Issaquah City Council member Tola Marts attended the King County Council meeting Tuesday, Feb. 4, testifying about the county’s proposal for an April election. The county wants to ask voters to approve funding for a Transportation Benefit District. The funding could potentially come from a $60 vehicle license fee and  a 0.1 percent sales tax, both of which would appear on an April ballot.

He said the decision for a vote will be made Feb. 10. An April vote is needed  to avoid 17 percent cuts to Metro Transit. The Sound Cities Association and the Public Issues Committee are discussing a local option for transportation funding in King County since confidence is waning that a transportation bill will come out of Olympia.

The local option would generate about $130 million a year, with approximately $80 million going to Metro Transit, with the other $50 million distributed to King County cities and unincorporated King County.

Issaquah would possibly reap $1.14 million and would have to enter into an interlocal agreement with the county as would every city in the SCA.

The numbers represent 60 percent of the funds from the TBD going to Metro and 40 percent to the county and cities — based on population — for other transportation needs including local roads, sidewalks, bike paths, additional transit and other transportation purposes as determined by the particular needs of the local jurisdiction.

Issaquah Councilmember Josh Schaer wondered if this is the right package, saying that it might take pressure off of Olympia. Schaer also questioned if the 60 percent was enough to save all of Metro’s routes, including those that serve Issaquah.

Councilmember Stacy Goodman suggested Issaquah form its own transportation benefit district.

The TBD offers other funding options including tolls, which Schaer thought would be a bad idea.

“Tolling I-90 would seriously impact Eastsider’s access to the west side,” he said.

Mayor Fred Butler said I-90 is a lifeline for Issaquah. He said they do need transit, but this was once the county executive’s Plan B — and now it’s Plan A because he has no other choice.

Marts said the county has been working with the state for a couple of years now for a comprehensive transportation plan, but it can’t wait any longer.

Marts said one common theme at the County Council meeting was frustration with the state.

“Using vehicle taxes and sales tax is pretty regressive and volatile,” Marts said.

He would like the county to look at more stable revenue mechanisms.