Thread by @TranspoChoices

Seattle Transportation Benefit District Select Committee Meeting is today at 10 am! Check out the agenda here: seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&…

Watch live on the @SeattleChannel at 10 am! seattlechannel.org/watch-live

Public testimony for #STBD.
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"STBD renewal should focus on restoring as much transit service as possible." @BrittneyBush @SierraClubSEA

Supports .2% tax increase and reducing measure to 4 years.

.@350_Seattle Supports all amendments except for #2 (Via). Wants to see new amendment that would restrict funding to transit only. Supports 0.2% increase.

.@SeattleTRU Worried about cuts that will be happening at a time when people are returning to transit. Highest imperative should be to prevent transit service cuts. Supports moving capital $ to service $, and supports raising tax to 0.2%.

Testimony from a transit dependent rider who works a night shift job. "Service cuts to transit will greatly impact my mobility." Supports increase to 0.2% to better serve needs of those who are transit dependent.

Member of City's Transit Equity Workgroup from Muslim Housing Services - Supports STBD proposal and using sales tax although it is regressive, need for transit greater.

.@SeattleSubway Want to increase transit funding as much as possible. Supports 0.2% increase. Want Council to focus and prioritize spending on transit service.

Ryan Packer: Support 0.2% increase, even though it should be the floor.

@Ersilians at @TranspoChoices: Supports reducing the duration of the measure for 4 years, prioritizing transit service hours, and centering racial equity. Will follow the lead of BIPOC orgs in conversation around increasing sales tax.

Amendment 1 - "If Initiative 976 is overturned, the Seattle City Council and Mayor have the authority to increase the existing annual $20 vehicle license fee to $40 and then, after 24 months, by another $10 to $50"

AMENDMENT PASSES.
seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…

Amendment 2 - "SDOT invested approximately $3.4 million for first-last mile pilot projects including $1 million for Ride2 in West Seattle and $2.4 million for VIA in South Seattle"

AMENDMENT PASSES.
seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…

Amendment 3 - Shortens the length (6 to 4 years). Don't want to box us into a 6 year measure. Funding tools are limited and economy is in a recession and hopefully there will be more funding options and clarity of needs in 4 years.

AMENDMENT PASSES.
seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…

Amendment 4 - Majority of yearly expenditures must be for transit service.

AMENDMENT PASSES.
seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…

Amendment 5 - "The Reconnect West Seattle strategy has a goal of shifting transit mode share in West Seattle from 17 percent to 30 percent to manage congestion during the closure of the West Seattle High Bridge"

AMENDMENT PASSES.
seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…

Amendment 6A (Sawant) & 6B (Pederson/Herbold) - Potential for transportation impact fees implemented in the future as potential revenue sources.

6A: seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…

6B: seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…

A lot of discussion around impact fees. Impact fees don't require voter approval (can be councilmanic). They can be GMA or TBD impact fees. GMA would have to be capacity improvements and can't be used for pre-existing maintenance problems. TBD has more flexibility.

Herbold, Sawant, and Mosqueda don't see these amendments as mutually exclusive.

AMENDMENT 6A AND 6B PASS.

Amendment 7 - Conduct a Race and Social Justice analysis to inform future STBD spending decisions to focus on the needs of BIPOC and benefit these and other historically underserved communities

AMENDMENT 7 PASSES
seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…

Now on to the last amendment, Amendment 8 - increase STBD to 0.2% sales tax

@CMTammyMorales mentions the short timeline has created a barrier for input from communities most impacted. Immediacy of the proposal reflects racism -didn't have time to do enough outreach

.@CMTammyMorales - As hard as it is to increase sales tax, have to do whatever we can to support low-wage workers and transit access as much as possible.

.@CMAndrewJLewis - Conflicted about sales tax. Balancing inequity of transit cuts and increasing in an already regressive sales tax, error on side keep sales tax where it is. Preference is to have more power to reduce sales tax and have progressive sources (like capital gains)

.@Lisa_Herbold - Will not support increase sales tax and risk passage of bill. Concerned if measure is doubled, it might not pass.

CM Pederson: Shares concerns doubling sales tax during a recession. Restate commitment about applying VLF if I-976 is overturned.

.@CMTMosqueda - Abstaining. Need to get additional stakeholder engagement.

.@CMDanStrauss - Abstaining as well, not enough time to weigh costs/benefits

.@cmkshama - Working class people are hurt either way. Small transit investments will hurt transit workers and riders. Want transit service but does not want to support an increase in sales tax.

.@CMTammyMorales withdraws amendment. Will discuss amendment at full council (7/27).

STBD bill passes with approved amendments out of STBD Select Committee and headed to Full Council on Monday, July 27.