Last month, The News Tribune reported that the Federal way light rail project is $460 million over budget, adding up to a total projected cost of more than $2.5 billion. This news comes just one year after it was announced that the Lynnwood light rail station was $500 million over budget and would be completed six months late. After a huge increase in car tab fees, an increased sales tax, and more, voters from across the region are fed up with Sound Transit. It is time for the organization to be held more accountable.
Sound Transit is quickly building a pattern of going significantly over budget. Mariya Frost at the Washington Policy Center explains that “In just one year, Sound Transit has reported over $1 billion in cost overruns.”
In both the Lynnwood and Federal Way projects, Sound Transit has deflected the blame, putting it on labor, materials, and land costs rather than owning up to their huge mistakes.
This past year, Sound Transit has been taking a great deal of taxpayer money through insanely high car tab fees, an increased sales tax, and more. Yet the transit agency has proven that they are not able to handle taxpayer money properly. Voters should stand up against Sound Transit and communicate their opposition to cost overruns and delays. The organization must be held accountable. Going over budget by hundreds of millions of dollars (twice!) is simply unacceptable.