Jolt
Afternoon Jolt: Absent KC Council Members Were At Morning Meeting of Same Committee
Today's losers: The 400 people who showed up to testify at last night's Metro cuts hearing, only to find that the five county council members they needed to convince weren't there.
Just four county council members attended last night's packed hearing---technically a meeting of the council's transportation committee---to discuss a proposed 17 percent cut to Metro service. All four have committed to voting in favor of a $20 fee to defray the cuts, which amount to 600,000 hours of annual service. Members of the public were effectively making their case to council members who already agreed with them, while those who didn't agree with them were conspicuously absent.
Among the members who were absent: Committee vice-chair Pete von Reichbauer, a Republican, and committee member Jane Hague, both of whom have said they will not vote to support a fee. Both committee members were present at a meeting of the committee the morning before last night's meeting.
Also absent: Council member Julia Patterson, a Democrat who represents South King County and who has not committed to voting for the measure. Patterson isn't on the committee, but is under intense pressure to support the proposal. And, it should be noted, not everyone at last night's hearing was on the committee either: Council member Larry Gossett attended the hearing despite not being a member of the committee.
Just four county council members attended last night's packed hearing---technically a meeting of the council's transportation committee---to discuss a proposed 17 percent cut to Metro service. All four have committed to voting in favor of a $20 fee to defray the cuts, which amount to 600,000 hours of annual service. Members of the public were effectively making their case to council members who already agreed with them, while those who didn't agree with them were conspicuously absent.
Among the members who were absent: Committee vice-chair Pete von Reichbauer, a Republican, and committee member Jane Hague, both of whom have said they will not vote to support a fee. Both committee members were present at a meeting of the committee the morning before last night's meeting.
Also absent: Council member Julia Patterson, a Democrat who represents South King County and who has not committed to voting for the measure. Patterson isn't on the committee, but is under intense pressure to support the proposal. And, it should be noted, not everyone at last night's hearing was on the committee either: Council member Larry Gossett attended the hearing despite not being a member of the committee.
