Reuven Carlyle, 36th District Representative, met with Ballard residents Aug. 6 at Caffé Fiore to discuss issues that are affecting them.

The conversation touched on cellphones and driving, drug dealing in Ballard and the homeless.

The completion of the Burke-Gilman Trail was a major topic.

"We have to think about what will be best 25 years from now," said one woman.

Carlyle said it is unimaginable that the completion of the Missing Link now sits before a judge instead of being worked out within the community.

"We need to negotiate a deal about this," he said. "I find it hard to believe that we can't come down to some kind of win-win."

Carlyle said that win-win could take the form of moving the future trail a block over or looking at an elevated trail.

The Metro funding crisis drew heated conversation as well.

Carlyle described what he called the "double whammy" of looming Metro cuts. Seattle could possibly have its routs cut at the same level as the rest of King County, but due to a county agreement, those routs would be returned at a higher level outside of the city, he said.

Carlyle encouraged Ballard residents to press politicians on the 40-40-20 agreement, which gives the suburbs 80 percent of new Metro service and the city 20 percent.

Funding public infrastructure, specifically transportation, with the sales tax is not a successful model, Carlyle said. He said he wants to look for a new model, such as regional tolling or car tabs, to avoid raising the sales tax.