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1,000 signatures sent to Olympia!

It’s the eleventh hour in Olympia, for real this time – June 30 is the final day of this second special session, and if the state legislature doesn’t pass a local transit funding option this week, King County Metro will cut service by 17% next year.

Today we sent a petition to all King County state legislators, comprising 1,000 signatures gathered by TRU members and allies, and a letter urging our representatives to do everything in their power to pass a local funding option for Metro.

What can you do? Right now, call Speaker Frank Chopp (360-786-7920) and Senator Mark Schoesler* (360-786-7620) and tell them to save King County Metro. If you already signed our petition, tell them that – if not, tell them you’re adding your voice.

And — please join us at our next monthly TRU Meeting, on Monday, July 1, 6:30 – 8:30 pm at the Labor Temple Hall #6, 2800 1st Avenue. Regardless what happens this week in Olympia, we have a big campaign coming up to stop service cuts, and it’s going to take all of us.

* Schoesler doesn’t represent King County and he’s not on the transportation committee, but he is the Republican leader in the Senate and may determine whether a transportation revenue package gets voted on at all this week.  It’s also worthwhile to call your legislators.

This is Not Progress!

The State Legislature has not yet passed a transportation plan, or anything else. The special session ended today. Tomorrow they will begin an unprecedented second special session.

Just today the Senate transportation committee released an awful new proposal for a transportation plan. It removes the over $400 million that the House proposal slated for investment in public transit.

And most importantly for King County Metro: whereas the House plan gives us a progressive Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET) transit funding option for King County, the Senate plan instead includes an option to raise the regressive sales tax by another 0.3% – and this authority would last for only five years.

You can email your legislators from the website of Transportation for Washington here.

Join TRU on the street in June!

As you probably know, Metro is facing the prospect of deep service cuts in 2014 if new funding isn’t secured.  Our best hope is a Motor Vehicle Excise Tax local option for King County, which is under consideration in the state legislature – but things in Olympia seem to be at a standstill, and the clock is ticking.  The Transit Riders Union is hitting the streets this month with a petition to save our buses!

Join the TRU Street Team!  Times and places are listed on the event calendar here and also to the right.  For more information on how to get involved you can email contact@transitriders.org, or call 206-651-4282.

Speak Out Against Metro Cuts on May 14!

As you probably know by now, Metro Transit may cut 600,000 annual service hours if no new funding can be secured. This would mean the complete elimination of 65 routes, and reduction in service to another 86 routes.

This crisis would lead to longer waits, farther walks, less access to vital services and resources, more overcrowding, and more traffic congestion!

As riders, we deserve better! We’ve already seen our fares nearly doubled in the past five years. We need to let the King County Council that we won’t take any more! Please attend the Council’s Transportation Committee public hearing on the proposed transit cuts.

Tuesday, May 14
3:30pm Open House
4:00pm Public Testimony
Sound Transit Boardroom
401 S Jackson St
Seattle, WA 98104

This is your opportunity to share how the transit cuts would affect you. Let your story be heard! Even if you don’t want to speak, your presence is very powerful, so please come if you can. And don’t forget to wear your gold TRU t-shirts!

For more information on the funding cuts, visit https://metro.kingcounty.gov/am/future/at-risk.html

In solidarity, in transit,

Transit Riders Union