December 11, 2000
Metro Transit Keeps Rolling – Council Okays Voter Approved Funding

The Metropolitan King County Council today gave its okay to the voter-approved funding package that saves Metro Transit from service cuts as a result of I-695.

"This keeps Metro one of the best bus systems in the country and allows us to provide more service to reduce congestion," said King County Councilmember Greg Nickels. "This is one of the most cost effective ways we can make our transportation systems work."

Nickels thanked six other members of the council who voted to put the measure before the public, including Councilmembers Pelz, Gossett, Fimia, Phillips, Sullivan, and Miller. He also thanked the legislature for providing one-time bridge funding to keep Metro operating at current levels and for providing the local option tax authority. The measure passed the Council today on an eleven-to-one vote.

The measure imposes a voter approved two-tenths of a percent sales tax increase. The increase will go into effect in April. The money collected from that sales tax will make up for the money King County lost as a result of the passage of Initiative 695. That measure eliminated the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax. Although courts later ruled the measure unconstitutional, the legislature also acted to eliminate the tax and set license fees at $30.

At the beginning of its meeting, the council accepted the certified results of November’s election. King County Proposition One passed with a 52.9% yes vote, winning by a margin of almost 43,000 votes. Nickels added, "The most thanks must go to the voters of King County who supported this bus system at the polls in November. They recognize the importance of a first-class mass transit system for this region."

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