The governor and legislature are facing difficult choices right now as they address the state budget deficit. There will be winners and losers by the time the legislative session ends. The governor has proposed cuts to funding transportation projects around Pierce County, or delays in delivering funding.
Residents of our county have been promised these projects, which include right-of-way acquisition for the extension of State Route 167 and high-occupancy vehicle lanes for Interstate 5.
Whether these projects will be funded, as promised in the past, remains to be seen. Our political leaders at the local level are doing what they can to see that it happens. Coming together under the banner of Pierce County/South Puget Sound Transportation Legislative Initiative are elected officials and other community leaders. They have drafted a letter to be sent to state senators and representatives from Pierce County, urging them to fight for adequate funding for these projects.
Among those who have signed it are the mayors of Tacoma, Fife, Milton and Edgewood. Numerous members of various city councils have signed, as have representatives of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and Port of Tacoma. Leaders of labor unions, environmental groups and business organizations have added their signatures to the letter, and their voices to the effort.
Most long-time observers of the legislature feel the Pierce County delegation is not as strong now as it was in the recent past. This issue of funding transportation projects is a test of our delegation’s clout in Olympia.
The fact so many leaders from around the county have joined together in a unified effort is certainly an indication of the strong inter-governmental relations we have at the local level. If the projects do not get the desired funding, at least citizens will know their local leaders fought the good fight and gave it everything they had.
The above opinions represent the views of Tacoma Weekly’s editorial board.
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