KC Exec vetoes effort to stem Metro cuts

King County Executive Dow Constantine has vetoed a measure passed Monday by the King County Council that aimed to soften or avert some Metro Transit reductions next year.

Just minutes after the Council voted on a plan to implement cuts slated for September but delay cuts planned for next year, Constantine issued his first veto since taking office.

“We can’t spend money we do not have,” his veto message said.

Under the measure narrowly passed Monday by the Council, cuts would be delayed until November so members could determine if additional sales tax revenue was sufficient to prevent further service reductions.

Metro went to voters two months ago saying it needed to cut service 16 percent because it just didn’t have enough money. Now it appears the sales tax revenues that fund the service are improving.

Monday’s Council vote would not prevent any of the cuts scheduled for September from taking effect.

“I heard from the voters in April, and they resoundingly told us that King County and Metro needed to do more work and consider each and every option before asking for additional revenue,” said Councilmember Rod Dembowski, chair of the Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee and the prime sponsor of the adopted service reduction ordinance. “I put forward this plan to identify additional cost savings, efficiencies and new revenue that can reduce Metro’s annual budget gap, and thereby significantly decrease the number of transit service hours that need to be cut.”

The agency is currently running a $75 million deficit each year.

Voters rejected a Proposition 1 in April. It would have created a $60 car tab fee and a 0.1 percent sales-tax increase. Seattle is considering its own funding plans to pay for Metro service.

Fares have increased over the last few years, and the county council has approved a $0.25 increase for next years.

The transit reduction ordinance passed Monday would have required an independent audit of Metro’s operations, finances and fund balance policies. It would also increase fares and orders Metro to cut costs and establish standards “through which Metro can be measured against its peers.”

But Constantine and opponents of the delay insist despite an increase in tax revenues, the cuts are still necessary.

“We need a reliable way to pay for bus service — but until then, we shouldn’t spend money we don’t have, we shouldn’t use one-time money to pay for ongoing expenses, and decisions to save or cut service should be based on objective criteria and data, not on politics,” said Constantine. “This ordinance falls short on all counts. I must respectfully veto this legislation, and ask that the Council keep working on a solution that is responsible and sustainable.”