Sound Politics: Your tax dollars at work

November 15, 2005

Your tax dollars at work

The King County Council yesterday voted to spend $7 million on a maintenance barn for the frivolous Metro waterfront trolley.

Before approving the $7 million expenditure, the council discussed whether it made economic sense to build a new barn because the waterfront streetcar will need to be taken off line again as soon as construction begins for replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct. The sequencing of that construction is uncertain.

But if you believe the gas tax enthusiasts, Viaduct construction is not "uncertain", it is expected to commence imminently now that I-912 is rejected.

The measure passed 11-2 [Launch Legisearch, look for file 2005-0414]. Councilmembers Hammond and Patterson were the only ones voting against building the barn that probably won't be used for at least a decade.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at November 15, 2005 10:15 AM | Email This

Comments

1. And round and round it goes and where it stops nobody knows.....

Posted by: JDH on November 15, 2005 11:09 AM

2. Get out your check books KingCo, you voted for this.
And what's the buzz about $20M for Parks next year? Oh no, not the ones that have been closed, but for new land and open space to make new trails.
Can you say Eminent Domain?
How about pay-back time?

Posted by: Diogenes on November 15, 2005 11:09 AM

3. I have no problem with the waterfront trolley. It's a nice little tourist attraction that was probably largely paying for itself until now. What I have a problem with is the boneheaded planning that was first just going to replace the street car with a sculpture park (something I also have no problem with, in theory), and then when they decided to keep the streetcar, failed to alter the plans to the park to keep the maintenence shop there, requiring additional millions spent.

But hey, it's only money.

Posted by: Timothy on November 15, 2005 11:10 AM

4. From the Times article:

Councilman Dwight Pelz, however, said Patterson's idea to extract a higher percentage of the facility's costs from the city would delay both the building of the sculpture park and the replacement barn. Representatives of Pioneer Square, the Chinatown International District, the waterfront, the Urban League of Greater Seattle and the museum all urged the council to appropriate the $7 million.

"We have an opportunity to do what the community clearly wants," Pelz said.

And we all know how the King County Council cares about "what the community clearly wants". Do these council members have no concept of what $7 million dollars is? Tax and spend, and then tax some more.

Posted by: Gary on November 15, 2005 11:24 AM

5. Grrr!! Why can't you go away Stefan and leave all these shenanigans alone? Oh! So you have a conscience?

Good thing. As much as I hate hearing about these hair-brained schemes, I think it is important to be discussed.

And no citizen protested?

This stuff is going on up north by the Democrats in power. It seems that the feel good thing keeps happening irregardless of financial consideration.

Justifying an environmental cleanup in the millions by using future tax revenues on that property is also over the line.

Posted by: swatter on November 15, 2005 11:26 AM

6. Where I come from, you only build Barns for Cows....Sounds like KC is just following the Lead Cow (Simms & Co) to the Barn, as most Democrats do!!

Posted by: Chris on November 15, 2005 11:44 AM

7. So Councilmen Hammond and Patterson were the only ones voting against the barn?

Where were "Republicans" Hague, Von Reichbauer, Irons and Dunn? Is fiscal responsibility a thing of the past? Looks to me like the Republicans are as bad as the Dims when it comes to wasting money.

Posted by: Bette Filley on November 15, 2005 12:32 PM

8. Oh, now how can you have a problem with this - your boyfriend David "mamabeater" Irons voted for the 7.5 million twice yesterday. Doesn't that mean you have to like it (oh, wait, it's after the election now...my bad).

Posted by: Willis on November 15, 2005 12:32 PM

9. I had hoped for more from Irons. Even with Sims elected, a vote against the barn would have been nice. Unless, or course, it is a good idea? Who knows, maybe the monkeys in power have actually typed out something good by accident. Trolly laaa..

Posted by: duhh on November 15, 2005 12:47 PM

10. David Irons voted for it?

No wonder why he lost. Why would any conservative care about a candidate that is just a different shade of democrat.

Can someone in the Washington State Republican Party who is a real conservative please stand up?

Posted by: jaybo on November 15, 2005 12:57 PM

11. Oh yeah! That'll help relieve congestion! What did you expect Washington? Hey Ken Schram, would you have voted for no on 912 if you knew this was going to be one of their "priority" projects?

Posted by: Scott C on November 15, 2005 02:44 PM

12. Where are they putting the miniature golf?

Posted by: Amused by liberals on November 15, 2005 02:50 PM

13. Are we supposed to be impressed with this lunacy!!!

Posted by: Laurie on November 15, 2005 03:44 PM

14. Stefan wrote, "voting against building the barn that probably won't be used for at least a decade."

Pick a position Stefan. First you sarcastically suggest the AWV won't be worked on for years, and then you suggest the trolley won't be in use for a decade, which would only be the case if the AWV work started within the next 18 months.

Posted by: Daniel K on November 15, 2005 04:11 PM

15. Hey! Give credit where its due; this is Paige Miller's baby and it lives on. Counciliman Irons only supports these things, thank goodness we've still got Ron to come up with good ideas.

Posted by: Snagger on November 15, 2005 04:59 PM

16. Actually, Paige Miller's (half-assed) idea was to move the trolley barn north into Myrtle Edward's park, and would've cost more in the ballpark of $20 million. This was the lowest cost solution they had to preserve the trolley.

If you Republicans are so against this, I hope you'll remember it in a couple of years when you have the choice of Julia Patterson or some throw-away Republican - and vote for Patterson who sponsored legislation to ask Seattle for another $3M - but you won't remember...you'll just keep voting for the person with the "R" next to them, like you always do...

Posted by: willis on November 15, 2005 07:41 PM

17. Actually, a lot of ferry commuters use the 99 (the trolley) to get from International District Station to the terminal. That's the terminus for a large number of commuter buses.

Posted by: Ben Schiendelman on November 16, 2005 12:53 PM