Panel wants voters’ input on light rail

Sat., Aug. 5, 2006

By Amy Cannata amyc@spokesman.com

Light rail ballot issues

Spokane-area voters will get a chance to vote on light rail in November.

The full nine-member Spokane Transit Authority board is meeting at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 17 at the Spokane City Council Chambers to consider the official ballot language, but an ad-hoc committee of four board members Friday proposed the following two advisory questions:

•Should STA identify local taxing alternatives to bring forward to the voters for approval to fund a $268 million light rail project to run from Spokane city, through the city of Spokane Valley to Liberty Lake?

•Should STA use existing revenues to fund preliminary engineering and environmental analysis for a future light rail project to run from Spokane city, through the city of Spokane Valley to Liberty Lake?

Spokane voters need to know that they, not the federal government, will pay for a proposed $268 million light rail system if it is built between Spokane and Liberty Lake.

That was the unanimous conclusion of four Spokane Transit Authority board members who met Friday to hash out two advisory questions STA will put to voters on the November ballot.

“The question is simple, to ask the public, ‘Are you willing to pay for this?’ ” said board member and Spokane Valley City Councilman Dick Denenny, who added that he didn’t want people to look at the ballot and think that 70 to 80 percent of the money would come from federal sources.

Though the outcome of the ballot issues would not bind the board, members have indicated in the past that STA won’t spend more money on light rail without voter approval.

A ‘yes’ vote on the first question would indicate a willingness to begin building a light rail system in the near future and direct STA to come up with a specific funding and taxing package to place before voters within a year or two.

Yes on only the second question would give the nod to limited continuation of design work with existing STA funds, but indicate no desire to institute new taxes to build a light rail system in the immediate future.

No to both ballot questions would probably spell the end of local light rail efforts for the foreseeable future.

“This gives the voter the option of voting their wallet,” said STA board member and Spokane City Councilman Al French.

The final language must be approved by the full board of directors later this month, but Denenny said that at least one more of the nine-member board had indicated general agreement with the questions’ direction.

Denenny and fellow STA board members French, Cheney Mayor Alan Gainer and Spokane County Commissioner Todd Mielke are the committee members.

Notably absent from the committee was STA board member and Liberty Lake City Councilman Brian Sayrs, a vocal proponent of building a local light rail system. When the full board voted on committee members last month, Sayrs’ name was not put forward.