Depoliticize disappointing transportation package

OLYMPIA (Feb. 20, 2015) — The following statement was issued today by Jeff Johnson, President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:

I want to thank state Senator Curtis King (R-Yakima), Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, for addressing the executive board of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, yesterday on the transportation package he has brought forth. I respect him for being open to listening to opposing points of view.

At the same time I want to express extreme disappointment with the Senate Transportation Committee for failing to pass out a clean transportation package — one that addresses the economic, public safety, revenue, jobs, environmental clean-up and multi-modal needs of Washingtonians without ideological underpinnings and poison pills.

Transportation is not a partisan issue. I have never driven down a Republican road or crossed a Democratic bridge. Safe streets and transit funding should never be conditioned on partisan beliefs about how and whether or not to reduce carbon emissions. To do so makes light of the seriousness of all of these issues.

We must come together during the 2015 legislative session to pass a clean, comprehensive, balanced and non-ideological transportation package as well as address the significant needs of our operating budget. The people of Washington deserve no less.

The WSLC wants to recognize the valiant efforts of Senators Cyrus Habib, Pramila Jayapal, Marko Liias and Steve Hobbs to depoliticize the transportation package and bring forth a clean non-partisan package.