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Here are our endorsements for the upcoming Seattle and King County elections:

Mayor of Seattle: MIKE MCGINN

Seattle City Council Position 2: KSHAMA SAWANT

Seattle City Council Position 4: SALLY BAGSHAW

Seattle City Council Position 6: NICK LICATA

Seattle City Council Position 8: MIKE O’BRIEN

King County Executive: DOW CONSTANTINE

King County Council District 1: ROD DEMBOWSKI or NAOMI WILSON (no preferential endorsement)

King County Council District 5: DAVE UPTHEGROVE *

King County Council District 9: SHARI SONG

* Dave Upthegrove’s opponent, Andy Massagli, did not respond to our survey for local candidates. However, he did respond to our 2012 survey for candidates running for state legislature, and expressed the opinion that a “bicycle or walking shoe tax” would be a more appropriate way to fund public transit than taxing cars. Or better: “an alcohol or gang tax would target the riding demographic beautifully. Maybe a sagging pants that shows your underwear tax is in order”. Vote for UPTHEGROVE, people!

Our condolences and support go out to the Metro Driver who was shot downtown on the Route 27 bus yesterday morning.

Your bus driver has a dangerous job.  Thank him or her today!  Maybe Seattle needs a bus driver appreciation week.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the WTF, Olympia? Rally on July 27!  Here is a link to videos of all the speakers — thank you to Peter Brannan for recording and editing the video:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-FRfFVPTNVXL43Hq2Pk4-WranjkzXwWQ

And here’s a write-up about the rally in the Seattle Transit Blog:

https://seattletransitblog.com/2013/07/29/tru-takes-hard-line-electeds-pin-blame-on-sen-tom/

We got last-minute confirmations today from Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle King County NAACP President James Bible.  Our updated speaker line-up (order may shift a bit) is below.

Don’t forget to bring your grievances for Sen. Rodney Tom!

• Katie Wilson (TRU)
• Exec. Dow Constantine
• Mayor Mike McGinn
• Rep. Gael Tarleton
• Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles
• Jacob Struiksma (TRU)
• Verita Alexander (ATU/Metro Driver)
• Anita Nath (PSARA)
• Kshama Sawant (Socialist Alternative/City Council candidate)
• James Bible (NAACP Pres.)
• Scott Myers (TRU)

Print a poster     Print some flyers     And come to the rally!

The rally will start at noon at City Hall Park, the grassy park on the south side of the King County Courthouse at 3rd and Yesler, 450 3rd Avenue.

Here’s our new guest speaker line-up – several TRU organizers and members will be speaking too.  Stay tuned for updates:

• Rep. Gael Tarleton
• Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles
• Mayor Mike McGinn
• TRU Member Jacob Struiksma
• Metro Driver and ATU Executive Board Officer Verita Alexander
• PSARA Board Member Anita Nath
• Socialist Alternative activist and City Council candidate Kshama Sawant

On Tuesday we learned nation-wide vigils for Trayvon Martin have been called for this Saturday at noon, exactly the same time as the WTF, Olympia? rally. 

Out of respect for this national day of action and to avoid conflicting with the Seattle vigil, we have decided to reschedule WTF, Olympia? for the following Saturday, July 27. 

Vigil for Trayvon Martin at the Federal Building in Seattle

Here’s our guest speaker line-up so far! In addition to speakers from TRU:

• Larry Phillips (King County Councilmember)
• Mike McGinn (Mayor, City of Seattle)
• Jessyn Farrell (District 46 Representative)
• Nate Chappelle (Metro driver, ATU 587 Executive Board Officer)
• Jesse Hagopian (Garfield High School teacher, Social Equality Educators organizer)
• Anita Nath (Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action Board Member)
• Kshama Sawant (Socialist Alternative, Seattle City Council candidate)

Check back for updates!

Do you ride a route that is slated for elimination or service reductions?  Print this flyer (2-sided) and give it to your fellow bus riders!  Or get in touch (contact@transitriders.org, 206-651-4282) and we will find a way to get some flyers to you.

In particular, we’d like to target the following routes, which run in or through Senator Rodney Tom’s district: 237, 245, 250, 265, 277

Routes at risk for deletion (65 routes): 7EX, 19, 21EX, 22, 25, 27, 30, 37, 48NEX, 57, 61, 76, 77EX, 82, 83, 84, 99, 110, 113, 114, 118EX, 119, 119EX, 123EX, 139, 152, 154, 157, 159, 161, 173, 179, 190, 192, 197, 200, 201, 203, 205EX, 210, 211EX, 213, 215, 216, 237, 243, 244EX, 250, 257, 260, 265, 268, 277, 280, 304, 308, 601EX, 907DART, 910DART, 913DART, 914DART, 919DART, 927DART, 930DART and 935DART.

Routes at risk for reductions and revisions (86 routes): 1, 2S, 2N, 3S, 3N, 4S, 4N, 5, 5EX, 7, 8, 9EX, 10, 11, 12, 14S, 16, 21, 24, 26, 26EX, 28, 28EX, 29, 31, 36, 41, 43, 47, 48N, 60, 65, 66EX, 67, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 106, 107, 116EX, 118, 121, 122, 125, 148, 156, 177, 181, 182, 186, 187, 193EX, 202, 204, 209, 214, 221, 224, 226, 232, 234, 235, 236, 238, 241, 245, 246, 248, 249, 255, 269, 271, 309EX, 311, 312EX, 331, 355EX, 372EX, 373EX, 901DART, 903DART, 908DART, 909DART and 931DART.

* Help spread the word!  PRINTABLE POSTER  — PRINTABLE FLYER — FB EVENT *

The Washington State Legislature failed to pass any local transit funding option this session.  As a result, Metro is now preparing to cut 17% of bus service.

It’s time to get organized.  As a first step, TRU and allies are organizing  a rally and demonstration for Saturday, July 20 to ask the resounding question, “WTF, Olympia?” (This, as we all know, stands for Where’s The Funding, Olympia?)   But we know transit riders aren’t the only ones who got the short end of the stick.  We are asking all individuals and organizations who are fed up with these misleaders in Olympia to step forward.

Do you have a grievance against the State Legislature? Bring it along!  We’ll be collecting a busload of grievances to send to certain state legislators. Together our combined voices will echo in the halls of power.

What? A rally and demonstration to express our dissatisfaction with our State Legislature

When? Saturday, July 20, 12:00 pm

Where? City Hall Park, 450 3rd Avenue (south side of King County Courthouse)

Who? Everyone with a grievance

Why? It’s time to get organized!