The Metropolitan King County Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, May 14 on the potential 17 percent reduction in Metro transit service due to a lack of sustainable revenue:

Tuesday, May 14

3:30 p.m. open house

4:00 p.m. public testimony

Union Station

401 South Jackson Street, Seattle

The committee wants the public to have an opportunity to tell their leaders how transit service cuts, expected to begin in 2014, will affect them. Absent action from the state legislature, King County will begin seeking input this fall on how to cut 600,000 hours of transit service.

A 17 percent reduction in transit service would result in fewer travel options, longer travel times, more crowded buses, and more traffic congestion – impacts that could touch virtually all King County transit riders and many commuters around the region. Based on its service guideline policies, Metro has identified 65 routes at risk for elimination and 86 routes at risk for service reductions without a sustainable source of funding.

Since 2009, when revenues declined sharply, Metro has been able to avoid these cuts through $798 million in efficiencies, staff reductions, fare increases, reserve spending, and additional revenue. The implementation of the Congestion Reduction Charge (CRC), a temporary charge on vehicle licenses for two years, helped Metro avoid deep transit service cuts in 2011. By law, the CRC must end in 2014 and without a new source of revenue, Metro must reduce service.

In addition to making their voice heard at the public hearing, people can submit comments by going to:

http://www.kingcounty.gov/council/testimony.aspx

or

http://metro.kingcounty.gov/am/future/