Seattle Asking Voters To Approve $23 Billion For Light Rail

"The numbers might be enough to make voters dizzy: a full 50 miles of light rail, to be built over 20 years, at a long-term cost of $23 billion."

"Sound Transit is betting that when citizens say they want light rail, they mean it...[even,] Microsoft has said it will help the 'yes' campaign."

"The transit plan will be paired with a regional highway proposal as a single ballot question in Snohomish, King and Pierce counties, where sluggish commutes are a perennial irritant."

"Sound Transit proposes a sales-tax increase of a nickel for every $10 purchase, or $125 a year for the average household. For the highways, sales taxes would increase a penny per $10 purchase, or $25 a year per household, and a car-tab tax would add $80 per $10,000 of vehicle value, or $68 for the average car."

"The pro-roads Eastside Transportation Association has aired radio ads that criticize spending so much money to provide transit for a fraction of travelers. Michael Ennis of the conservative Washington Policy Center says: 'Sound Transit is not really going to relieve traffic congestion.'"

Meanwhile, "The Sierra Club likely will oppose the "Roads & Transit" measure because new highway lanes would worsen global warming, said local chairman Michael O'Brien."