PubliCola has the intel on the next group of Democrats:
TransportationClibborn [Mercer Island], Chair; Billig [Spokane], Vice Chair; Liias [Edmonds), Vice Chair; Eddy [Kirkland/Redmond]; Finn [Shelton]; Fitzgibbon [West Seattle/Burien]; Jinkins [Tacoma]; Ladenburg [Tacoma]; Moeller [Vancouver]; Morris [San Juans]; Moscoso [Bothell]; Reykdal [Olympia]; Rolfes [Bainbridge Island]; Ryu [Shoreline]; Takko [Aberdeen]; Upthegrove [Kent]
Overall, this is a very promising group. Of the 16, Liias, Fitzgibbon, and Reykdal received an exclusive STB endorsement in their elections, which signifies substantial agreement with our agenda. It’s good that these folks are finding their way onto this committee.
Chair Judy Clibborn, while in the past a de facto opponent of light rail over I-90, is generally understood in transportation policy circles to have improved considerably, and was honored as the guest speaker at the last Transportation Choices holiday party.
Among the rest: Moscoso is a former CT bus driver; Connie Ladenburg is the wife of former ST board chair John Ladenburg, whatever that’s worth; I’m hearing good things about Billig as a transit/bike/ped guy; Upthegrove has solid enviro credentials; and Eddy, while no ideologue, engages pretty well with transit advocates. So there’s a nice block of votes to get things like more Metro funding done, through probably not a more radical stop-greenhouse-gases agenda.
On the other hand, the problem in Olympia is no longer the House, but the Governor and Senate Transportation Chair Mary Margaret Haugen (D-Camano Island), who have blocked transit funding bills in consecutive years.
I don’t have much on the Republicans on the committee.
another thing of note, the only seattle rep on the committee is Rep Fitzgibbon of the 34th whose district also covers Burien.
Of course; his name rhymes with Gillig
How about the finding from the AG’s office on 1053 and ferry rate hikes having to go through the leg.?
And tolls? Will we take advantage of that silver lining that the lege has to cobble together a 2/3 majority in each house to impose the tolls?
This isn’t being reported very well… Tolls should be considered fees, and will only require a majority vote.
“nothing on Republicans”
Yes, very balanced “reporting” here…
haha, so true.
Each caucus publishes their own committee member list when they choose to do so.
Luis Moscoso was my regular driver when I lived in Edmonds twenty-eight years ago. Great news he’s in the legislature.
Mark Dublin