Seattle Press on Line - Referendum 51

Seattle Press Editorial

Referendum 51

Aug 15, 2002 -- Questions

This much we agree with Mayor Greg Nickels: the aging Alaskan Way Viaduct needs replacement. But we can't go beyond and use that as a reason to support--or defeat--Referendum 51. Both are important, but separate. One won't lead to the other.

Referendum 51 proposes a 9-cent tax increase, a 30 percent truck weight fee increase and a one percent tax on sale of new and used cars. The money collected - $7.7 billion - funds a series of projects that hopefully will ease statewide transportation. Eighty-five percent goes to adding general-purpose highway capacity. Fifteen percent goes to maintaining--and making best use of--what we already have, including the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

On November 5, voters will either say yes or no to Referendum 51. Nickels wants a yes, and here's why: Referendum 51 supplies $450 million, initial funding to replace the Viaduct (total cost: $11.9 billion). Support for Referendum 51 comes with Olympia's 'unwavering commitment,' as how Nickels puts it, to see the Viaduct project through to completion.

Question: If Referendum 51 is defeated, will the loss of the $450 million lead to the loss of the $11.9-billion Viaduct project? Even with Referendum 51's approval, is that a guarantee of the Viaduct project's completion?

Not necessarily.

The promised $450 million is a start, for sure. Yet, even if it jump-starts the Viaduct project, it'll take a lot of chugalugging to come out with the $11.45 billion balance. Already, opposition is rising against $7.7 billion. How much more with $11 billion-plus?

Answers

When it comes to Referendum 51, here's a suggestion: talk less about the Viaduct project, more about issues surrounding the construction of new roads or widening existing ones - its environmental impact, for example.

Those opposed to Referendum 51 raise valid environmental arguments. To them, raising $7.7 billion for a statewide transportation package brings everything but ease of travel. Road-widening projects, like the widening of I-405, impact against riparian corridors and wetlands. New roads--34 proposed projects, half of which are outside urban growth boundaries--only bring in more cars, sprawl in quiet neighborhoods and polluted air comparable to the second-hand smoke of a two-pack-a-day smoker.

Given these, why is Referendum 51 allocating 85 percent of its proposed budget into new roads? Why only 15 percent to those that do less harm to the environment: train services, passenger-only ferries, Commute Trip Reduction programs, buses and vanpools, park and ride lots, HOV lanes, freight toll lanes?

Is the 85-to-15 percent ratio a healthy balance? Or, is less of the former and more of the latter more like it?

Answers are needed, and the lack of them is Referendum 51's problem.

Reader Comments

Discuss this article in the forums!


Christine	Oct 28, 2002	Kent	Student
Hi editor, After I this article, I found out that we should vote for Referendum 51 But those of view who can't effort to pay too much taxes. I mean middle and poor people, how are they going to pay that much taxes? Also how about if Referendum didn't win on this November what are you going to do next? I would really appracite if you send me an Eamil back. It's for my school project. Thank, Christine


Eric	Oct 29, 2002	Seattle	Financial Services
Several national studies show that traffic worsens during and after roadway expansion. The proof is in Los Angeles' failed experiment to build their way out: Los Angeles has the worst traffic and worst air quality in the nation. R-51 is a 1956 approach to a 2002 problem. 85% of R-51 statewide is dedicated to highways (painfully close to Initiative 745's 90 percent). http://www.transportationchoices.org/ "Myth #2: R-51 is a winner for public transportation. Reality: The money allocated to non-auto choices in R-51 is only 14 percent of the total. But that tells just part of the story. Just 7 percent of the money spent in King County is devoted to public transportation. " http://www.no51.org/mythfacts.htm


heather bennit	Nov 10, 2002	Portland, Oregan, Usa	Docter
you dont have anything on the alaskan way viaduct or if you do yoour making it very hard to find! You suck!


Harris	Nov 10, 2002	pulman,washington	docter
you are like billonare or somthing my nurse sied that you pay people to bring you gabege