Move King County Now, a broad coalition of labor, environmental, social justice, business, and education leaders, added its endorsement of King County Council’s recent unanimous vote to place a transportation funding measure on the April ballot—and launched their campaign to approve the measure.

Prop 1, set for an April 22 vote, is intended to prevent deep service cuts to King County Metro and invest in critical improvements for city streets, rural roads, and local bridges.

“The King County Council did its job,” said Dave Freiboth, executive secretary and treasurer of the Martin Luther King County Labor Council. “Now, it’s our turn. I’m a co-chair of this campaign because of the jobs at stake, but also because our region needs a transportation system that works for everyone.”

“I rely on the bus to get to my job at Safeco Field, and thousands of fans use it to get to and from games,” said Bruce Parris of UNITE HERE Local 8. “King County Metro is the circulatory system of our region, transporting hundreds of thousands of people to jobs, entertainment, and essential services every single day. If our transportation infrastructure is cut, this region will suffer.”

“With 50% of our state’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from transportation, and our forests, farmland, and waterways in jeopardy, we should be adding transit service, not cutting it,” said Rob Johnson, executive director of Transportation Choices Coalition. “Our region can’t accommodate all of the growth it is experiencing without transit and well maintained infrastructure”

"Whether in Seattle or Snoqualmie, Proposition 1 offers a balanced solution that begins to address the critical needs of both public transit and local roads,” said Snoqualmie Mayor and Vice President of the Sound Cities Association Matt Larson, who was standing beside Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. "For that reason, Snoqualmie was the first city to publicly support the County placing Prop 1 before our citizens. We need solutions, not more delay and neglect."

“I spend three hours a day on the bus getting to and from school and work. Two of the three buses I ride regularly are slated to be eliminated or reduced, said Highline Community College student Coco Chandi. “I can’t keep my job and go to school if I have to spend an extra hour getting around each day — and I can’t afford a car. I’m voting yes on Proposition 1 because students shouldn’t have to choose between going to college and having a way to get around.”

Move King County Now is a broad coalition of community, business, labor, environment, freight, education, health, and social justice leaders working together to preserve transit service, fix our roads, and protect our economy and quality of life. Learn more at www.movekingcountynow.org.