Not surprised Seattle tunnel contractor asked for $12M more

Taken from Friday’s edition of KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson Show.

For months and months, I’ve had several local lawmakers try to tell me that the tunnel project is not over budget and it’s not going to be over budget, which is insane.

And now, we found out that Seattle Tunnel Partners is asking the state – the taxpayers – for an extra $12 million for the repair pit. That’s on top of the $150 million or so that they’ve already asked for.

Related: Seattle tunnel builders ask state for an extra $12 million

I’ve predicted at least a billion in overruns. You’ve heard me. I get upset when politicians have the audacity to tell me that this thing is not over budget. I had state Senator Curtis King on with me about a month ago.

This is what I asked him:

“You’re asking us to give more money to the state Department of Transportation that is hundreds of millions over budget on the 520 project, that is overseeing the Seattle tunnel and that is going to be billions of dollars over budget. I don’t care what anyone says, that’s going to be billions over budget if it ever gets built at all – why should we give more money, right now, to an agency that’s had a lot of trouble keeping any mega-project on budget?”

“So there’s a variety of reasons. First of which, I would say I’d disagree that you’re going to be billions over,” King said. “That has not even been close to being determined yet. You’re making assumptions there.”

“No, I’m making projections based on expertise.”

“Well, we’re not over budget yet. That’s all I can tell you,” King said.

But Seattle Tunnel Partners Friday asked the taxpayers for $12 million. And I know that there’s going to be a long legal fight over who’s going to pay all these overruns. It’s the state’s contention that Seattle Tunnel Partners will have to pay for all of it.

I’m telling you right now, they have a history of sticking it to the taxpayers in the public projects that they’ve done and if it does run up to a billion dollars, they could declare bankruptcy on this project.

A lot of people are saying but that would kill their business down the road. You know what, if it’s a choice between killing their business or paying a billion dollars, they would kill their business and keep the billion that they have.

So once again, our predictions have proven to be correct and the politicians who try to sell you and me a bill of goods are proven incorrect. And the beat goes on.

Taken from Friday’s edition of KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson Show.

SK