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Inside Scoop from Councilmember Jan Drago
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Streetcar Forums
In July, the City Council hosted a series of Streetcar Forums to help gauge public interest in an expanded Streetcar network. These forums were advertised in the daily papers as well as neighborhood newsletters and on local television stations. Each was held in a neighborhood in which a new line would potentially run: Downtown, Ballard, University District, and First Hill. With over 200 people attending the meetings, the Drago office heard a variety of comments, and many questions. For a full overview of what I heard there, please visit my web site.
A brief summary of the feedback:
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- Ballard and Downtown were the two neighborhoods most receptive to expansion
- Many wondered about cost comparisons for buses versus Streetcars
- Others asked whether the line locations were fixed or whether they could be tweaked
On July 29th the Transportation Committee was presented with an overview of the Streetcar forums. Councilmembers were given the opportunity to hear about what was said there, and then offer their own feedback. The next step will be to take information from a Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) study on Streetcar network feasibility and funding, our own Central Staff Analysts’ information, and the communities’ input, then solidify and prioritize lines on a Network Map. I expect to introduce a Resolution confirming the map within the next couple of Transportation Committee meetings. This map will guide future Streetcar expansion if and when there is funding and a neighborhood is ready to move forward with construction.
Please click here for more information on the proposed Streetcar Network map and SDOT’s study.
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Helsinki/Reykjavik Trip
This past May, I was among a large Sister Cities delegation to Helsinki, Finland and Reykjavik, Iceland. While both cities are a part of our Sister Cities program, no Seattle delegation had ever made its way to Reykjavik, so it was a very special inaugural visit. Councilmember Tom Rasmussen traveled to both cities, and Councilmember Tim Burgess accompanied us to Helsinki. It was a fascinating trip, and I had the pleasure of meeting Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, the President of Iceland, as well as Jussi Pajunen, the Mayor of the City of Helsinki, Finland.
One of the most fascinating tours I gave me a good look at how Iceland harnesses Geothermal energy to heat and power their homes. A country of entirely volcanic soil, Iceland has a great deal of heat and power steaming up through the surface. What a creative, earth-friendly way to provide electricity to a city! I have asked our own City Light Department to give me information on whether or not this kind of natural energy is available for us here in Seattle, too.
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Support More Transit Now
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The Sound Transit Board voted unanimously to submit a ballot measure to the voters in November 2008 to expand commuter trains, buses, and light rail in the central Puget Sound Region. I support this measure. This level of investment is warranted to address the high-capacity transit needs of our ever-growing region.
I understand the implications of additional taxes but our transportation problems are not getting smaller or going away, and delaying action will only make the solutions more expensive. Seattle will greatly benefit by converting over 50% of our single occupancy drivers to transit commuters during peak hours. This measure is a real win for Seattle. For these reasons, I support the investment now and hope Seattle voters will too!
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Car-Free Days
This summer Seattleites experienced some of our streets from a different perspective. We opened our streets to bikes, pedestrians, rollerblades, and skates. Three Car Free Days were planned as great opportunities for families to enjoy our streets, meet neighbors, and build-community. I hope you decided to take a day off from your car this summer and joined us at one of the three Car Free Days in Seattle. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the Car Free Days and seeing if this is a program to expand next year.
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Scooter Update
With gas prices rising and congestion worsening, more people are turning to two-wheel vehicles as an option for getting around and we at City Hall are doing are part to make it easier. Councilmember Clark and I sponsored legislation to make it illegal to move a scooter on city-owned property. If a person moves a scooter to take a parking space, they can be fined. We are also working with Seattle Department of Transportation to identify locations to convert single car spaces to two-wheel spaces.
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SR 520 Tolling Discussions
A Tolling Committee has been appointed by the State Legislature and is comprised of Bob Drewel, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Regional Council, Paulla Hammond, Secretary of Transportation, and Dick Ford, Chair of the Washington State Transportation Committee. The committee was created to evaluate tolling options for the 520, listen to feedback from those impacted by tolls, and submit a report to the governor and Legislature in January 2009.
I support tolling as a way to build and maintain the SR 520 bridge. Tolling of SR 520 should also generate on-going funding for transit operations as part of what should be regarded as a basic/core operations of the new corridor.
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Council vote on plastic bag fee ignites a firestorm of protest
On July 28th, the Council voted 6-1 to place a 20 cent fee on plastic and paper grocery bags. I voted against it. I would support a total ban on plastic bags, but I opposed this particular ordinance because:
- I am philosophically opposed to the City making money with this ordinance. This measure will require that Seattle Public Utilities hire two new employees to track the 15-cent fee per bag which will be sent to City coffers, at a time when the City’s 2009 budget is facing cutting positions elsewhere and will require that the affected businesses be burdened with having to track and remit yet another fee (read "tax") to the City.
- I am concerned that in these tough economic times with high gasoline prices, ever-increasing food costs, and homes lost through mortgage defaults, Seattle residents concerned about a how to take care of their families and whether or not we're going to have a recession. We are already asking a lot of taxpayers with levies on November's ballot for parks, Pike Place Market improvements and Sound Transit expansion (which I feel is the most important levy on the ballot).
As a former school teacher, I know that behavior modification is more quickly achieved and maintained through positive reinforcement rather than negative. Seattleites have been very good historically on recycling when asked, and many of the comments I received in opposition to this bill touched on this, basically saying "Ask us – don’t tell us!"
Little did I suspect what a reaction this vote would generate. I received more than 400 e-mails from people on both sides of this issue, but I am amazed at the level of anger among those who oppose it.
And apparently that anger is widespread, because a campaign to put on the ballot a referendum to overturn this ordinance gathered - in only seven days - more than the number of signatures needed.
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