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Voters asked to approve transit system that can match Snohomish County’s growth
Snohomish County, Wash. – Community Transit will be asking voters this November to approve new funding to increase bus service throughout Snohomish County and create a transit system that can keep up with the county’s predicted growth in jobs and population.
Just one day after Gov. Jay Inslee signed a statewide transportation funding bill, Community Transit’s Board of Directors voted to place a measure on the November 3 ballot that would increase the agency’s sales tax by three-tenths of one percent (0.3%).
“Ridership on our buses grew 8 percent last year as traffic continued to get even worse,” said Community Transit CEO Emmett Heath. “At this time, we have all our buses in service and people still keep asking for more. If new funding is approved in November, we can have more service on the road as early as March 2016.”
Community Transit has not asked voters for a tax increase since 2001, and that was to offset the loss of motor vehicle excise tax funding following Initiative 695. The agency’s last tax increase for more service was in 1990.
If new funding is approved, Community Transit would provide:
Matching Snohomish County’s growth
The Puget Sound Regional Council has forecast Snohomish County’s population to grow by 240,000 people and employment by 130,000 jobs between now and 2040.
“One of the major challenges for our county and our region will be balancing the infrastructure demands of all this growth with maintaining a livable community,” said Heath. “Investing in transit helps our economy grow while protecting the quality of life we enjoy today.”
“Transit options get people to work on-time and attract businesses to our community while relieving traffic congestion, which in turn helps businesses move freight more efficiently,” said John Monroe, chief operations officer of Economic Alliance Snohomish County. “Expansion of Community Transit services will help Economic Alliance’s work to keep Snohomish County’s economy moving in the right direction.”
“Roads in our county are increasingly gridlocked, and not just at rush hour. We need better alternatives for getting people around without clogging our roads,” said Mike Todd, Mill Creek City Councilmember and Community Transit Board Chair. “It’s time for our community to come together to invest in our future.”
“People in need rely on transit to get to their jobs and appointments. More Community Transit service will connect more people with more social services, which helps everyone,” said Dennis Smith, President and CEO, United Way of Snohomish County.
$25 million investment
According to the state Department of Revenue, the 0.3 percent sales tax increase would cost an average Snohomish County adult about $33 a year, or an extra 3 cents on every $10 taxable purchase. Community Transit’s current sales tax rate is 0.9 percent in all jurisdictions within its service area, which is most of Snohomish County excluding Everett.
The 0.3 percent sales tax increase would generate about $25 million a year for transit improvements.
Community Transit is responsible for providing transportation options for Snohomish County residents, including bus and paratransit service, vanpool and ridesharing options. Call Community Transit at (425) 353-RIDE or (800) 562-1375 for bus information, or (888) 814-1300 for carpool or vanpool information, or go to www.communitytransit.org. You can also read our blog at www.communitytransit.blogspot.com, visit our Facebook page, follow @MyCommTrans on Twitter or see us on YouTube.
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