City Council Given Two Monorail Options

City Council Given Two Monorail Options

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Story Published: Sep 22, 2005 at 3:31 PM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 2:05 AM PDT

By Michelle Esteban

SEATTLE - We might find out Friday if the Seattle Monorail project lives or dies.

The Seattle City Council is expected to vote Friday whether to kill the project, or give it more time.

Mayor Greg Nickels wanted the City Council to put the monorail question on the November ballot, but because council can only act in an advisory capacity, council members thought that would be a waste of time and money.

Instead they've come up with two options that they'll vote on Friday morning:

1) They could kill the project outright by denying the city permits now. Or 2), give the monorail board until February to come up with an acceptable finance package. Their first finance plan of $11.4 billion in debt payments was overwhelmingly rejected.

If the council gives the board more time, there are conditions:

The monorail board would have to go to the voters in Febraury and ask voters to either shorten the line, approve increased taxes or kill the project altogether.

If the monorail survives the vote, then the monorail board would have to prove to City Council its plan is financially prudent and responsible.

Bottom line: the council is frustrated with the monorail board and let them know during Thursday's special council session.

"There is not enough money in the plan and no use pretending there is," said Seattle City Councilwoman Jean Godden. "The ridership numbers are unrealistic; in fact, you would have to hire those folks from Japan that stuff people in cars in order to meet the ones we've heard."

The monorail board meets again Thursday night and on Friday. They say all they need is more time.

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