Sound Transit: Land giveaway no good for Tacoma

According to a Seattle Times article (10/22): “The Sound Transit board voted unanimously Thursday to transfer at no cost 1.6 acres of unused land worth $9.38 million in the Rainier Valley to the city of Seattle, which plans to build 150 affordable townhomes and condos.”

Given the deceptive and contentious method that Sound Transit uses to inflate car values, the recent vote for lower car tabs and the fact that ST3 was rejected by 55.7% of Pierce County voters, this expensive gift to Seattle seems at odds with the will of most Pierce County voters.

I feel betrayed by the Pierce County politicians - Kent Keel, Bruce Dammeier and Victoria Woodards - who voted for this giveaway. Public funding of affordable housing is important, but this reeks of bait-and-switch tactics

Pierce County’s housing needs are as acute as Seattle’s. Other public options should address this pressing issue.

We have paid thousands and will continue to pay more with little chance of seeing any meaningful benefit from Sound Transit in our lifetimes. Local Sound Transit board members should advocate for Pierce County and spend our taxes wisely.

This story was originally published November 4, 2020 at 1:43 PM with the headline "Sound Transit: Land giveaway no good for Tacoma."