The Seattle Times blows the call: Shoring up, not snoozing, is Katrina’s lesson.

Memo to the Seattle Times: the world does not revolve around you, the Alaska Way Viaduct or the 520 Bridge.

Hurricane Katrina has nothing to do with the fatally flawed gas tax increase. Any tax increase designed to accomplish a set of goals, in this case, primarily the replacement of the Viaduct or the Floating Bridge, that then does not achieve those goals should be repealed.

Governments lame attempts to guilt us into it are just that, lame.

If these two structures are, as the Times would attempt to lead us to believe, ready to fall over any second then the immediate goal should be to shut both of them down.

Now. Today. Immediately.

Government’s failure to close these structures will be directly responsible for the loss of life resulting from their collapse… and not the desire to rid us of an idiotic, insulting, poorly thought out and short-sighted gas tax increase in the midst of the highest gas prices we’ve ever known.

There are ways that Government may address the many and obvious shortcomings of the current gas tax increase, while re-referring the increase to US for OUR permission. Government’s stubborn insistence on pouting like a little punk is NOT the answer. Government’s stubborn insistence on failing to implement gas tax relief in the face of a now $1 billion surplus is NOT the answer, particularly when Government has no problem transferring hundreds of millions of these gas tax dollars into the general fund. Odd, isn’t it, that they have a cow at the idea of the reverse, even when we CAN afford it?

And finally, for the Times, treasting the lawfully expressed concerns of the voters with contempt will avail you nothing but contempt in return... along with a bigger margin of defeat for your side, of course.

Monday, September 19, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Editorial
Shoring up, not snoozing is Katrina's lesson

LONG-term lessons of Hurricane Katrina will be debated for years. In Washington state, one message should be that when it comes to shoring up infrastructure, you snooze, you lose.

Proponents of Initiative 912, the measure to roll back a recent 9.5 cent gas-tax increase, say the hurricane's aftermath will help convince voters to reduce gas prices pronto. It may do that. But voters taking a longer view will recognize a more important reality. Two Washington roadways are in danger of falling down or failing: the Alaskan Way Viaduct and the Highway 520 bridge across Lake Washington.

The gas-tax increase passed by the Legislature this year provides $2 billion to begin replacing the viaduct and $500 million for the aging 520 bridge.

Backers of I-912, which wipes out those funds, say they must be assured the investment reduces everyday congestion. They demand accountability. They will await another proposal another day. La di da di da.

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