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Transit Blogger forms New Pro-Transit PAC
Ben Schiendelman, one of the co-founders of the (super nerdy) Seattle Transit Blog, has started a new political-action committee aimed at electing pro-transit legislators in Olympia. The group, called Northwest Transit PAC, aims "to improve public transit in the Pacific Northwest, by educating voters about the benefits of mass transit, directly supporting transit expansion campaigns, and lobbying to change public policy to consider transit options for all transportation improvements," according to the mission statement on its web site.
Starting this session, Schiendelman says, the group will issue a scorecard for legislators, starting with the upcoming session, "based on their transit-friendliness. We'll contribute to 'good' legislators and point out 'bad' ones, and it's likely we'll get involved in a light rail campaign if we get one from [Mayor-elect Mike] McGinn."
Schiendelman says the PAC will most likely donate to candidates directly as well as do independent expenditures on behalf of candidates they support (and against candidates they oppose). For example, he says, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen (D-10), head of the senate transportation committee, "is likely to start a serious assault on transit" in 2011—pushing for tolling revenue from SR-520, for example, to go to road construction instead of transit improvements. .
Schiendelman has enlisted the support of Transportation Choices Coalition lobbyist Bill LaBorde, a longtime player in state transportation policy. Although LaBorde says he's still discussing his role at Northwest Transit PAC, Schiendelman has asked him to serve as one of three or four board members.
"I personally agree with Ben that there's a need for a PAC that's focused on electing folks who will be supportive of transit, and who will not continue to look at roads as 'good pork' and transit as something that's just a social service," LaBorde says.
As for whether a new PAC has the potential to diminish contributions to TCC (which, as a 501(c)3, does not support or oppose specific candidates), LaBorde says, "They have a pretty narrow and unique mission compared to TCC," as well as a different, more Eastside-centric, donor base. LaBorde says the group may support legislators such as Geoff Simpson (D-47) and Ross Hunter (D-48), who have been supportive of transit and may have competitive races in the future.
Starting this session, Schiendelman says, the group will issue a scorecard for legislators, starting with the upcoming session, "based on their transit-friendliness. We'll contribute to 'good' legislators and point out 'bad' ones, and it's likely we'll get involved in a light rail campaign if we get one from [Mayor-elect Mike] McGinn."
Schiendelman says the PAC will most likely donate to candidates directly as well as do independent expenditures on behalf of candidates they support (and against candidates they oppose). For example, he says, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen (D-10), head of the senate transportation committee, "is likely to start a serious assault on transit" in 2011—pushing for tolling revenue from SR-520, for example, to go to road construction instead of transit improvements. .
Schiendelman has enlisted the support of Transportation Choices Coalition lobbyist Bill LaBorde, a longtime player in state transportation policy. Although LaBorde says he's still discussing his role at Northwest Transit PAC, Schiendelman has asked him to serve as one of three or four board members.
"I personally agree with Ben that there's a need for a PAC that's focused on electing folks who will be supportive of transit, and who will not continue to look at roads as 'good pork' and transit as something that's just a social service," LaBorde says.
As for whether a new PAC has the potential to diminish contributions to TCC (which, as a 501(c)3, does not support or oppose specific candidates), LaBorde says, "They have a pretty narrow and unique mission compared to TCC," as well as a different, more Eastside-centric, donor base. LaBorde says the group may support legislators such as Geoff Simpson (D-47) and Ross Hunter (D-48), who have been supportive of transit and may have competitive races in the future.
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