Well, I didn't personally make it to the meeting, but thankfully a few sources have filled me in on what happened in a big picture sense. To be clear, with the constantly morphing title of these PT Tomorrow alternatives, this "Preservation Plan" is the one which relies on an increase in sales tax. It will likely be similar to the Growth Alternative currently posted on PT Tomorrow, but likely has a few details changed here and there.
Transportation Choices Coalition's Twitter account was providing some updates and even covered some last minute drama of Timothy Farrell trying to include a sunset provision to end the increased sales tax after 5 years. In the end that motion failed and the board unanimously approved the resolution to get the sales tax increase of 0.3% to the ballot.
Lars Erickson, Pierce Transit's media spokesman sent out a press release which in short confirmed that Pierce Transit is indeed going to prepare for a ballot measure on February 8, 2011. Also mentioned in the press release is that the PT Tomorrow website will have updated maps and info on this Friday the 16th.
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Eagerly awaiting more details.
ReplyDeleteWay to ride the fence Timmy. Maybe next time you can grow a backbone and standup for the transit riders. We've been without adequate transit funding in pierce county for far too long.
ReplyDeleteThere's very little to react to at the moment.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I understand, a lot of Tacoma's North Enders are waiting for a final map of what we're being offered for this 50% sales tax increase.
It'd also be helpful if there were some projections about where the agency will be at in 10 years or so. Are we going to have a surplus of funds that we can use for capital or are we going to throw more money into operations over time? How quickly do we need to replenish the reserve fund? Etc.
Details are out, now. Looks like the new Preservation Alternative would keep the 16 and 11, change their routes slightly (to run down 6th Ave and 1st, respectively, through the UPS area) and put them on 15 minute schedules. This could turn out to be a very useful thing! Hopefully, they can get support from the voters.
ReplyDeleteAlso: the 13 would no longer go out to Westgate, instead it would run from downtown through Stadium and Old Town, and then turn down Proctor, go through the Proctor shopping district and then loop around UPS and go back toward downtown on N 15th. (Taking up some of the 16's old route.)
ReplyDeleteThe prospect of being able to get to Old Town directly on the bus is really appealing, I see many bus trips to the beach in our future.