Bill that would ‘bring accountability’ to Sound Transit moves forward
Mar 1, 2017, 1:24 PM | Updated: 5:23 pm
Seattle is currently dealing with a light rail outage. (Sound Transit)
(Sound Transit)
Sound Transit opponents believe the agency would be more careful with public money if the board of directors were elected instead of appointed. A bill that passed the Senate floor Wednesday morning would make that change.
Related: Dino Rossi doesn’t mind being Sound Transit’s public enemy No. 1
State Senator Steve O’Ban sponsored bill 5001 and says if it isn’t passed, the Sound Transit Board can “just keep spending” taxes “indefinitely.”
“They need accountability and this is the way we bring accountability to Sound Transit,” he said.
Of the 18-member board, 17 of the members have been elected to other positions but selected to the Sound Transit Board. Board members include mayors, city councilmembers, and the King County executive.
2017 Board Members
Dave Somers, Snohomish County Executive
John Marchione, Mayor of Redmond
Marilyn Strickland, Mayor of Tacoma
Nancy Backus, Mayor of Auburn
Claudia Balducci, King County Councilmember
Fred Butler, Mayor of Issaquah
Dow Constantine, King County Executive
Bruce Dammeier, Pierce County Executive
Dave Earling, Mayor of Edmonds
Rob Johnson, Seattle Councilmember
Kent Keel, University Place Mayor Pro Tem
Joe McDermott, King County Councilmember
Roger Millar, Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary
Mary Moss, Lakewood Councilmember
Ed Murray, Mayor of Seattle
Paul Roberts, Everett Councilmember
Dave Upthegrove, King County Councilmember
Peter von Reichbauer, King County Councilmember
Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff argues it is a “very high-functioning board” that “exercises considerable oversight in how we do our jobs.”
He believes having local elected leaders on the board helps them finish projects across regional borders.
“In order to get these projects built so the taxpayer can get the service as soon as possible, having local elected officials … helps make that happen,” he said.
But there are still arguments that the agency that will build miles of light rail with millions worth of taxpayer money doesn’t have enough oversight.
O’Ban says the agency has given itself a timeline. But if it doesn’t complete the work promised within that timeline, there is no recourse.
“We have no way of reigning them in,” he said.
O’Ban’s bill now goes to the House for consideration.
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