Seattle Transportation Proposition 1 is passing by a wide margin, with nearly 60% in favor! For the first time in years, Seattle will be able to add significant bus service.  This is a victory, but our work is far from done. After years of increasing ridership and service cuts, not to mention increasing fares, Prop 1 is necessary but not enough. Seattle voters have shown our willingness to swallow more regressive taxes to fund our basic infrastructure. Now it’s time for businesses to contribute to the transit system that gets their workers to work and allows the wheels of commerce to turn.

Please use the form below to email City Councilmembers urging them to pass the progressive transit funding measures proposed earlier this year by Councilmembers Sawant and Licata: an Employee Hours Tax on business and a commercial parking fee increase. This revenue can be used to expand Night Owl Service and make much-needed capital improvements to our transit system.  Feel free to edit and personalize the following letter as you wish:

[emailpetition id=”5″]

On Tuesday, October 21, join TRU for a Prop 1 Get-Out-The-Vote March in downtown Seattle. Meet at 4:00 PM at Westlake Park. We’ll march in a loop around the 3rd Ave corridor and be back at Westlake Park by 5:15 in time for a rally:

RALLY for an Affordable Seattle
Speakers and music start at 5:30 PM
Free Community Meal at 7:00 PM
Overnight sleep-out, mats and blankets provided
Breakfast at 7:00 PM, followed by a march to the Governing Board meeting of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County.

Read more

Sound Transit is considering following Metro’s lead in offering a reduced fare for low income riders.  They are considering several options.  Please submit public comment through October 23 and attend their Open House on October 16 and Public Hearing on October 29.  

The Transit Riders Union is pleased that Sound Transit is considering a lower fare for its low income riders. This will make public transit more accessible to thousands of riders. However, we do not believe that this program should be paid for by raising fares for other riders.

Read more

On September 29, the King County Council voted to cancel the upcoming bus cuts. They’re banking on optimistic sales tax projections, and taking a gamble by digging further into Metro’s reserve fund. If another recession hits in the next few years we’re in big trouble. But in the meantime, if Prop 1 passes in November, Seattle will be able to not only preserve but expand and improve our bus system.

Read more

The Seattle Times came out with an unbelievably misleading editorial about Metro.  Here’s David Goldstein’s take on it.  The Seattle Times editorial board apparently wants to see our public transit system dismantled, and is willing to more or less lie to make it happen.

Sound Transit is considering following Metro’s lead in implementing a Low Income Reduced Fare.  This is great news, and a testament to the power of the Transit Riders Union and all the organizations that campaigned for a low income fare.  However – they’re considering a general fare increase of $0.25 to cover the costs.  Is this necessary?  No – actually, with voter approval, Sound Transit could assess an Employer Tax of $2 per employee.

Sound Transit’s public comment period is open now until October 23.  Please let them know what you think!

The Transit Riders Union will be discussing these and other issues at our Membership Meeting on October 6, 6:30 – 8:30 at the Labor Temple Hall 6.  Join us!

Want to get involved in TRU’s campaign to pass Proposition 1 and expand Seattle’s bus service?  Email contact@transitriders.org.

Printable 8.5 x 11 Poster                                       Printable 1/2 sheet Flyer (2-sided)

Phonebanking and Doorbelling Opportunities

On July 17 the Seattle City Council, acting as the Seattle Transportation Benefit District Governing Board, voted unanimously to place a measure on the November ballot that would preserve most bus service in the city of Seattle and on some intercity routes by means of a 0.1% sales tax increase and a $60 vehicle license fee.

The Transit Riders Union urges a YES vote on Seattle’s ballot measure to save transit. Thousands of Seattle and King County residents depend on Metro buses every day, and we cannot afford to lose our service.

At the same time, this is not a solution. The proposed measure pushes the burden of funding public transit further onto working and poor people, leaves transit riders in the lurch throughout the rest of King County, and contributes to the fragmentation of what should be a unified regional mass transit system.

Read more

This month the Seattle City Council, acting as a Transportation Benefit District, will be voting on a proposal to prevent cuts to Seattle’s Metro service. Mayor Murray has proposed “Prop 1 for Seattle” – but whereas the county had no better options, Seattle does. Councilmembers Sawant and Licata are putting forward an amendment to make the Mayor’s proposal more progressive.  The vote may take place as early as this Thursday.

Please come to City Hall council chambers this Thursday to show support for transit and speak out for this amendment – and if you can’t make it, please email the councilmembers.

2:00 PM, Thursday, July 10
Transportation Benefit District Meeting
Seattle City Hall, Council Chambers
600 4th Avenue

Please email and call your elected representatives and urge them to support Sawant and Licata’s proposal to remove the sales tax increase and replace it with a tax on businesses.

Tom Rasmussen               tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov     206-684-8808

Sally Bagshaw                    sally.bagshaw@seattle.gov         206-684-8801

Tim Burgess                        tim.burgess@seattle.gov             206-684-8806

Sally Clark                            sally.clark@seattle.gov                  206-684-8802

Jean Godden                     jean.godden@seattle.gov           206-684-8807

Bruce Harrell                      bruce.harrell@seattle.gov           206-684-8804

Mike O’Brien                     mike.obrien@seattle.gov            206-684-8800

Why Progressive Funding?

Why replace the 0.1% sales tax with an Employee Hours Tax on business and a Commercial Parking Fee increase?

Read more