Thank You Rob McKenna

Errr.. I see where you are coming from but not sure I agree…the ‘biggest’ toast or shout out? Maybe you exaggerate?

Errr.. I see where you are coming from but not sure I agree…the ‘biggest’ toast or shout out? Maybe you exaggerate?

Errr.. I see where you are coming from but not sure I agree…the ‘biggest’ toast or shout out? Maybe you exaggerate?

Dude – need to start calling you Stretch.

I don’t know what web was spun with the blogging community in your sit down with the AG – but if you really think back (and reread the new stories) – it was Rob McKenna, Maggie Fimia and the Seattle Times that were determined not to make light rail work – but to kill it. Which fortunatley they did not.

Dude – need to start calling you Stretch.

I don’t know what web was spun with the blogging community in your sit down with the AG – but if you really think back (and reread the new stories) – it was Rob McKenna, Maggie Fimia and the Seattle Times that were determined not to make light rail work – but to kill it. Which fortunatley they did not.

Dude – need to start calling you Stretch.

I don’t know what web was spun with the blogging community in your sit down with the AG – but if you really think back (and reread the new stories) – it was Rob McKenna, Maggie Fimia and the Seattle Times that were determined not to make light rail work – but to kill it. Which fortunatley they did not.

Mckenna pealed back the onion and let the truth be seen.

Yes, go back to 1999 and 2000 and read the lies being told by the ST staff and board. Bob White didn’t just make mistakes, he knew the overruns were immense.

Mckenna lobbied for bus instead of LR, I don’t remember that he advocated to close down ST but maybe I just have that wrong.

We’ll see how transit works the next few years with dramatic bus cutbacks.

Mckenna pealed back the onion and let the truth be seen.

Yes, go back to 1999 and 2000 and read the lies being told by the ST staff and board. Bob White didn’t just make mistakes, he knew the overruns were immense.

Mckenna lobbied for bus instead of LR, I don’t remember that he advocated to close down ST but maybe I just have that wrong.

We’ll see how transit works the next few years with dramatic bus cutbacks.

I don’t know but the idea of 50k people living within walking distance of the Northgate station seems like pie-in-the sky to me.

I don’t know but the idea of 50k people living within walking distance of the Northgate station seems like pie-in-the sky to me.

Now wait a minute. I don’t think he even started calling things out until after the report was issued – reorganization was already under way. He has been trying to spin it this way for months, and I think he’s got you hook, line and sinker.

Now wait a minute. I don’t think he even started calling things out until after the report was issued – reorganization was already under way. He has been trying to spin it this way for months, and I think he’s got you hook, line and sinker.

Now wait a minute. I don’t think he even started calling things out until after the report was issued – reorganization was already under way. He has been trying to spin it this way for months, and I think he’s got you hook, line and sinker.

Josh is just flashing back to his years as a light rail hater / monorail köolAid drinker.

McKenna, the master snake charmer, had naive Capitol Hill Monorailians thinking he was a champion of their cause (McKenna does this regularly). Feit was a little wet behind the ears when he got scammed by Boy Scout Robby.

McKenna did nothing for better oversight. He was simply trying to monkeywrench Seattle’s project altogether, and dump more buses on Seattle’s already-gridlocked streets. McKenna knew bus-gridlock would never be a problem in suburbia, thanks to their low % of transit use, and massive park-n-rides with direct freeway on-ramps.

Josh is just flashing back to his years as a light rail hater / monorail köolAid drinker.

McKenna, the master snake charmer, had naive Capitol Hill Monorailians thinking he was a champion of their cause (McKenna does this regularly). Feit was a little wet behind the ears when he got scammed by Boy Scout Robby.

McKenna did nothing for better oversight. He was simply trying to monkeywrench Seattle’s project altogether, and dump more buses on Seattle’s already-gridlocked streets. McKenna knew bus-gridlock would never be a problem in suburbia, thanks to their low % of transit use, and massive park-n-rides with direct freeway on-ramps.

Josh is just flashing back to his years as a light rail hater / monorail köolAid drinker.

McKenna, the master snake charmer, had naive Capitol Hill Monorailians thinking he was a champion of their cause (McKenna does this regularly). Feit was a little wet behind the ears when he got scammed by Boy Scout Robby.

McKenna did nothing for better oversight. He was simply trying to monkeywrench Seattle’s project altogether, and dump more buses on Seattle’s already-gridlocked streets. McKenna knew bus-gridlock would never be a problem in suburbia, thanks to their low % of transit use, and massive park-n-rides with direct freeway on-ramps.

Ben you don’t know what you are talking about. Go read the papers from that era.

Ben you don’t know what you are talking about. Go read the papers from that era.

Ben you don’t know what you are talking about. Go read the papers from that era.

Ben @5,

You’re wrong. McKenna was central to getting the real numbers out well in advance of the reorganization.

I know because I was interviewing him at at the time:

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=2493

Ben @5,

You’re wrong. McKenna was central to getting the real numbers out well in advance of the reorganization.

I know because I was interviewing him at at the time:

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=2493

Ben @5,

You’re wrong. McKenna was central to getting the real numbers out well in advance of the reorganization.

I know because I was interviewing him at at the time:

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=2493

Josh- You confuse McKenna’s affected tough oversight with opportunism. He was always against rail. He simply – and brilliantly – seized on ST’s troubles to go in for the kill. Just like all the politcians who killed the monorail over financial questions. They drilled down on SMP not because they were concerned about its financial health, but rather as a means of killing it. You aren’t that naive, are you?

Fortunately for the region, he was not successful. Don’t mask his true intent, and don’t ascribe values to him that are not there.

In 2001 the ST Board voted 14-4 in favor of building Link. McKenna opposed it. Along with Jane Hague and Paul Schell. Politicians have to show their true colors when they cast votes on policy. He picked his side; he was against it. ‘Nuff said.

He has no claim to making Sound Transit better, nor to advancing the cause of mass transit in the region. If he had is way, we’d all be stuck with buses in HOV lanes, nay, Lexus lanes. And the neighborhoods will still be marooned.

Josh- You confuse McKenna’s affected tough oversight with opportunism. He was always against rail. He simply – and brilliantly – seized on ST’s troubles to go in for the kill. Just like all the politcians who killed the monorail over financial questions. They drilled down on SMP not because they were concerned about its financial health, but rather as a means of killing it. You aren’t that naive, are you?

Fortunately for the region, he was not successful. Don’t mask his true intent, and don’t ascribe values to him that are not there.

In 2001 the ST Board voted 14-4 in favor of building Link. McKenna opposed it. Along with Jane Hague and Paul Schell. Politicians have to show their true colors when they cast votes on policy. He picked his side; he was against it. ‘Nuff said.

He has no claim to making Sound Transit better, nor to advancing the cause of mass transit in the region. If he had is way, we’d all be stuck with buses in HOV lanes, nay, Lexus lanes. And the neighborhoods will still be marooned.

Josh- You confuse McKenna’s affected tough oversight with opportunism. He was always against rail. He simply – and brilliantly – seized on ST’s troubles to go in for the kill. Just like all the politcians who killed the monorail over financial questions. They drilled down on SMP not because they were concerned about its financial health, but rather as a means of killing it. You aren’t that naive, are you?

Fortunately for the region, he was not successful. Don’t mask his true intent, and don’t ascribe values to him that are not there.

In 2001 the ST Board voted 14-4 in favor of building Link. McKenna opposed it. Along with Jane Hague and Paul Schell. Politicians have to show their true colors when they cast votes on policy. He picked his side; he was against it. ‘Nuff said.

He has no claim to making Sound Transit better, nor to advancing the cause of mass transit in the region. If he had is way, we’d all be stuck with buses in HOV lanes, nay, Lexus lanes. And the neighborhoods will still be marooned.

@9,

In my post, I wrote this:

I’d say Rob McKenna (ironically, given that his agenda was to bring the project down) was one of the most important Sound Transit board members there has been.

@9,

In my post, I wrote this:

I’d say Rob McKenna (ironically, given that his agenda was to bring the project down) was one of the most important Sound Transit board members there has been.

Wow, I’ve read the link to the 1999 Stranger piece, and I am more confused than ever. First there is this in the post above:

“His super power: His honest watchdogging while other board members were cheer leading and lying.”

Then this up high in the linked story:

“Schell should have seen it coming. Earlier in the day, at a Sound Transit finance committee meeting, Finance Chair Greg Nickels expressed concern that Schell’s plan (to borrow more money for light rail) would do two bad things. First, he says, it would burden taxpayers with a larger financial commitment than the one they signed on for when they voted for the transit system in 1996. Second, it would endanger the ability to fund the future extension of light rail, known as Phase II.”

The story goes on for three paragraphs explaining Nickels’ concerns. McKenna’s barely mentioned at the story’s end. Using your own words, the first quote above fails to stand up as a point of fact in light of the second. Ergo Josh you’ve terminated your own argument. Thank you.

Wow, I’ve read the link to the 1999 Stranger piece, and I am more confused than ever. First there is this in the post above:

“His super power: His honest watchdogging while other board members were cheer leading and lying.”

Then this up high in the linked story:

“Schell should have seen it coming. Earlier in the day, at a Sound Transit finance committee meeting, Finance Chair Greg Nickels expressed concern that Schell’s plan (to borrow more money for light rail) would do two bad things. First, he says, it would burden taxpayers with a larger financial commitment than the one they signed on for when they voted for the transit system in 1996. Second, it would endanger the ability to fund the future extension of light rail, known as Phase II.”

The story goes on for three paragraphs explaining Nickels’ concerns. McKenna’s barely mentioned at the story’s end. Using your own words, the first quote above fails to stand up as a point of fact in light of the second. Ergo Josh you’ve terminated your own argument. Thank you.

Wow, I’ve read the link to the 1999 Stranger piece, and I am more confused than ever. First there is this in the post above:

“His super power: His honest watchdogging while other board members were cheer leading and lying.”

Then this up high in the linked story:

“Schell should have seen it coming. Earlier in the day, at a Sound Transit finance committee meeting, Finance Chair Greg Nickels expressed concern that Schell’s plan (to borrow more money for light rail) would do two bad things. First, he says, it would burden taxpayers with a larger financial commitment than the one they signed on for when they voted for the transit system in 1996. Second, it would endanger the ability to fund the future extension of light rail, known as Phase II.”

The story goes on for three paragraphs explaining Nickels’ concerns. McKenna’s barely mentioned at the story’s end. Using your own words, the first quote above fails to stand up as a point of fact in light of the second. Ergo Josh you’ve terminated your own argument. Thank you.

Ergo? Ugh-o.

Anyway, McKenna gave me the story (and happily gave Greg the talking points because Greg wanted the mike because he wanted to take down Schell.)

That’s why there’s the sly shout out too McKenna at the end.

True.

And true story: In the middle of interviewing Nickels for that story he literally sent me down the hall to McKenna’s office to have McKenna explain it.

Ergo? Ugh-o.

Anyway, McKenna gave me the story (and happily gave Greg the talking points because Greg wanted the mike because he wanted to take down Schell.)

That’s why there’s the sly shout out too McKenna at the end.

True.

And true story: In the middle of interviewing Nickels for that story he literally sent me down the hall to McKenna’s office to have McKenna explain it.

OK, smart guy, you win. Up is down, black is white, Rob McKenna saved light rail.

Did checks & balances play a role? Sure. Did ST get better because the big spotlight of transparency that only comes with a true media feeding frenzy was shining on it? No question. Did McKenna play a role in pouring gas on the fire? Yup.

Does he deserve “the biggest shout out of all”? Of course not. He did not get his way. He played every trick in his hand to kill the project. He lost. No, he deserves to live with his failure.

OK, smart guy, you win. Up is down, black is white, Rob McKenna saved light rail.

Did checks & balances play a role? Sure. Did ST get better because the big spotlight of transparency that only comes with a true media feeding frenzy was shining on it? No question. Did McKenna play a role in pouring gas on the fire? Yup.

Does he deserve “the biggest shout out of all”? Of course not. He did not get his way. He played every trick in his hand to kill the project. He lost. No, he deserves to live with his failure.

Rob McKenna is two things. Smart, and very conservative. Perhaps he did do ST a favor, but his motives are still to cut government’s ability to help people to the bone. He simply found a good target at the time.

You overstate his role. Critics always make things better, but change didn’t happen just because of Rob McKenna–the board and staff learned painful lessons, just like the clowns at the monorail. Perhaps this piece is your half-ass atonement for opposing Sound Transit for many years.

McKenna wants to be the next governor, perhaps you might look at his whole record.

Rob McKenna is two things. Smart, and very conservative. Perhaps he did do ST a favor, but his motives are still to cut government’s ability to help people to the bone. He simply found a good target at the time.

You overstate his role. Critics always make things better, but change didn’t happen just because of Rob McKenna–the board and staff learned painful lessons, just like the clowns at the monorail. Perhaps this piece is your half-ass atonement for opposing Sound Transit for many years.

McKenna wants to be the next governor, perhaps you might look at his whole record.

Uh, McKenna and Fimia’s (a Shoreline Democrat not very far off the Murray mold) concerns about Sound Transit were fact based – not irrational attempts to ‘kill’ anything. Portraying there involvement as anything else constitutes harrassment.

My involvement with the agency was ending about the time Feit’s was starting. FWIW, the ‘scandal’ was really just an excuse to cut the project back to meet the budget. I severely doubt the responsible folks were ever brought to account.

…and that may yet ‘kill’ the agency…

Uh, McKenna and Fimia’s (a Shoreline Democrat not very far off the Murray mold) concerns about Sound Transit were fact based – not irrational attempts to ‘kill’ anything. Portraying there involvement as anything else constitutes harrassment.

My involvement with the agency was ending about the time Feit’s was starting. FWIW, the ‘scandal’ was really just an excuse to cut the project back to meet the budget. I severely doubt the responsible folks were ever brought to account.

…and that may yet ‘kill’ the agency…

Uh, McKenna and Fimia’s (a Shoreline Democrat not very far off the Murray mold) concerns about Sound Transit were fact based – not irrational attempts to ‘kill’ anything. Portraying there involvement as anything else constitutes harrassment.

My involvement with the agency was ending about the time Feit’s was starting. FWIW, the ‘scandal’ was really just an excuse to cut the project back to meet the budget. I severely doubt the responsible folks were ever brought to account.

…and that may yet ‘kill’ the agency…

While thanks are being handed out for Seattle light rail finally opening, somebody in the know should take a bow or hand out an Academy Award for the brilliant decision of Sound Transit to issue a token amount of bonds in 1999 well ahead of beginning heavy light rail construction.

These bonds very cleverly pledged repayment coming partially via the agency’s 1996-approved Sound Move license tab fee — precisely, 0.3 percent motor-vehicle excise tax, still being collected. This tax was shot down by a year 2002 Tim Eyman initiative that won and was upheld.

Because of that bonding for a piddly $350 million before ST needed the money, ST secured a 30 year stream of tax money that it really needed later in 2003 to get the $500 million Federal grant that made last Saturday’s gala opening possible.

I think somebody within Sound Transit in the late 90s spotted early news coverage of what Tim Eyman planned to do about license tab taxes via initiative. Step forward and take a bow!

Or was Sound Transit just lucky?

While thanks are being handed out for Seattle light rail finally opening, somebody in the know should take a bow or hand out an Academy Award for the brilliant decision of Sound Transit to issue a token amount of bonds in 1999 well ahead of beginning heavy light rail construction.

These bonds very cleverly pledged repayment coming partially via the agency’s 1996-approved Sound Move license tab fee — precisely, 0.3 percent motor-vehicle excise tax, still being collected. This tax was shot down by a year 2002 Tim Eyman initiative that won and was upheld.

Because of that bonding for a piddly $350 million before ST needed the money, ST secured a 30 year stream of tax money that it really needed later in 2003 to get the $500 million Federal grant that made last Saturday’s gala opening possible.

I think somebody within Sound Transit in the late 90s spotted early news coverage of what Tim Eyman planned to do about license tab taxes via initiative. Step forward and take a bow!

Or was Sound Transit just lucky?

While thanks are being handed out for Seattle light rail finally opening, somebody in the know should take a bow or hand out an Academy Award for the brilliant decision of Sound Transit to issue a token amount of bonds in 1999 well ahead of beginning heavy light rail construction.

These bonds very cleverly pledged repayment coming partially via the agency’s 1996-approved Sound Move license tab fee — precisely, 0.3 percent motor-vehicle excise tax, still being collected. This tax was shot down by a year 2002 Tim Eyman initiative that won and was upheld.

Because of that bonding for a piddly $350 million before ST needed the money, ST secured a 30 year stream of tax money that it really needed later in 2003 to get the $500 million Federal grant that made last Saturday’s gala opening possible.

I think somebody within Sound Transit in the late 90s spotted early news coverage of what Tim Eyman planned to do about license tab taxes via initiative. Step forward and take a bow!

Or was Sound Transit just lucky?