Issue Position: Supporting Transit

Issue Position

Transit agencies across Washington are facing large budget shortfalls caused by a steep drop in sales tax revenue, which currently funds transit service in Washington. To pay for maintaining existing service and increased transit, I support local option MVET and sales and gas tax increases for transit. Since transit reduces congestion, total trips, and the asphalt area needed for automobile lanes, I believe that a specified portion of toll revenues should be available for transit. The restriction on use of gas taxes for roads is inappropriate and needs to be changed to provide for transit support.

In 2011, I wrote and introduced legislation to require that cities and counties consider the impact of proposed large developments on transit service standards, which would enable cities and counties to have developers to pay their fair share of the costs of meeting transit standards.

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