In my opinion, they've always planned to press the pedal to the metal, no matter what hardship it imposes, for those imposing the taxes have plenty of cash flow. They have zero empathy for the low-income folks that are bearing the brunt of their tax hit, and the blame falls on state legislators for providing too much tax authority and without safeguards against ethically-challenging activities that this is but one example of.

Mr. Ashlie-Vinke could have gotten his light rail in Everett 5 years sooner and for $1 billion less had Sound Transit selected the most efficient route to get there, I-5, and used the saved money to add transit throughout Everett - there's none planned from Everett Transit, like a BRT loop to Paine Field and downtown that would have opened by 2020, and by simply adding the north side of the direct access ramp at 164th, which would have eliminated buses having to slide across non-HOV lanes to serve Ash Way Park & Ride, lessening congestion in that area.