Don’t give to STA

The Spokane Transit Authority Plaza stands as a monument to squandered taxpayer funds. Now, STA wants to extract more funds from taxpayers and squander it on idiotic projects.

STA wants a 50 percent increase in the sales tax that is collected to fund STA, an increase from 0.6 percent to 0.9 percent. That would increase the sales tax rate to 9 percent in Spokane, and increase the taxpayer subsidy by $30 million per year, from $60 to $90 million, amounting to an almost $1 billion of taxpayer subsidy over the next 10 years.

The most ridiculous project is an electric trolley that would cost $72 million for the 6-mile route from Browne’s Addition through downtown to Gonzaga University and Spokane Community College. That’s $12 million per mile. To obtain grants to help pay for the project, the trolley needs to be manufactured in the United States, but no company makes it here.

Even if grant money is obtained, the source of grant money is the taxpayer. Economic growth can’t be attributed to STA projects. STA projects may actually cause, increase or shift congestion. Say no to STA by voting no. Don’t give STA any new taxpayer revenue to squander.

Ron McKenzie

Spokane