Mass Transit Now

Leave Your Own Endorsement of Proposition 1!

Because our campaign is about you, we encourage everyone to post their personal endorsements in the form below.

Your Online Endorsements

• Tim Whittome's endorsement
  November 4th at 12:26 pm

  Vote yes - Sound Transit is an agency that was established to work on finding regional solutions to regional problems. Building more light rail is a regional answer to regional problems. Buses work fine in certain corridors and are flexible at shifting with population changes in the community, but they are not as predicatable, as environmental or as reliable as trains which run on dedicated rights of way to strict schedules. Plus think of all the construction dollars flowing through the area - it will be our own new deal!

  Vote yes, and lets get this thing moving!!

• Phillip Yin's endorsement
  November 3rd at 10:13 am

  Vote Yes

• Dale Menchhofer's endorsement
  October 31st at 8:42 am

  Take it from a transportation wonk: The argument that buses can do the job better and cheaper is only true in the short term. It all falls to pieces when actual ridership on light rail greatly exceeds what buses would carry for the same price. This will happen far sooner than the ridership forecast indicates. The additions to light rail that are proposed are light rail in name only. It will actually function like a subway, that is, fast, with no stoplights or traffic to slow it down. Just think about how many hours a day our freeways, and even our HOV lanes, get clogged up. Why on earth wouldn’t large numbers of people choose to bypass the mess, and get where they are going quicker?

  Sound Transit is required to use a federal ridership forecasting model which consistently underestimates actual ridership. In a couple cities which recently launched light rail, actual ridership was 67% higher than forecast. I expect our light rail to exceed even that, for good reason. The official estimate of increase in daily riders due to building what is proposed is 62,000. That number is the whole foundation for the notion that buses would be better, but that estimate is severely lowballed. Mark my words, we will exceed that many riders on the east leg alone, and again on the north extension. A more accurate estimate of the additional riders is probably closer to 140,000. To carry that many additional riders by bus would require an additional tax equal to half the rate in the Sound Transit proposal. In the short term, that’s cheaper, but such a tax would have to be permanent. To use a housing analogy, it makes far more sense to buy a house than to keep paying high rent forever. Proposition 1 is a good bargain.

  If you still aren’t convinced, look at actual bus rapid transit (BRT) systems elsewhere in the US. Los Angeles and Houston have extensive BRT networks, with the first and second highest ridership in the country, respectively. Total ridership for either one is below our low light rail ridership forecast. How have these cities chosen to respond? Houston has started the most aggressive light rail construction program in the country. LA is not far behind, with two light rail projects under construction, and 5 additional rail projects in their plans.

• Michael Diddams's endorsement
  October 30th at 7:42 pm

  As an engineering student its in my self interest to promote innovative public projects like this. Also consider how far behind our metropolitan area is in transportation compared to most others. This is an important change for the culture of Seattle and the surrounding area.

• Kevin S's endorsement
  October 26th at 6:44 pm

  I grew up in Seattle and moved to portland in December of 2007. The economy is not as I expected, but I can’t justify moving back to Seattle with out mass transit. The cost of living is Seattle is high enough, with out the cost of fuel, automotive payments, insurance, registration, and maintenance. I want to move back, but I simply cannot afford it.

• Kevin Taylor's endorsement
  October 20th at 11:01 am

  It is imperative that we not let this vote slip by again. The focus is ultimately on the economy, but the mobility that Prop. 1 provides is well worth the taxes. If voters are waiting for this to be free, then we’ll never have it. If voters are waiting for it to be less expensive, then we’ll never have it. My party (Republican) idiotically thinks cars and roads are the ultimate freedom experience, and should be favored over rail transit. They are afraid of losing their ability to file into parking lots and clog roads. They say, “Rail won’t reach me.” It would have already been there if we had said yes years ago. Four million people live in the metro with another million expected in the next twenty-two years. Now is not our last chance, but it is our current chance. It is our cheapest chance. It is our best chance to get it right.

• Matthew Fero's endorsement
  October 19th at 1:01 pm

  Three good reasons to support Prop 1:

  1. Its Cheap.
  The average Puget Sound household spends $8200 per year for automobile expenditures. It makes sense to support proposition 1 for less than 2% of what we already pay for our cars.

  2. It makes economic sense.
  In economic hard times there is no better investment than local infrastructure projects. Such projects ensure the flow of money through the local economy and provides good quality jobs. The Golden Gate Bridge and Hoover dam are examples of infrastructure projects during the great depression that kept people employed and, in the long run, provided enormous returns on there investment.

  3. Its good for the environment
  Automobiles are the number one cause of air pollution and water pollution (in terms of urban runoff) affecting the Puget Sound area, not to mention our chief source of CO2 production effecting global warming. The person who cares enough about these issues to drive a hybrid vehicle should care even more about supporting Proposition 1.

  4. Its good for transportation
  Unlike buses and cars light rail moves people without adding more congestion to the roads. Light rail is most effective as urban areas mature and reach higher population densities. This means that Prop 1 will become more effective as time goes by. Our streets are already jammed by busses trying to make their stops. More busses on the streets is inevitable but will further snarl city traffic.

• Benjamin Hart's endorsement
  October 17th at 6:44 pm

  Vote for transit. Invest in Seattle’s future!

• andres's endorsement
  October 16th at 3:08 pm

  The Time is Now. Not only will this package bring in thousands of jobs into the area when we need it most, it is an effecient and effective way of looking at our future communities. Vote Yes on Prop 1.

• JesseJB's endorsement
  October 16th at 12:40 pm

  One argument I keep hearing against Prop 1 is from people who rely on their vehicle for work like construction workers, painters, etc who will not benefit from light rail when they need to get to work. All I have to say is, imagine how many office workers, etc, will be off the freeways during rush once they can just hop the train to work. You will get to your destination a lot faster than you do now. You WILL benefit from this one way or another.

• Jennifer Lamson's endorsement
  October 14th at 9:54 pm

  I am the mother of 3 young children and I want to be able to look them in the eye some day and tell them that yes, our generation had the foresight and the fortitude to get an effective mass transit system going in this region and that is why you have the option of taking the train to your job, your university or your friend’s house. So I am voting YES on Prop. 1!

• James B's endorsement
  October 14th at 2:51 pm

  Come on Seattle. Get with it! Vote YES on Prop 1!

  You “No on Prop 1” naysayers are what is wrong with Seattle and why this city STILL doesn’t have a decent public transit system. There is never a perfect plan when government is involved. And admittedly, this plan is not perfect. Neither is Sound Transit. Far from it. However, this childish attitude of “I want my cake but I only want it if it directly benefits me now and I don’t want to pay for it” will not move this city forward. If Seattle is to attract residents and business from outside the Northwest, then we need to start acting like a world class city. Overcrowded buses that are never on time because they are stuck in traffic is not world class. It’s bush league. As someone who has lived elsewhere where they have decent public transit (Boston and the UK), having rail-based transportation is critical to an efficient public transportation system. This is not to say that buses have no place. They are part of the package but they can’t be the only piece. All you have to do is look at our current bus-only system. Is it efficient? No: Buses rarely run on time, stop too much and take much longer than driving. Is it reliable? No: buses are usually late, don’t run often enough and get stuck in traffic, HOV lanes or not. Is it cost effective? No: Buses don’t move enough people for their cost. Let’s not look at this as simply a referendum on light rail. It’s a regional transportation system, with multiple spokes - buses, streetcars, commuter and light rail. Working together, the transportation options are increased ten-fold. We cannot afford to wait. Public works cost money. Usually a lot more money than they are supposed to. But without significant investment in this city’s transportation infrastructure, business and jobs are going to start going elsewhere. . . like to Portland. Where, unbelievably, they are years ahead of Seattle in transportation and actually seem to get it. Wake up Seattle. Vote yes on Prop 1!

• James's endorsement
  October 14th at 10:53 am

  I’m 25 years old and will be paying for this for years. I think it’s a good deal, and I want to be able to take light rail with my kids and tell them that I supported getting it built. My generation supports this. Old dudes should stop telling us no - it’s time to build something good and right. Get out of our way.

• HDR Engineering, Inc.'s endorsement
  October 14th at 9:32 am

  With declining gas tax revenues, and no federal help in sight, this funding will not only bring major transit improvements to the Puget Sound Area, but provide an immediate economic stimulus. It is projected that this package will generate over $17 billion of economic activity and more than 25,000 jobs over the course of the program. This is a badly needed investment, and I strongly urge you to support this ballot question.

• Donna Greathouse's endorsement
  October 13th at 6:14 pm

  As a 6th grader I wrote a paper supporting light rail and extending the “mono-rail” around the entire region. 42 years later I am still in favor of a regional mass transit system. The past is unchangeable; acting now is what we must do. Voting to support mass transit is the only reasonable option.

• Michael Garrity's endorsement
  October 13th at 8:15 am

  We need more alternatives to driving. Let’s get on with it!

• Morgan Alexander, Tacoma Streetcar's endorsement
  October 12th at 11:42 am

  If not now, when? This should have been done 30 years ago. A real no-brainer!

• Ted Weinberg's endorsement
  October 10th at 10:49 pm

  I’ve lived in the Seattle area for 40 years and watched one transportaion measure after another get voted down by slim majorities who don’t want their taxes increased.

  But the tide is finally turning. Gas prices are soaring, rush-hours are lengthening, air quality is declining, and bus ridership is approaching capacity. At some point the combined effect of these factors makes it more expensive to vote No than to vote Yes. Are we at that tipping point? I believe we are.

  This measure strikes the right balance between short-term relief (more buses and sounder trains) and long-term investment (light rail). Everybody reading this endorsement should find and convince at least five undecided voters to vote for the Sound Transit Proposition 1. We need Mass Transit Now!

• Stephen Fesler's endorsement
  October 10th at 1:34 am

  I wish I could vote on this, but I’m endorsing it all the same for the sake of our region!

• Eric Dahlke's endorsement
  October 9th at 10:03 pm

  Fiscally, I’m conservative and I take the bus to work already. My taxes are already too high, but I will vote in favor of a tax increase if that is what it takes to fund this effort. It is that important to me.

• Karen Harbaugh's endorsement
  October 9th at 2:59 pm

  Frankly, I don’t care whether the Puget Sound area is behind other areas in mass transit. I don’t care about “mass transit status.” I want practical solutions to everyday problems.

  Well, we’re going into an economic slump. But I also know that effective transportation is key to building prosperity. History shows us that businesses grow in areas where the transport of goods and people are easiest. In addition, such public works projects bring jobs to an area in a time when people are being laid off. Yes, it’ll mean higher taxes, and I don’t like paying taxes any more than anyone else. Possibly less. But I’m looking to the future and thinking maybe I can give up a little to help the region prosper in a difficult economic time.

  Looking back to prior eras of economic depression, public works projects helped sustain people through the hard times.

  So yes, I’m voting for Prop 1.

• Christine Eggers's endorsement
  October 8th at 9:31 am

  Issaquah City Council (Resolution In Support was Approved 10/6/2008)

• Garry E. Horvitz, PE, LEG's endorsement
  October 6th at 9:25 pm

  I support Proposition 1

• Desiree B. Leigh's endorsement
  October 5th at 5:50 pm

  It’s time to move forward on mass transit!

• Fred Munson's endorsement
  October 1st at 3:24 pm

  I lived in New York City and in Washington DC and used public transportation (subways) every single day. When I think about the folks urging us to vote “no” on Prop 1, all I can think of is thank god the leaders in NYC and Washington DC had the foresight decades ago to plan and build subway systems to benefit the citizens in those cities for generations to come. Now it’s our turn. Do we really think it will get cheaper or easier to build these systems later on? People living here 20, 50, and 100 years from now will either thank us for our foresight or curse us for shortsightedness. Vote for our future, vote yes on Prop 1!!!

• Eric Evans's endorsement
  October 1st at 12:31 pm

  Seattle is ALREADY behind in transit, why push it back any further? This is what the Seattle area needs now! Vote YES on Proposition 1 for our region’s success!

• Jon Lejeune's endorsement
  September 23rd at 7:37 pm

  Be SMART and vote Yes on Proposition 1. It’s an opportunity for the eastide and long overdue and will compliment our existing infrastructure. No single plan can solve all the issues. Here’s what we need more of on the eastside and it’s not roads:
  1. More bike trails
  2. More walking paths and trails for pedestrians
  3. Light rail
  4. More people car pooling

• Winston Smith's endorsement
  September 22nd at 4:09 pm

  Portland and Vancouver BC figured it out… let’s hope Seattle can too!

• Sara Nelson's endorsement
  September 22nd at 11:08 am

  “More buses” is not the solution. Buses pollute, get stuck in traffic, and they generate increased road maintenance requirements — and Seattle alone is already struggling with a maintenance backlog of almost $500 million. We can’t pave our way out of this problem — mass transit now!

• Dick Burkhart's endorsement
  September 19th at 12:03 pm

  Finally, a big step in the right direction: Our long term goal must be to electrify most transportation in the Puget Sound area, using renewable energy to generate the electricity.

• agh's endorsement
  September 18th at 10:29 pm

  This is the time -
  This is the plan -
  We can’t wait another 40 years!

• Jon Morgan's endorsement
  September 17th at 4:32 pm

  This is absolutely critical to the region’s future. We need a rail network to give us transportation options that shield us from rising oil and gas prices, that attract more ridership than buses–drawing people out of their cars, that slash travel times, and that promote compact development that is walkable, bikeable, and conserves land outside the metropolitan area. This is 40 years overdue, and the investment we make now will return over 700%.

• Schroeder's endorsement
  September 16th at 12:28 pm

  This plan will serve our regional community well and benefit generations to come. No longer will people be forced to drive between Lynnwood, Bellevue, Seattle, and Federal Way. This is a good investment for our future and our children’s future. This system will also serve as a good backbone for future additions into other areas of service as the demand increases.

  Vote Yes!

• Chris Mobley's endorsement
  September 16th at 10:52 am

  Quality Mass Transit, like the plan offered in this years proposition, is one of the best ways to help reduce the burden of high gas prices and car costs on Puget Sound working families.Voting yes on Prop. 1 means less time stuck in traffic, and more time with your family. Voting yes means less money spent on gas and more money in your pocket. Vote yes for Change!

• Steve Deering's endorsement
  September 16th at 9:02 am

  Prop 1 will finally bring affordable rapid transit to the Puget Sound region. Vote YES!

• Nathan Olson's endorsement
  September 15th at 9:37 pm

  As a Young Democrat and 19yr old Washington voter, I look forward to voting to move our transportation system and light rail systems forward! I hope all of my fellow Young Democrats across our great State will join me in voting for Prop 1, because it is critical transportation investment our region and state needs for our future! It is a great and well thought out package that will have huge benefits for our citizens and tourists who visit our state in the years to come. Yes on Prop 1!!

• Lucas Smith's endorsement
  September 15th at 9:05 pm

  It’s about time the Seattle area got effective mass transit. Commutes don’t look like they’ll get any better, what with rising gas prices and increasing congestion. Prop. 1 gives us a great opportunity to improve life in the Puget Sound region.

• Julie Enevoldsen's endorsement
  September 15th at 8:53 pm

  This region must develop the light rail backbone that will make transit efficient and practical.

• Edwin Lambert's endorsement
  September 15th at 8:23 pm

  It is time to vote for MASS TRANSIT NOW!! Every time we wait it will cost more. The time is NOW to vote. I will vote yes on TRANSIT!!

• Michael O'Brien's endorsement
  September 15th at 2:04 am

  Seattle needs transit, we’re way behind other cities. If Salt Lake City - where I’m from - can get it together, we should be able to here.

• Andrew Smith's endorsement
  September 11th at 3:39 pm

  We need mass transit as soon as possible. We’re decades behind most regions our size and age, and we have the traffic to show for our delay.