The Regional Roads and Transit Proposition 1 package of Sound Transit and the Regional Transportation Investment District (RTID) failed to pass with voters when the ballots were counted starting the evening of election day, November 6, 2007. The tally is 56% No, 44% Yes.
Prop 1 sought 1/2% sales tax funding for Sound Transit Phase 2, known as ST2 for short.
Back on June 8, 2006, Sound Transit staff released five scenarios for Phase 2 spending.
The scenarios were called, Do Nothing, Bus/Sounder Emphasis (Low), Bus/Rail Emphasis (Medium), Rail Emphasis (Medium High), and Rail Emphasis (High).
Sound Transit reported that "the scenarios show how projects, policy choices, and revenue levels work together to shape transit system options."
On July 13, 2006 the Sound Transit Board voted unanimously to set aside the two least expensive scenarios.
Later, the Board chose the most expensive, maximum rail package to be paid for with a 1/2 cent hike in the sales tax, to be voted on November 6, 2007.
The ST2 plan was to cost approximately $31 billion over 50 years, including financing costs. The RTID roads package that was rejected simultaneously adds another $16 billion, for a total "Integrated Roads and Transit" package cost of $47 billion over 20 years. The only published forecast of impacts showed traffic congestion doubling to tripling following implementation of the Prop 1 package.
For a complete review of how the Sound Transit Phase 2 package was decided, see the document prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff in March 2007.
Sound Transit is now on record as seeking another vote on a reduced Phase 2 package in the general election of November 2008, when the next U.S. President will also be chosen.
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