A Citizen's Initiative To Build Streetcars?
The City Council today heard a very brief statement from the City Manager regarding a citizen’s initiative submitted a few weeks ago that looks to create a Transportation Benefit District and bring streetcars back to Tacoma.
What’d he say? Well … Let’s start with the press release:
Citizens Initiative Submitted To Build Tacoma Streetcar System
(Tacoma, WA)- On February 11, a group calling itself The Committee to Build the Streetcar submitted a citizens petition to the City of Tacoma. The petition was written by longtime streetcar advocates Chris Karnes and Morgan Alexander. Among the goals of the petition are an expanded Tacoma LINK line up Sixth Avenue, the purchase and restoration of an original streetcar that once ran in Tacoma, and the creation of a Transit Commission to help the city make the plan happen.
Funding for the plan would come from a relatively new mechanism called a Transportation Benefit District. Funding would come from a .2 cents per $10 dollar purchase sales tax within the Transportation Benefit District. Currently, Tacoma does not have a Transportation Benefit District.
In 2008, Tacoma residents approved the Sound Transit ST2 ballot measure, which provides over $80 million in matching funds for expanding Tacoma LINK. Those funds have been accumulating for about a year.
The organizers of Tacoma’s “Build the Streetcar!” initiative hope their effort will result in a similar success. “There are a lot of different pieces in play right now,” said Alexander. “There’s ST2, Pierce Transit doing some major introspection, and the City Manager has been busy lining up partners and funding. We feel the time is right for city residents to get involved and help create something amazing for Tacoma’s future.
The organizers will need to gather over 4,000 signatures by the end of summer. An organizing kick-off party is planned for late March.
Those seeing to help gather signatures should contact the organizers: Chris Karnes at 253-267-3754 or Morgan Alexander at 253-228-7271. Or visit their website www.BuildTheStreetcar.com
That took some significant work … However, what we heard in today’s meeting is that the legality of the initiative is very much in question. What’s at issue? Two things came up in our brief hallway conversations:
1) Transportation Benefit Districts can only be created by the legislative authority of a county or city.
2) Without knowing the specifics ourselves, it was stated that the initiative imparts powers to the City Council that it can’t be given.
This Council is one of the most transportation progressive councils Tacoma has ever seen. Maybe there’s another way to get there … We’ll see where this goes next.
Filed under: General
14 comments
N Nick February 24, 2010
It sounds to me like after some tweaking, this should be a fairly modest hurdle. Yay streetcars! Let’s make it happen!
T Tacoma1 February 24, 2010
These things can be quite complicated. Lot’s of legal and politcal stuff to deal with. The guys at Transportation Choices Coalition may be worth consulting with.
E Elliot February 24, 2010
I’m going to start a citizen initiative called “Build the Pierce Transit #1 Bus Line!” Seriously guys, this is absolutely a ridiculous use of millions of dollar that this city quite frankly needs to spend elsewhere. Schools and air quality come to mind first. There’s a reason all your friends in Seattle think you’re silly for living in Tacoma, and it’s not that we don’t have a streetcar.
In closing, get over your prejudices and get on the bus. It’s there today and it works.
E Erik B. February 24, 2010
Whether it is by initiative or by action by the City Council, the streetcar issue needs to move forward.
Let’s start talking about implementation and timelines.
T Tacoma1 February 24, 2010
Elliot,
1) The Tacoma voter’s just gave the school board all the funds they asked for. So the Schools are covered.
2) Electric street cars produce no end user air pollution, buses and cars do. So the street cars can be part of the solution to our air pollution problem.
3) The voter’s should get a chance to decide if they want street cars. I’m a yes vote, I guess I can assume that you’ll be a no vote.
J John Idstrom February 24, 2010
OK, not wanting to hi-jack the thread, but the the statement “the schools are covered” should pretty much never be uttered in Tacoma. Tonight I got a call from Dan Voepel (recorded) telling me that no fewer that four (4) middle schools ranked in the bottom five (5) percent of Washington state schools. Lee, Stewart, Giadrone, Stewart.
WTeff? We may have approved a couple of replacement levies, but our schools, regardless of how far you stretch your imagination, are not “covered.”
T Tacoma1 February 24, 2010
John
I vote yes for every school levy and bond issue that comes up. They can always ask me for more if they need it. I’m sure that I’ll say yes again.
J John Idstrom February 24, 2010
Tacoma1: bless you. I wish we had more like you. For the alternative viewpoint, see TNT reader comments.
C Chris K. February 24, 2010
The extension of Tacoma LINK is an issue that has not principally moved forward in the last twelve months. We have approached several Councilmembers before about this issue, several times, including Jake Fey, the chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee. Build the Streetcar is interested in moving the discussion forward into alternatives analysis, engineering, and timelines.
We knew that when we submitted the initiative that a transportation benefit district can only be created by the City Council. That’s an authority given to them by law.
As for the other assertion, I can’t speak to that. I meet with the City Attorney tomorrow.
There is some urgency for getting the groundwork started for this project as soon as possible. If the City Council would like to assist in this process and accelerate the timeline that we have put on the table, we would be very glad to work with them.
Y You're Welcome February 24, 2010
Yup! Because throwing more tax money at schools really works. Tacoma leads by example on that one.
Here’s an idea: if your kid doesn’t at least get a C- average, your tax break for having babies goes to the schools. All in favor?
Oh, and supper sweet on the streetcars. Something that might actually show a return on my investment.
G gritcitygirl February 24, 2010
All forward movement on the Streetcar line is dependent on an Alternatives Analysis being done. It’s expensive. Someone has to pay for it. Once that is done everything else can go.
I’d like to see the organizers figure out the legal issues BEFORE turning it in to a big public debacle. I’m all for citizens lighting a fire under the politicians behind, but at least know what you are talking about it.
So who’s got the cash to pay for the Alternative’s Analysis?
D dolly varden February 24, 2010
@8: Please don’t see TNT reader comments (on almost any subject). They’ll make you want to jump off the Murray Morgan bridge.
@3: we already sunk a bunch of $ into the existing Tacoma Link, and voted for and are paying for a big ST match that we won’t get if we don’t pony up. I’d like to see the LINK worth riding, which it would be if it made it to 6th. I can generally get where I’m going along the existing LINK route faster (including wait time) by walking briskly. It’s kind of like the Monorail, which is not why I think my friends who live in Seattle are silly to live there.
D Douglas Tooley February 24, 2010
There are other alternatives to the Sixth Avenue extension that merit consideration, missing that is the City’s responsibility.
Congrats to Morgan and Chris for taking this on – the issue will, if nonetheless, make open what heretofore has been quite private, and quite unproductive.
Oh yeah, Watch Out for Guido!
C crenshaw sepulveda February 24, 2010
Has Seattle given us permission to have streetcars?