Who is more afraid of the truth?

The Anti Prop 1 campaign sent a complaint into The News Tribune about how the agency was informing voters about the impacts of Prop 1.  There are 556,908 residents in the Pierce Transit service boundary, they spent $150,000.  So the agency spent a measly 27 cents per resident letting them know that the Service Boundary has changed and what will happen to their bus service if Prop 1 passes or fails.  This included all of the in-person presentations that were given in each municipality in the transit district to outline what would happen in each one of those affected communities.

Bottom line: Pierce Transit followed state regulations and had their materials approved by the Public Disclosure Commission.

Is the Anti Prop 1 campaign just afraid of the truth getting out?  I think that they are.

No On Prop 1 - Campaign Finance Shenanigans

Contribution deposit from 7/17 not disclosed until 10/11.

The Anti Prop 1 campaign on the other hand, failed to comply with their financial reporting requirements with the same Public Disclosure Commission until several months after starting to receive contributions.  Contribution reports from the PDC indicate that they did not even disclose where and how their campaign was being financed until October 11, even though they started taking contributions back in July (photo above).  

Photo from Anti Prop 1 campaign Facebook Page for September 30,
two weeks before there was any reporting to the PDC.

They even had yard signs out and photos of them on their Facebook page when they had ZERO financial reporting!

Of course, once they did report, it was more than obvious who was funding the campaign - car dealerships. It's no wonder that the signs indicate a rate of 10.1% - since that rate will only apply to car purchases.

Where was The News Tribune on this story?

Pierce Transit's 0.3% is Justified

Back in May, all areas in green left Pierce Transit, taking $8m/yr in revenue with them.

I was prompted to make this post because I have heard a couple of readers of FeedTacoma indicate that they don't understand why Pierce Transit is asking for 0.3% to restore bus service.  Why not 0.1% or 0.2%?  It's a good question and one that I feel is worth addressing.

If you can spare a minute, the simplest explanation is this:

1. Sales taxes in 2007 were coming in at a rate of $77m a year and now have declined to $63m this year, a difference of $14m a year.
2. Earlier this year the service boundary was revised and some cities (Sumner, Bonney Lake, and Dupont) chose to leave, taking $8m a year in sales taxes with them, bringing revenue down to $55m.
3. At this moment, mainly because of Point 2, Pierce Transit is dipping into a limited pool of reserve funds to maintain operations that help people get to work, school, and appointments each day.  I hope I don't need to remind you that bus service has suffered a 43% cut since 2007.

On the revenue side, in the Pierce Transit service area, each additional 0.1% is ~$8m/year.

• 0.1% - or $8m, would only back fill the sales taxes lost from Sumner and Bonney Lake and Dupont.
• 0.2% - or $16m, partially restores service lost during the recession, but takes much longer.
• 0.3% - or $24m, gets the system growing again and back to good service levels by the late 2010's.

That is why Pierce Transit is asking for 0.3% - to restore lost funding from the recession and from the boundary revision - gradually regrowing the system back to adequate service levels by around 2017.  

Please vote to Approve Proposition 1.  Thanks for your support, Tacoma.

Follow the Money: Car Dealers against Transit

Northwest Motorsports gave $2,000 against Pierce Transit Prop 1

TRUCKS, TRUCKS, AND MORE TRUCKS

The anti-transit No on Prop 1 campaign is being largely funded by a parade of auto dealers, the chairman of a private transportation contracting company, and a man who has given more than $2,500 to the Republican Party and Republican Congressman Dave Reichert since 2008.

This information was gleaned from recent reporting to the Public Disclosure Commission, which has for the last 40 years tracked and published where the money for campaigns comes from and where it is spent in the State of Washington.  Sources for information are cited below individual names. If you’d like to see the report for yourselves, it is available here.


What interests do these people and businesses represent?

I could provide political analysis of this information, but instead, I encourage you to take a look at the list to draw your own conclusions.

The list below is of contributions made to "No on Prop 1- Pierce Transit," which were reported by Friday, October 12, 2012, that were in excess of $200.

Auto Dealers: $14,850

• Chevrolet of Puyallup - $5,000
• Northwest Motorsports (Puyallup) - $2,000
• Larson Automotive Group - $1,500
• Honda of Fife - $1,000
• Kia of Puyallup - $1,000
• Korum Ford Puyallup - $1,000
• Korum Nissan Puyallup - $1,000
• Toyota of Puyallup - $1,000
• Milam Mazda (Puyallup) - $600
• Ron Loper (South Tacoma Honda - Managing Partner) - $500
• Gary Gilchrist (Gilchrist Buick GMC) - $250

Large Personal Donations: $4,800

Jon Monson (Gig Harbor) - $2,400
Chairman of the Board for MV Transportation - Private Transit Company (fixed route and paratransit)
http://www.mvtransit.com/meetmv/people/jon-monson

Carl Fisher (Tacoma) - $2,400
Has contributed $2,500 to Republican Dave Reichert, $250 to Washington State Republican Party
http://www.corporationwiki.com/Washington/Tacoma/carl-fisher/54471273.aspx

Pierce Transit seeking Advisory Group members

Pierce Transit Route 57 - 2011 Snowstorm (Photo by Chris K.)

Pierce Transit is seeking volunteers to join CTAG - the Community Transportation Advisory Group (PierceTransit.org). 

According to the group's charter posted on the Pierce Transit website, CTAG will be limited to nine members.  The Board will select applicants to create a large cross section of individuals from various interest groups - including fixed route riders, seniors, students, etc.  Members will meet at least quarterly, and will work together on a variety of subjects.

The position is unpaid, but if you are selected, "CTAG members may be provided ORCA passes to enable active participation in Group proceedings and project."  Not a bad perk for someone contributing their time.

As previously reported back in May, CTAG will mimic the goals of other transit advisory and oversight groups found in other jurisdictions.

CTAG is slated to help Pierce Transit with the following issues:

• Ensure quality customer service by providing information on service quality and changes in public needs, as part of a strategic cycle of public involvement;

• Develop new markets by identifying new market segments, providing input on customer activity, and serving as ambassadors for the Agency to their respective constituencies;

• Add value to the community by considering transit in their community and development planning efforts, and promoting the benefits of transit to the business community;
• Develop new revenue streams by identifying potential public-private partnerships and cost containment opportunities and legislative changes that encourage innovation, and making the case for transit investment; and
• Value employee success by providing feedback on service quality, allowing the Agency to target training and professional development needs.

If you have had some burning ideas that you think could help Pierce Transit reach its goals and improve service, this might be the opportunity you have been looking for.

Interested parties should fill out an application (PDF) and email it in to tartz@piercetransit.org.

Applications are due on Friday, October 19th. Interviews are to be held shortly thereafter. Appointments are tentatively scheduled to be made by the Board of Directors during their November Board Meeting on November 19th.

"Yes on Prop 1" says News Tribune

Pierce Transit Shuttle rider - from RestoreTransitNow

The News Tribune's Editorial Board saw the light today in its Sunday editorial endorsing Pierce Transit Proposition 1.  Here are some snippets from the editorial (emphasis mine).  You can read it in-full at - The News Tribune - Yes on Prop 1.

What I want to commend the Editorial Board for putting into words is the notion that transit cuts aren't just about numbers and lines on a map, transit cuts affect people and the kind of community that we aspire to be.

Yes on Prop 1 – because transit is a necessity for all

Read more here: http://blog.thenewstribune.com/opinion/2012/10/06/yes-on-prop-1-because-transit-is-a-necessity-for-all/#storylink=cpy

Pierce Transit has already cut its bus and paratransit runs by roughly 40 percent. Without additional revenue, it expects to cut what remains by a crippling 53 percent. ...

Those aren’t just numbers on a page – they are human beings who depend on the bus to get to jobs, stores, school and doctor appointments. ...

Many don’t have any reliable alternative. The egency’s surveys indicate that 56 percent of its riders have household incomes of less than $20,000; they include the poorest of the poor. Close to half – 45 percent – do not have working vehicles. 

Many ... depend on specially equipped paratransit vans. ...when a [bus] route disappears, so do the vans. 

...riders use the buses to earn money, spend money or prepare themselves for jobs.

Here the Editorial Board indicates that Pierce Transit has met their bar for cost containment.  Restructured service, reduced subsidies for outlying service, fare increases, cuts to management and capital projects, and a new labor agreement all helped to make this happen.

We opposed this tax the last time it was on the ballot, in February 2011. Our concern was that Pierce Transit had been lax in controlling its costs. 

Things have changed. The agency has gone to considerable lengths to wring excess out of its operations. One indicator is its new contract with the bus drivers’ union, which provides for no new salary increases. Employees will also be paying more for their generous health care benefits.

There are just a few more weeks left before voters start receiving their ballots.  Donate, get in touch with the campaign for doorbelling and phone banking, and like them on Facebook.

Lakewood Sounder Launches

Long awaited and originally a part of Sound Move, which was approved by voters in 1996, Sounder Commuter Rail stations at South Tecoma and Lakewood opened with festivities today. A total of five round trips will be made from Lakewood Station and South Tacoma Station to Tacoma Dome and Seattle on weekdays.  Travel time to Tacoma will roughly be 13 minutes, Puyallup in 25 minutes and Seattle in 72 minutes.

Lakewood to Seattle

Lakewood	South Tacoma	Tacoma Dome	Puyallup	Sumner	Auburn	Kent	Tukwila	Seattle
4:42 a.m.	4:47 a.m.	4:55 a.m.	5:07 a.m.	5:12 a.m.	5:20 a.m.	5:27 a.m.	5:34 a.m.	5:54 a.m.
5:22 a.m.	5:27 a.m.	5:35 a.m.	5:47 a.m.	5:52 a.m.	6:01 a.m.	6:08 a.m.	6:15 a.m.	6:34 a.m.
5:47 a.m.	5:52 a.m.	6:00 a.m.	6:12 a.m.	6:17 a.m.	6:26 a.m.	6:33 a.m.	6:40 a.m.	6:59 a.m.
6:12 a.m.	6:17 a.m.	6:25 a.m.	6:37 a.m.	6:42 a.m.	6:51 a.m.	6:58 a.m.	7:05 a.m.	7:24 a.m.
6:37 a.m.	6:42 a.m.	6:50 a.m.	7:02 a.m.	7:07 a.m.	7:16 a.m.	7:23 a.m.	7:30 a.m.	7:49 a.m.
:	:	7:20 a.m.	7:32 a.m.	7:37 a.m.	7:45 a.m.	7:52 a.m.	7:59 a.m.	8:19 a.m.
:	:	8:00 a.m.	8:12 a.m.	8:17 a.m.	8:25 a.m.	8:32 a.m.	8:39 a.m.	8:59 a.m.
:	:	4:25 p.m.	4:37 p.m.	4:42 p.m.	4:50 p.m.	4:57 p.m.	5:04 p.m.	5:23 p.m.
:	:	5:00 p.m.	5:12 p.m.	5:17 p.m.	5:25 p.m.	5:32 p.m.	5:39 p.m.	5:58 p.m.

Seattle to Lakewood

Seattle	Tukwila	Kent	Auburn	Sumner	Puyallup	Tacoma Dome	South Tacoma	Lakewood
6:10 a.m.	6:22 a.m.	6:29 a.m.	6:36 a.m.	6:45 a.m.	6:49 a.m.	7:08 a.m.	:	:
6:50 a.m.	7:02 a.m.	7:09 a.m.	7:16 a.m.	7:25 a.m.	7:29 a.m.	7:48 a.m.	:	:
3:15 p.m.	3:27 p.m.	3:34 p.m.	3:41 p.m.	3:50 p.m.	3:54 p.m.	4:14 p.m.	:	:
3:50 p.m.	4:02 p.m.	4:09 p.m.	4:16 p.m.	4:25 p.m.	4:29 p.m.	4:49 p.m.	:	:
4:20 p.m.	4:32 p.m.	4:39 p.m.	4:46 p.m.	4:56 p.m.	5:00 p.m.	5:12 p.m.	5:20 p.m.	5:32 p.m.
4:45 p.m.	4:57 p.m.	5:04 p.m.	5:11 p.m.	5:21 p.m.	5:25 p.m.	5:37 p.m.	5:45 p.m.	5:57 p.m.
5:12 p.m.	5:24 p.m.	5:31 p.m.	5:38 p.m.	5:48 p.m.	5:52 p.m.	6:04 p.m.	6:12 p.m.	6:24 p.m.
5:40 p.m.	5:52 p.m.	5:59 p.m.	6:06 p.m.	6:16 p.m.	6:20 p.m.	6:32 p.m.	6:40 p.m.	6:52 p.m.
6:15 PM	6:27 p.m.	6:34 p.m.	6:41 p.m.	6:50 p.m.	6:54 p.m.	7:06 p.m.	7:14 p.m.	7:26 p.m.

Ridership is projected in the area of 600 riders per day from Lakewood Station.  The News Tribune has indicated that service to Dupont and Olympia is in initial stages of discussion - this of course would require, in Olympia's case, for Thurston County to join Sound Transit.  I would be ecstatic to see this happen, as it would serve to bring Intercity Transit into the ORCA fold and would serve to bolster express service between Pierce and Thurston Counties.

Another project which could help to catalyze discussion of further Sounder Extensions is the Point Defiance Bypass.  The bypass project would shift intercity rail service from its current route along the maritime edge of Tacoma's city limits to an inland route.  The impact of realigning the route would save time on the trip to Portland and help to improve on-time performance by moving passenger trains off of the congested freight route.  The Seattle Transit Blog has more than amply covered this project.

The Point Defiance Bypass (Orange)

A brief note to ST 593 riders in South Tacoma, those trips of the Seattle Express have been converted to 590's - so either board Sounder at South Tacoma Station or catch a 590 at Tacoma Dome.