Reminder: King County Metro's Second Public Hearing is Tonight
If you didn't make it to last week's King County Metro public hearing regarding the potential $20 car tab that is necessary to save bus service as we know it, we don't blame you. Last week's hearing was in Kirkland and, apparently, you weren't alone; almost no one reported back on how it went, or what happened. But don't let it happen again.
Tonight's public hearing, in which Metro and the King County Council will try to get a feel for what citizens of Seattle want, is downtown, which is the one neighborhood easily accessible by bus from anywhere in the city. It's also after regular working hours, so even the 9-to-5 crowd can get in and get heard.
With matters like these, it's easy to rest on one's laurels because the media's got it covered, someone else will go, it's probably going to end up on your ballot anyway, or whatever other excuse you might come up with. But here's the problem: if the King County Council makes a firm majority decision one way for the other (that's either for a $20 fee on car tabs, which would help float Metro and keep them from cutting almost 18% of service, or nix the idea reduce service to an impossibly impossible degree), it won't end up on the ballot, and you won't get a say. One way or the other.
The members of King County Council will be making this decision based on what they think is right for the County, and on what they think their constituents and voter base wants. To preserve current levels of bus service, residents and riders need to make sure that the Council knows that what they want is buses that function.
And if you really can't make it? The County's got you covered with an online form that you can fill out, in the comfort of your home, to let them know what you think. The hearing will also be broadcast on the King County TV.
Tonight // King County Council Chambers // 516 Third Avenue, 10th floor // 6 p.m.
