Editing Sound Transit (section)

===Establishment and Sound Move===

The formation of a regional transit authority (RTA) to create a [[ballot measure]] to implement and fund the regional transit plan required the approval of the King, Pierce, and Snohomish county councils.<ref name="Herald-RTA1993"/> By July 1993, all three county councils had voted to join the RTA; the Pierce and Snohomish county councils voted unanimously in favor of joining, while the vote for [[Metropolitan King County Council]] passed by a narrow 5–4 margin.<ref>{{cite news |last=Higgins |first=Mark |date=July 7, 1993 |title=Slim win for regional transit plan |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Folkerts |first=Dale |date=July 9, 1993 |title=County joins transit council |page=A1 |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-county-joins-transit-co/161233946/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref> The board of directors for the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, the official name of the RTA, held its first meeting on September 17, 1993, at a former [[Washington State Department of Transportation]] office in [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]].<ref name="HL-RTA">{{cite web |last=Cohen |first=Josh |date=November 28, 2017 |title=Regional Transit Authority (RTA) board convenes for first time on September 17, 1993. |url=https://historylink.org/File/20188 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Turner |first=Joseph |date=September 18, 1993 |title=New regional transit agency begins rail system planning |page=B7 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-new-regional-transit-ag/161234070/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref> The new agency was provided space on the 15th floor of the [[Exchange Building (Seattle)|Exchange Building]] in Downtown Seattle by King County Metro (the successor to Metro) and began preparation of its first ballot measure.<ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=12–13}}</ref><ref name="PI-Move1999">{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=October 14, 1999 |title=All aboard for a transit move that brackets a whole century |page=B3 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>

In October 1994, the RTA Board adopted its master plan for regional transit that would be sent to county councils for ratification and placement as a ballot measure. The plan, with a construction cost of approximately $6.77{{nbsp}}billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|6770000000|1995}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars),{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} was described as the largest public works project in Seattle's history. It included {{convert|69|mi|km}} of light rail service that would be completed within 16 years with lines that would connect Downtown Seattle to [[Lynnwood, Washington|Lynnwood]] in the north, Bellevue and [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]] to the east, and Tacoma to the south.<ref name="PI-Plan1994">{{cite news |last=Penhale |first=Ed |date=October 29, 1994 |title=Rapid transit plans shifts into high gear |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref name="Times-Plan1995">{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=March 12, 1995 |title=Q&A: Facts on Tuesday's $6.7 billion vote |page=A1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The plan also called for a shorter timeline to launch a commuter rail system, which would use an existing {{convert|81|mi|km}} of freight tracks from [[Lakewood, Washington|Lakewood]] to Everett, and an express bus network with eight routes.<ref name="PI-Plan1994"/><ref name="Times-Plan1995"/> It was approved by the three county councils by December, with the divided [[Snohomish County Council]] narrowly voting 3–2 in favor due to the lack of light rail service to Everett in the first phase of the plan.<ref>{{cite news |last=Penhale |first=Ed |date=December 15, 1994 |title=Going along for the ride: Snohomish council to stay aboard with rapid transit plan |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> A $2.5{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|2500000|1995}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} demonstration of commuter rail service on the Tacoma–Seattle–Everett corridor during peak hours and for [[Tacoma Dome]] events was operated by the RTA in early 1995 as part of preparations for the ballot measure.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=January 31, 1995 |title=New train picks up steam |page=D1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=Heath |date=February 20, 1995 |title=Demonstration rail service to Seattle to begin run this week |page=A1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-demonstration-rail-serv/161292895/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 20, 2024}}</ref>

The RTA ballot measure would only require a simple majority to pass and was part of a special election on March 14, 1995.<ref name="Times-Plan1995"/> The proposal was supported by prominent elected officials, including incumbent governor [[Mike Lowry]], and the "pro" campaign received funding from [[Boeing]], [[Weyerhaeuser]], local retailers [[The Bon Marché]] and [[Nordstrom]], and engineering firms.<ref name="Times-Plan1995"/><ref name="TNT-Funding1995">{{cite news |last=Foster |first=Heath |date=March 10, 1995 |title=Corporate cash gives RTA backers big advantage in battle of the bucks |page=A1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-corporate-cash-gives-rt/161293223/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 20, 2024}}</ref> The "no" campaign primarily comprised businessmen from the [[Eastside (King County, Washington)|Eastside]] region led by mall developer [[Kemper Freeman]];<ref name="TNT-Funding1995"/> it argued that the plan was too expensive to construct and would not address traffic congestion.<ref>{{cite news |last=Penhale |first=Ed |date=March 9, 1995 |title=Vote on mass-transit plan to be a decision for the ages |page=A8 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The ballot measure was rejected by 53.5{{nbsp}}percent of voters across the district, with only King County having a majority in favor of the plan due to strong support within the city of Seattle.<ref name="Wodnik14">{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=14–17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=March 16, 1995 |title=Voters weren't ready for tax on transit plan |page=B1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19950316/2110445/voters-werent-ready-for-tax-on-transit-plan----especially-since-u-s-helping-less |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 20, 2024}}</ref> In Everett, 83{{nbsp}}percent of voters rejected the ballot measure, attributed to the opposition of local elected officials due to the lack of light rail service for the city in the first phase.<ref name="Wodnik14"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=North |first1=Scott |last2=Wodnik |first2=Bob |date=March 16, 1995 |title=Everett had company in RTA defeat |page=1A |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-everett-had-company-in/161293383/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 20, 2024}}</ref> The defeat was also attributed to low [[voter turnout|turnout]], especially among younger voters, due to the timing of the election in a non-presidential year.<ref name="HL-RTA"/><ref name="Times-Turnout">{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=July 14, 1996 |title=New transit vote likely to bring bigger turnout |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The regional transit plan had cost $50{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|50000000|1995}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} to develop under the RTA and its predecessors; calls to run a second ballot measure with a modified version of the plan found support from the county councils and the [[Seattle Chamber of Commerce]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=March 22, 1995 |title=RTA planning cost $50 million |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=April 29, 1995 |title=Camps remain split on area transit plan |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>  The RTA was reorganized to reduce its spending by 60{{nbsp}}percent and its 150-person staff was cut to 23 members; a new CEO was hired and [[Snohomish County Executive]] [[Bob Drewel]] was elected as board chair to represent a "clean break" from earlier transit planning.<ref name="Wodnik14"/> A modified plan with a reduced cost of $3.9{{nbsp}}billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|3900000000|1996}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} and a 10-year timeline was presented in November 1995 by a panel of local elected officials to prepare for legislative approval for a second ballot measure.<ref name="Wodnik18">{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=18–21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=November 3, 1995 |title=Transit board shaves bill for new rail-bus system |page=C10 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The new plan, named "Sound Move", was adopted by the RTA board in May 1996 and was placed on the November 1996 ballot;<ref name="Times-Turnout"/> its development included over 400 public meetings to receive community input.<ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=November 7, 1996 |title=Eastside may be the first stop for three-county transit system |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> Sound Move only included {{convert|25|mi|km}} of light rail within [[Downtown Tacoma]] and from Downtown Seattle to [[Seattle–Tacoma International Airport]], but retained the commuter rail element of the previous plan and expanded its use of express buses.<ref name="Times-Turnout"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=November 4, 1996 |title=RTA looking for the right route home |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>

On November 5, 1996, the Sound Move plan and its funding package was approved by 56.5{{nbsp}}percent of voters within the RTA district. It won a majority in all three counties and was approved by 70{{nbsp}}percent of Seattle voters.<ref name="Wodnik18"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=November 7, 1996 |title=Transit plan can trace surprise success to suburbs |page=B1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19961107/2358432/transit-plan-can-trace-surprise-success-to-suburbs----new-support-found-on-eastside-in-snohomish-county |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The "yes" campaign, largely supported by the same donors as well as smaller contributors, used wider advertisements and grassroots teams; the "no" campaign repeated their criticisms of the plan on fiscal grounds and raised its funds from real estate interests and lobbying groups representing the trucking, homebuilding, and road construction industries.<ref name="Wodnik18"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=November 6, 1996 |title=Voters hop aboard plan for regional transit system |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The local funding for the plan would be raised through a 0.4{{nbsp}}percent sales tax and 0.3{{nbsp}}percent annual motor vehicle excise tax that took effect on April 1, 1997.<ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=December 13, 1996 |title=First step on transit road will cost $8.5 million |page=C8 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=March 31, 1997 |title=Tax man takes bigger bite tomorrow |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The RTA began expanding its staff and moved out of its shared space with Metro in July 1997;<ref>{{cite news |date=August 14, 1997 |title=RTA moves to new headquarters |work=RTA Board Meeting Report |volume=5 |issue=10 |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/onboard/1997/aug14ob.html |publisher=Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010727023425/http://www.soundtransit.org/onboard/1997/aug14ob.html |archive-date=July 27, 2001 |accessdate=December 25, 2024}}</ref> its new headquarters occupied several floors at 1100 Second Avenue, a former bank building in Downtown Seattle.<ref name="PI-Move1999"/><ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=24–25}}</ref> The agency moved its offices to Seattle's historic [[Union Station (Seattle)|Union Station]] in November 1999 after a renovation and restoration project that cost $23.5{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|23500000|1999}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}<ref name="PI-Move1999"/>