Sound Transit weighs new ballot issue
Many details remain to be worked out by board
Sound Transit officials are considering putting another transit-expansion measure on the ballot in the urban areas of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.
The major question is when.
Voters rejected a $47 billion measure in November that would have expanded light rail service to Redmond, Tacoma and Mill Creek and would have built 186 miles of new highway lanes and ramps.
Sound Transit staff members said Thursday that they hoped the board will decide by March whether to put another proposal to a vote in 2008.
Sound board members, who are locally elected officials from the three counties, said a new package would have to be smaller to get voter approval. But what gets cut and whether there's time to substitute new projects remain undecided.
Given time constraints and looming issues such as replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct, board members interviewed Thursday said they were uncertain whether a new package could be on the ballot this year.
"If you want to spend other people's money, you've got to do it right," said King County Executive Ron Sims, a Sound Transit board member.
Continue reading this article from the Seattle P-I:
Sound Transit weighs new ballot issue
