The cartoonist for the Kirkland Reporter needs to do a little research before his next cartoon.

While everyone in the state pays a car tab, only three counties pay the Sound Transit car tab tax and yet the entire state got to vote on I-976. So yes, maybe Seattle, which voted “no” on I-976 and instead wanted continue to tax themselves to pay for Sound Transit, might be upset that the folks in Spokane County who do not pay the Sound Transit tax voted to eliminate it.

In addition, to present Seattle as impatient and greedy ignores the history of transportation in this region. In the 1970s, we had the opportunity to build, with the help of billions of federal dollars, a transit system that would have changed the way we travel. Unfortunately short-sighted folks like Tim Eyman existed even then. Instead the money went to Atlanta, where they now have MARTA, a system of rail and bus lines that keep the region moving.

Forty-plus years is a long time to be fighting for solutions to our transportation problems. In addition to gutting funding to alleviate traffic congestion and continue road maintenance across the state, things everyone seems to like to complain about, I-976 will also cut the ORCA card program for seniors, students and low-income residents. The ferry system, Amtrak, and the Washington State Patrol will also be affected. These effects are statewide, NOT just Seattle. And there have been programs to help low-income residents with the higher car tabs.

Does anyone have Tim Eyman’s phone number? I want to call him while I’m sitting in traffic. It’s ok, I can put my car in park while I do it, traffic is at a stand-still. I would have taken mass transit but with the cuts and all…

Michelle Simeoni

Kirkland