Latest resignation

But King County Councilman Rob McKenna, also a board member, said White's resignation was a smokescreen.

"People don't have low confidence in the light-rail project because of Bob White. They have low confidence because the project is over budget and over schedule. The problem is with the project itself," McKenna said. "Paul Bay was given an impossible task. When that was revealed, he resigned to take some of the heat.

"You can't put lipstick on a sow. And this project is a pig . . . and we haven't even started building it yet," said McKenna, who cast the sole vote of dissent earlier this month.

Another light-rail critic, King County Councilwoman Maggie Fimia, said the news about White doesn't bode well.

"A week after signing a contract with the federal government that says we've got a viable project, the director of the agency resigns. That should be a huge red flag that says they don't have a viable project. And Congress should really get the facts and figures before giving half a billion dollars to this agency," Fimia said.

-- (mark842@hotmail.com), January 24, 2001

Answers

The only redeeming feature of this debacle is that the firewalls erected to keep Seattle from getting everyone else to pay for their mistakes are, for the most part, holding. Of course the Seattle crowd is lamenting this "How can you have a REGIONAL system without the ENTIRE region paying for it?" Of course, they are the ones that put the sub-area equity formulas in place, knowing that it had failed three times without them.

-- (zowie@hotmail.com), January 27, 2001.

Just another day in the life of Sound Transit............................................

January 31, 2001

Bus tunnel deal may be revisited

By JOURNAL STAFF

SEATTLE -- A motion introduced before the King County Council would renegotiate the transfer of the Seattle bus tunnel to Sound Transit because of delays in the planned start of light rail service.

The motion--sponsored by Councilmembers Maggi Fimia, Rob McKenna and Chris Vance--would require a new transfer agreement that reimburses King County for additional costs incurred because of delay.

The additional costs include debt service on the tunnel itself, estimated at about $12 million annually, and the costs of keeping the hybrid electric/diesel buses currently used in the tunnel operational for an additional three years.

DJC

Wednesday, January 31, 2001

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF

Recently announced delays for Sound Transit's light-rail line could require renegotiating the transfer of the downtown bus tunnel from King County and cost the agency $60 million.

King County Council members Maggi Fimia, Chris Vance and Rob McKenna yesterday introduced a proposal to add $20 million annually to the current transfer agreement.

The delay would mean additional fuel consumption and maintenance costs associated with extending the use of existing buses that could cost $7.4 million more per year. In addition, continuation of debt-service payments will cost Metro about $28 million.

"King County's position hasn't changed," Vance said. "We are not opposed to the transfer, but we must be fully compensated for the value of the tunnel."

"We're trying to avoid a major financial hit to Metro," Fimia said. PI

-- (mark842@hotmail.com), January 31, 2001.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch........ Sound Transit, HOPING to survive a USDOTIG audit to get the $411 million left of the potential $500 million they HOPE to get from the federal government have decided to spend $1 million a year for the next 8 years lobbying the feds for that money. Talk about the law of diminishing returns.........They've spent $90 million of the money so far, without moving the first shovel full of dirt. They now want to give up another $10 million in lobbying efforts just to keep it coming. Talk about your high overhead operations.

But don't worry. Patrick (surely you remember Patrick) assured us that there's "another pot of money" out there that the feds are just dying to give us. I certainly hope they get it here fast. We seem to be in a death spiral here. More overhead, less money, more overhead, less money, etc.

Sound Transit may expand D.C. lobbying Friday, February 2, 2001 POST-INTELLIGENCER NEWS SERVICES Sound Transit would nearly double spending on lobbyists in Washington, D.C., under a proposal endorsed yesterday by the agency's finance committee. Joni Earl, Sound Transit's interim director, said the $550,000 increase in lobbying is needed to obtain annual grant appropriations, keep abreast of a review of the agency's light-rail project and track other developments. King County Councilman Rob McKenna said, "We're voting for this increase without an explanation of why these are the appropriate firms for the job and the reason for the specific amount."

-- (mark842@hotmail.com), February 02, 2001.

Sometimes, the new just speaks for itself:

A $122,000 inducement Seattle Times staff and news services SEATTLE - Sound Transit yesterday agreed to pay its acting light-rail director $122,000 if he stays on for another two months. Lyndon "Tuck" Wilson took over in November after Paul Bay, the former department head, resigned. Wilson will have been paid $221,000 when his contract expires in March. Bay made $125,000 a year. In other action yesterday, the Sound Transit board: Created a 13-member technical committee to advise the board of directors on the light-rail project, which is $1 billion over budget and three years behind schedule. Charley Royer, a former mayor of Seattle, will be the chairman. Royer and Sound Transit Board Chairman Dave Earling will appoint members. Tentatively approved changing the light-rail route to run along I-5 through Tukwila.A final decision is expected after environmental studies are completed. The change could add up to $45 million to the project. The agency is trying to cut costs in other areas.

-- (mark842@hotmail.com), February 09, 2001.

Let's see, Mark, that's $221,000 for the first five months (about $44,000 a month) and $122,000 for an additional two months ($61,000 a month).

And for this, you get ...........................???

-- (zowie@hotmail.com), February 09, 2001.