Comments on: Endorsements?

By: Seattle Transit Blog » STB Anti-Endorsements

Seattle Transit Blog » STB Anti-Endorsements — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 06:01:40 +0000

[...] I mentioned recently, we sought to endorse candidates for Tuesday’s primary that had taken a strong stand for [...]

By: Morgan Wick

Morgan Wick — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:27:43 +0000

Would you consider endorsing someone other than Gregoire and Rossi in the governor race, since they’re lukewarm at best on rail (and Rossi is far worse)?

By: jenG

jenG — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:43:41 +0000

You should endorse Marko Liias in the 21st district. His website doesn’t have issues listed (www.markoliias.com), but he’s supportive of mass transit, light rail, etc.

His opponent basically supports more roads and Eyman’s initiative (www.funk4rep.com, “using new anti-gridlock strategies, synchronizing traffic lights…. alleviate congestion… will not support the implementation of tolls”).

By: ericn

ericn — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:58:01 +0000

In the 41st District state senate race you should endorse Fred Jarrett. I can’t find any detailed info transportation issues on his website, but when I talked to him before the last election he sounded supportive. His opponent Bob Baker is a member of the Eastside Transportation Association, has an endorsement from Kemper Freeman on the flyer I got in the mail, and seems to think that even buses are a waste of money (http://www.voteforbaker.com/issues.shtml).

The 41st includes most of South Bellevue and Mercer Island, so having a supportive legislator would be really good for East Link.

By: Zach

Zach — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:50:52 +0000

Take a good look at Rodney Tom and Harry Mar. Last year I met with a wide array of representatives (or at the federal level, their staff), from Nickels & Sims to Eddy, Inslee, etc. The point of the discussion was to get the ball rolling on changes in the state constitution so that the state could fund lite rail. At the federal level I wanted highway funding and rail funding to be lopped into the same bucket, which would not only immediately open up staggering amounts of money to rail construction, but would be a better use of taxpayer money (in that grants would not discriminate on the method of transportation, but awarded strictly on the basis of which transpotation projects best met established criterion in design, planning, community support, etc.).

Nickels and Tom were the biggest supporters of rail, with Tom agreeing that changes had to be made at the state level.

I throw in Mar because, if I understand correctly, Spokane is supposed to be looking at either lite rail (to run to Cour de’Lene) or surface trams. I never talked to him directly, but he has commented before that the new state divide is not East-West, but urban vs. rural, and I think he is referring in part to rail funding. My impression, average Joe citizen.

By: Skippy

Skippy — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:41:48 +0000

Who are your editorial board members?