Simple Majority, investment in mobility is investment in creating our future. Mobility for us, for the economy and our environment.

We cast our votes in Olympia. Now it’s time for you to cast yours. We hope you’ll join us in voting “Yes” for Proposition 1 and EHJR 4204.

Islanders Rep. Clibborn and Rep. Jarrett represent the 41st Legislative District in Olympia.

‘True cost’ of roads, transit measure

By Sarah Rindlaub
Island Forum

As a 14-year resident of Mercer Island, I’ve learned that the I-90 bridge is the single most important transportation corridor in our area. And as our region continues to grow, traffic demand across Lake Washington is expected to double within 20 years. But I am opposed to the upcoming “roads and transit” ballot measure as a solution because it does not address the most pressing transportation problem, namely decreasing congestion.

Ninety percent of the total $160 billion package is dedicated to light rail, including a 19-mile segment connecting Seattle and the Eastside across I-90. But according to a study from the Washington Policy Center (WPC) called “Part IV: Light Rail and Interstate 90,” Sound Transit’s plan to place light rail across the I-90 bridge will actually increase traffic congestion.

Sound Transit is currently re-striping the outer general purpose lanes to accommodate an extra HOV lane in each direction. This change was approved by voters in 1996. If the November plan is approved, the reversible center lanes would then be replaced with two light rail lanes. If Sound Transit eliminates the two reversible HOV lanes across I-90, it will result in a 20 percent decrease in lane capacity during the peak commute times. Naturally, the reduced lane capacity will increase traffic congestion, and this should be concerning for every resident on Mercer Island. If the Sound Transit plan passes, our commute across the lake will increase 25 percent during the morning and afternoon peak drive times.

Sound Transit’s plan to reduce lane capacity on I-90 will also negatively impact the commercial trucking industry. WPC’s analysis uses the federal government’s model that freeway congestion costs each truck about $32.15 for each hour of delay. This means Sound Transit’s plan will cost the freight industry more than $7 million per year to simply cross the I-90 bridge. This is 54 percent more than if policymakers did nothing on I-90. And you can trust the added costs will be shifted to consumers in the form of higher prices on goods and services.

Freedom of movement is an important element in transportation policy, and I find it difficult to understand how a local agency can pursue a policy that creates more traffic.

Even worse, the proposed 50 miles of light rail does not reduce congestion anywhere in the region. Sound Transit itself projects ST2 will only carry about 3.5 percent of Puget Sound’s population; and when you consider only drivers, Sound Transit’s share drops to less than one percent. This means 99 percent of the rest of us will be stuck in traffic. It is true the region is expected to add more than 1.2 million people over the next 20 years, and we need real transportation solutions. But spending $160 billion to move less than one percent of all commuters seems to be the least efficient way.

WPC also points out that Sound Transit’s taxes never end. RTID’s taxes sunset when the bonds are paid in 2037, but there is no legal obligation for Sound Transit to reduce its tax burden, even after ST2 is complete and paid for.

In summary, Mercer Islanders and other Puget Sound residents are being asked to approve the largest tax increase in state history to INCREASE congestion!

Islander Sarah Rindlaub is a board member and past chairman of the Washington Policy Center.