The Legislators From a Tunnel-Loving Planet
Sometimes we fantasize that the Capitol dome is a Reset button that just needs a really big thumb. Here's the exciting part about the viaduct bill that just passed the House: "Any costs in excess of ($2.8 billion) shall be borne by property owners in the Seattle area...." Are you at all reassured by Gov. Gregoire's spokesperson that "we don't envision any cost overruns to occur on this project"?
Envisioned or not, the House took the unprecedented step of writing in an amendment that puts Seattle firmly on the hook for them. It really feels like someone is able to envision overruns down there in Olympia.
Consider that the total viaduct replacement project is estimated at $4.2 billion, of which about two billion is dedicated to a deep-bore tunnel of this amazing size. What's the worst-case scenario for overruns on a project like this?
Consider that the state is facing a $9 billion deficit. Interesting thing about this deficit--it was "unenvisioned" up 'til last year. As of last November, it was estimated at $4 or $5 billion. It's resulting in the dismantling of social services on a huge scale, and crisis responses affecting higher education. So, honestly, we are not reassured, no, by anyone in government who can't envision this project going off the rails.
To sum up: We are not sure where we stand in the duration of this current recession depression. The state is running up a bill amounting to what we like to think of as a fuckload of money--a deficit of billions that has doubled in the past six months. Boeing might leave the state. And our legislature wants to embark on an enormously complex, multi-year project that Seattle residents have agreed to pay almost $1 billion for already, but also must stand as guarantors for.
WHERE THE FUCK IS OUR HUGE THUMB?
We don't know what Mike McGinn's chances are in the Seattle mayoral race, but we prefer his take to that of Tim Ceis (and by extension, Greg Nickels):
We are committing $900 million we don't have--plus who knows how much more for cost overruns--while our essential services are being cut, libraries are closed, schools are in trouble, and our local transit is facing 20 percent cuts in service.
