Testimony to the Sound Transit Board

Maggi Fimia, 729 North 148th Shoreline Washington 98133
Co-Chair of CETA, the Coalition for Effective Transportation Alternatives

Good Afternoon

I represent an organization of almost 100 members. We also work with many other organizations, individuals and business. Our primary mission at this time is to reprogram our light rail dollars to more effective forms of transit and transportation. The light rail project is now costing over four times the national average just for the easiest portion, it has never been compared to an equal investment in Bus Rapid Transit or monorail and as a technology, was actually taken off the table and not considered as a viable alternative in the 1993 Final Environmental Impact Statement.

It is said that those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. I recently finished a very interesting book by Jeff Shaara about the Revolutionary War called Rise to Rebellion. It tells the story of the origins of the American Revolution. While the magnitude of the issues may not be the same, the principals of trust, respect, accountability and fairness are all there. Just as the British King and Parliament did not head the warning signals of anger, resentment and growing organization, the Sound Transit Board seems to be turning a patronizing, dictatorial blind eye and deaf ear to the public, many respected individuals and institutions.

An example of this is the unfortunate spin that I-776 was a mandate on Sound Transit's light rail project and because it did not pass in the ST district, that means voters want you to continue. I-776 was not a clean up or down for light rail. LR critics did not claim that it was. What was acknowledged was that if it passed, it would pull MVET taxes from ST. The association with Tim Eyman and the hit to other transportation projects caused many light rail critics, like the Seattle Times, Rob McKenna and many of our members to oppose 776.

Undaunted Courage appears to be the image you think you are projecting. But unlike Lewis and Clark who sought advice about the perils and consequences of their actions, you would rather rely on your public relations team and lawyers to tell you what you want to hear. It is not courage you are exhibiting, it is Undaunted Carelessness.

Lastly, the public, like Shakelton's incredible story of Endurance continues to endure congestion, lack of adequate transit service, erosion of infrastructure and threats to it economic, social and physical health. Shakelton and his men headed out for Antarctica, their plans were crushed by the ice. He didn't insist on moving forward but instead, through wisdom, sacrifice and concern for the greater good, eventually delivered all his men home safely with a different PLAN.

The people of our great region just want to get home safely. The light rail project is a political, financial and transportation liability for our region. Stop it and you will see the region come together around a truly effective set of solutions.

Continue and you will see continued mutiny and revolution. Can you imagine how quickly the American Revolution would have been won if Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson had e-mail?