In a dramatic turn of events yesterday, the Seattle City Council voted unanimously to deny permits to the Monorail.
The Seattle Monorail Project responded by filing a November ballot initiative to authorize a shorter line (without lowering the car tax). But it would take an overwhelming pro-Monorail majority, I'm sure, for the mayor and city council to reverse themselves and approve Monorail permits. And the success of "shut the project down" candidates Jim Nobels and Beth Goldberg on Tuesday would not indicate that the people of Seattle are willing to keep paying for a system that is being downsized to the point of resembling the Pedersen backyard monorail.
Just shut the SMP down and move on.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at September 24, 2005 10:39 AM | Email ThisStuck on stupid. Son, that's no way to go through life ;'}
Posted by: alphabet soup on September 24, 2005 10:47 AMProtestors talk foreign policy in Dupont Park
Tacoma News Tribune
More on the demonstration at Respectfully Republican.
Posted by: Patrick E. Bell on September 24, 2005 11:20 AMLight rail is looking like much more of a reality today than it did in 1997 ( or even 2002 ). A cost comparison of light rail with the monorail comes out decisively in favor of the light rail system. And some of the hyperbole about monorails being "cheap" or "sleek" has been pretty well demolished by now.
I predict a strong defeat in November, and the merciful end of SMP.
Posted by: Doug on September 24, 2005 11:55 AMNope, just a Seattle resident. I've voted against the monorail four times to date and I'm looking forward to doing so again. I will admit that I've been impressed with, for example, the Portland light rail and think that a similar system would benefit Seattle.
Posted by: Doug on September 24, 2005 12:21 PMIt would only be fair that the people of Gig Harbor stick the folks in Seattle with a project they don't want.
Posted by: Vince on September 24, 2005 02:20 PMSMP Board members called for Kristina Hill's resignation....she refused! (er....Kristina? Now might be the best time for you to leave....before the lawsuits begin?...This could be a downer for your resume`....)
My God! They can't even fire the *acting* leadership!
The Seattle Monorail Project has the makings of a really bad scary movie!
Posted by: Deborah on September 24, 2005 07:12 PMThey are standing in lines with their hands out
Posted by: GS on September 24, 2005 09:29 PMaw, screw them and the 2K I've spent on car tabs over the last couple of years, at least their living better than me! ****ers!
Any chance we can get their resumes and how/why they are qualified to ruin our city? Maybe their addresses so I can see how much better their living than me? ugh...
Posted by: bob on September 25, 2005 12:32 AMaw, screw them and the 2K I've spent on car tabs over the last couple of years, at least their living better than me! ****ers!
Any chance we can get their resumes and how/why they are qualified to ruin our city? Maybe their addresses so I can see how much better their living than me? ugh...
Posted by: rtwinger on September 25, 2005 12:33 AM"the Plan" could also be interpreted by an aggressive, monomaniacle agency like SMP as every aspect of its plan to build a monorail. Part of SMP's Plan is what percentage of MVET can be collected, how the board members are elected, and what the bonding limitation is. We do not need to give SMP new unilateral powers to go to the City Council and get its agreement to change whatever it may be about "the Plan" that SMP may want to modify.
Apparently this ballot measure was hastily cobbled together just before a filing deadline, so all possible negative implications of it need to be addressed. There will be a legal challenge, and we must make sure that it is not a SMP shill (in wolf's clothing) leading that legal charge.
Posted by: ripley on September 25, 2005 08:52 AMWhy don't they cut the monorail back to it's current route and declare it an official historic site that imortalizes the Seattle World's Fair of 1962?
That way we save money (ours, our children, our grandchildren, ect) and by it being declared officially historic it is then against the law to change the outward appearance (and that includes adding track!). Just a thought. Since it's going nowhere anyway might as well make it official.
Posted by: Victor on September 25, 2005 04:00 PMSomehow I bet the buses would be a lot cheaper in the long run and we might be able to provide this service far more quickly.
The only way they're ever going to have a monorail running down second avenue is on the backs of semis.
Posted by: Snake on September 26, 2005 08:02 AMNo, no, a thousand times no, don't take away my monorail!!!!
Take my clogs, bank my whales, but don’t you take my monorail
Got to has it, got to has it, got to has my monorail!
Over hills, and over dales, over-fund my monorails
Please oh please, hear me wail, mommy I want my monorail
Seattle’s pride, the city’s grail, must be a shiny monorail
Oh monorail, oh monorail, gots to has my monorail!
Ignore the bums and urine stale, scrap the bus go monorail
Give me heads or give me tails, jus promise me a monorail
Mommy, mommy sell the pony, and call the money monoroney
Nix truth of costs, certain failures, I jus want my monorailures
Oh give me bullshit, tell me tales, but fork me over my monorails
By Wanna Freebie
Posted by: Amused by liberals on September 28, 2005 10:25 AM