Transit group plans ‘WTF, Olympia?’ rally July 27

UPDATE!  This event originally scheduled for July 20 has been RESCHEDULED for Saturday, July 27! The story below has been edited to reflect that change.

SEATTLE — In the 2013 state legislative session, bills that would have improved the quality of life for workers, students, immigrants, women, children, bus riders — for all of us — failed to pass. They included HB 1953/SB 5773, who would have allowed local transportation districts the option of raising their own revenue. But state legislators are blocking local control of transit systems and refuse to allow the people in communities around the state to determine what kind of public transportation systems they choose to have.

The Transit Riders Union, an independent group fighting to preserve, expand and improve public transportation systems in Seattle and elsewhere, is calling on its allies in the labor community to join them in a rally and demonstration in Seattle to ask state lawmakers, “WTF, Olympia?” (This, as we all know, stands for “Where’s The Funding, Olympia?”) It will begin at noon on Saturday, July 27 at City Hall Park, 450 3rd Ave. (south side of the King County Courthouse).

Because the Legislature failed to pass any local funding option for public transit, King County Metro is now preparing to cut bus service by a whopping 17%. Other transit systems, which have already made harmful service cuts, face similar continued reductions. And their local communities are powerless the stop the bleeding because heavy-handed state legislators won’t let them rescue their own systems.

At the rally, participants will be collecting grievances for later delivery to Sen. Rodney Tom of Medina, who was instrumental in blocking the passage of a local funding option for transit. To submit your grievance, or for more information about the rally, click here.