Comments on: We Will Be Voting on the Monorail in November http://2045seattle.org/monorail/voting-in-november/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:38:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Christian http://2045seattle.org/monorail/voting-in-november/#comment-77 Christian Wed, 31 Aug 2005 05:37:59 +0000 http://2045seattle.org/?p=37#comment-77 It's tough to tell if the mayor is softening his position or not, but it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. Clearly though, the mayor was spending some of his political capital to push around the monorail board, which has very little. My understanding as to what the legislature can do includes the ability to dissolve the agency should January come and we don't have a signed contract. I've had this confirmed by multiple people and, as a result, it's my big fear right now. Regardless of whether there is a specific monorail issue on the ballot this fall, the monorail is still on the ballot in the form of which representatives get elected to both the monorail board and the city council. It’s tough to tell if the mayor is softening his position or not, but it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out. Clearly though, the mayor was spending some of his political capital to push around the monorail board, which has very little.

My understanding as to what the legislature can do includes the ability to dissolve the agency should January come and we don’t have a signed contract. I’ve had this confirmed by multiple people and, as a result, it’s my big fear right now.

Regardless of whether there is a specific monorail issue on the ballot this fall, the monorail is still on the ballot in the form of which representatives get elected to both the monorail board and the city council.

]]> By: David Sucher http://2045seattle.org/monorail/voting-in-november/#comment-76 David Sucher Tue, 30 Aug 2005 19:51:13 +0000 http://2045seattle.org/?p=37#comment-76 Quote from P-I: "We did not change the mayor's position," Ceis said. "They will give us something by the 15th." If the monorail doesn't do that, Nickels has said the city could refuse to grant permits the agency needs to build the line -- effectively killing the project. To me it sounds like the Mayor is blowing smoke. On what legal grounds would he refuse? Giving out permits is not a political decision but a legal one. More importantly, the SMP doesn't want the permits until it has the financing settled! The Mayor is acting very odd. And, btw, whatlegal or political reasons would the State Legislature have to dissolve the SMP? The SMP has plenty of money to fight any ensuing court battles. It is to no one's political advantage to precipitate a fight. My message to the Mayor: "Tough love, yes. Bullying, no." Quote from P-I:

“We did not change the mayor’s position,” Ceis said. “They will give us something by the 15th.” If the monorail doesn’t do that, Nickels has said the city could refuse to grant permits the agency needs to build the line — effectively killing the project.

To me it sounds like the Mayor is blowing smoke.

On what legal grounds would he refuse? Giving out permits is not a political decision but a legal one.

More importantly, the SMP doesn’t want the permits until it has the financing settled!

The Mayor is acting very odd.

And, btw, whatlegal or political reasons would the State Legislature have to dissolve the SMP? The SMP has plenty of money to fight any ensuing court battles. It is to no one’s political advantage to precipitate a fight.

My message to the Mayor:

“Tough love, yes. Bullying, no.”

]]> By: Swede http://2045seattle.org/monorail/voting-in-november/#comment-70 Swede Thu, 18 Aug 2005 16:19:53 +0000 http://2045seattle.org/?p=37#comment-70 Ok, so now we know truncating the line doesn't make it financially. This new ED seems to have some monorail and mass transit experience. So now what? Reprocurement? Ok, so now we know truncating the line doesn’t make it financially. This new ED seems to have some monorail and mass transit experience. So now what? Reprocurement?

]]> By: Swede http://2045seattle.org/monorail/voting-in-november/#comment-69 Swede Thu, 18 Aug 2005 16:18:41 +0000 http://2045seattle.org/?p=37#comment-69 Ok, so now we know truncating the line doesn't make it financially. This new ED seems to have some monorail and mass transit experience. Maybe he can help guide them to a rebid. Ok, so now we know truncating the line doesn’t make it financially. This new ED seems to have some monorail and mass transit experience. Maybe he can help guide them to a rebid.

]]> By: Swede http://2045seattle.org/monorail/voting-in-november/#comment-67 Swede Wed, 17 Aug 2005 22:31:55 +0000 http://2045seattle.org/?p=37#comment-67 Shouldn't have to take more. Take what SMP has already red-lined with Cascadia, run the RFQ concurrent with the issueance of the RFP, require the bidders to fast track their responses. If the agency has a vialble rebid process going on, the Legislature won't step in. Furthermore, let's say we go to a vote for a shorten route and it passes. Odds are you're still going to have to issue a new RFP and rebid. So you that much further behind. Now I suppose you could try to railroad a shorten proposal through SMP without a rebid or public vote. You'll most certainly end up in court, as the initiative calls for development of "a 14-mile" system -- not a portion of it. Furthermore, the City Council will have to modify the Transit Way Agreement. And how many votes to you count for that? Right now, I count at least six Councilmembers opposed to a truncated project. And given how they might feel about getting jammed? I bet you could add one or two more. That brings you to perhaps a 8-1 vote to kill the TWA -- which kills the project. We need a Monorail. Rebid or die. Shouldn’t have to take more. Take what SMP has already red-lined with Cascadia, run the RFQ concurrent with the issueance of the RFP, require the bidders to fast track their responses. If the agency has a vialble rebid process going on, the Legislature won’t step in.

Furthermore, let’s say we go to a vote for a shorten route and it passes. Odds are you’re still going to have to issue a new RFP and rebid. So you that much further behind.

Now I suppose you could try to railroad a shorten proposal through SMP without a rebid or public vote. You’ll most certainly end up in court, as the initiative calls for development of “a 14-mile” system — not a portion of it. Furthermore, the City Council will have to modify the Transit Way Agreement. And how many votes to you count for that? Right now, I count at least six Councilmembers opposed to a truncated project. And given how they might feel about getting jammed? I bet you could add one or two more. That brings you to perhaps a 8-1 vote to kill the TWA — which kills the project.

We need a Monorail. Rebid or die.

]]> By: Christian http://2045seattle.org/monorail/voting-in-november/#comment-66 Christian Wed, 17 Aug 2005 19:22:30 +0000 http://2045seattle.org/?p=37#comment-66 Rebidding the project would take, at a minimum, seven months and probably a lot more to get multiple offers from multiple bidders. If January comes and we don't have a signed contract, the state legislature will more than likely use it's power to dissolve the monorail authority and use the tax revenue for other purposes. In short, rebidding takes more time than the project probably has. Rebidding the project would take, at a minimum, seven months and probably a lot more to get multiple offers from multiple bidders. If January comes and we don’t have a signed contract, the state legislature will more than likely use it’s power to dissolve the monorail authority and use the tax revenue for other purposes. In short, rebidding takes more time than the project probably has.

]]> By: Swede http://2045seattle.org/monorail/voting-in-november/#comment-64 Swede Wed, 17 Aug 2005 18:32:52 +0000 http://2045seattle.org/?p=37#comment-64 Why don't we just rebid the project and see if there is a better deal out there? Team Monorail keeps saying they can deliver the full meal deal for about $1.3 B. Let's call their bluff! Have them and Cascadia rebid. Going to voters in November is a suicide mission. Why don’t we just rebid the project and see if there is a better deal out there? Team Monorail keeps saying they can deliver the full meal deal for about $1.3 B. Let’s call their bluff! Have them and Cascadia rebid. Going to voters in November is a suicide mission.

]]> By: Christian http://2045seattle.org/monorail/voting-in-november/#comment-49 Christian Sat, 13 Aug 2005 06:03:02 +0000 http://2045seattle.org/?p=37#comment-49 It's a very safe path for the mayor which is, for better or worse, his style. That said, the fate of the project is now in our hands. It’s a very safe path for the mayor which is, for better or worse, his style.

That said, the fate of the project is now in our hands.

]]> By: shannon http://2045seattle.org/monorail/voting-in-november/#comment-32 shannon Fri, 12 Aug 2005 03:17:52 +0000 http://2045seattle.org/?p=37#comment-32 I don't think the Mayor's letter means there is a vote. He wants a vote because he is pursuaded by the business elite in Seattle that the only way to preserve the gas tax (and the funding for the viaduct) is to kill the monorail. the only reason to pu the Monorail through another vote is to increase the taxes or to shorten the line--either are non starters. A vote kills the monorail at this point. We should continue to encourage the SMP Board to find solutions that does not require a vote. Cost savings and non tax revenue enhancements are two. Ask the Mayor or any legislator--when the city/county/state budget is in free fall do they walk away? limply hand it to the voters? no they make cuts, look for savings and ways to increase revenue. thats what the SMP Board should do. Come on Seattle--Leadership, Courage, Perserverance I don’t think the Mayor’s letter means there is a vote. He wants a vote because he is pursuaded by the business elite in Seattle that the only way to preserve the gas tax (and the funding for the viaduct) is to kill the monorail. the only reason to pu the Monorail through another vote is to increase the taxes or to shorten the line–either are non starters. A vote kills the monorail at this point.

We should continue to encourage the SMP Board to find solutions that does not require a vote. Cost savings and non tax revenue enhancements are two.

Ask the Mayor or any legislator–when the city/county/state budget is in free fall do they walk away? limply hand it to the voters? no they make cuts, look for savings and ways to increase revenue. thats what the SMP Board should do.

Come on Seattle–Leadership, Courage, Perserverance

]]> By: Ben Schiendelman http://2045seattle.org/monorail/voting-in-november/#comment-31 Ben Schiendelman Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:42:15 +0000 http://2045seattle.org/?p=37#comment-31 Why does building the monorail have a positive impact on the viaduct's prospects? Why does building the monorail have a positive impact on the viaduct’s prospects?

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