[Transit] SB 5528 passes House, on to Governor

[Saunatina Sanchez]

This feels like an issue I'd like to hear discussed in the big meeting by the Legislative team. Wes, could you send them a message and ask if they've considered the impact this vote has on our region?

Thanks,
S.


March 4, 2022 11:06 AM, "Wes Mills" <wesmills at wesmills.com> wrote:

> SB 5528, allowing for "enhanced service zones" in RTAs (of which Sound Transit is the only one)
> passed the House late last night. It passed by two votes, with a handful of Democrats from inside
> the Sound Transit district voting no.
> 
> As it has already passed the Senate, it's on to the Governor who will almost certainly sign it.
> 
> What does this mean for us? Two things I can think of: If this is passed in one sub-area, that
> might take pressure off of costs in another sub-area so available funding can go up. Also,
> sub-areas can "loan" money between each other, thus North King--which covers Seattle--could provide
> a mechanism for airport transit, for example. Related to Seattle specifically, this might push off
> talk of raising the Seattle-specific transportation benefit district tax since that would mean two
> transit tax votes either on the same ballot or in quick succession, and I don't know if that's
> politically feasible.
> 
> (I am also not a political strategist so maybe the latter is feasible? Seattle does love voting for
> transit, after all.)
> 
> Here's a map of the sub-areas in the ST district on page 6, notice how the airport is in a
> different one than Seattle. (I tried to attach it but the list software doesn't like bigger
> attachments :D)
> 
> https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5528&Year=2021&Initiative=false
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