September 2005

An article of September 14 about the monorail board's new financial advisor Kevin Phelps ("Advisor eyes monorail costs"), stated that he "disagreed with the prediction that Seattle's population will grow by just 0.3 percent annually. Phelps thinks the city's population will grow 6.1 percent a year."

In fact, Phelps endorses ECONorthwest's analysis that the city's population will grow 0.77 percent annually, very much in line with the Puget Sound Regional Council's forecast of 0.80 percent annually and the City of Seattle's forecast also of 0.80 percent annually.

As a West Seattle resident, I am outraged that our civic leaders are now attempting to pull the plug on the monorail, the only reasonable transit system that will be coming to West Seattle.

As a Democrat, I am outraged that our civic leaders are attempting to kill the monorail, a project that would reduce harmful emissions and help slow global warming.

As a young person, I am outraged that our civic leaders would harm my friends and my future by trying to end a project that would help ease congestion, a problem that gets worse everyday.

Such a deal this new, new study is. Saving us $4 billion over the old new study and cutting the payoff time from 50 to 39 years to boot.

Wonder how we arrived at the $1.75 billion from the old old study that enticed Seattle voters to go for the project in the first place?

As with the majority, I am tired to the bone of studies and study panels on this issue but would gladly invite just one more entitled "Ways to De-Finance Seattle Monorail Project ASAP."

Talk about timing, the mayor's news release answered mine to a tee.

$4 billion in four weeks gushed Cindi Laws in an interview this morning (15 Sept). Too bad only the Seattle Monorail Project Board believes this smoke.

How is it that three of the largest engineering and construction companies in the country bailed out of the monorail bidding process before the proposals were submitted?

In response to the opinion/editorial by Kyra-lin Hom in the Sept. 14 issue (Hating Bush doesn't help hurricane victims), I agree that when people are passionate about their viewpoints they need to express themselves in a respectful way. Ideally people who have differences of opinion (the "thirty-somethings" with flyers) and the teenagers (the Garfield students) could have had a more productive exchange of ideas. I also agree that relief for the survivors of the hurricane is of paramount importance at this time.

However, I did not agree with Ms.

I reside just south of the Fauntleroy ferry terminal. I rent the bottom story of a three-story house where I've lived for three and half years. We're right on the beach.

Friday evening August 26, I let my cat, Arthur, outside as I usually did upon returning home from work. About 10 minutes later a chestnut colored pit bull came into my patio followed by an almost identical dog. The only differences were their collars. Both appeared to have uncropped ears or tails.

These dogs also ran into the next- door neighbor's home.

While some West Seattle residents worry about the noise of potential Southwest Airlines passenger jets flying along two sides of West Seattle, the airline CEO said water would reduce the noice from its planes.

Gary Kelly, chief executive officer of Southwest Airlines, told the King County Council if his airline is allowed to move from Sea-Tac International Airport to Boeing Field, up to 95 percent of Southwest departures and landings would be over Elliott Bay.

Mayor Greg Nickels didn't buy the new financial plan for the monorail, calling for a fifth vote and moving to deny the proposed elevated transit system the use of city streets.

In an extraordinary Saturday meeting, the Seattle Monorail Project board began consideration of a Nov.

Residents of White Center and the North Highline area would get slower fire protection service from Seattle than they get now from the North Highline Fire District or the district that covers Burien.

That was one message to a crowd of about 200 residents last week from those who provide fire protection, emergency medical service, water, and sewer service to the North Highline Unincorporated Area.