Licata's recent issue on upcoming Mercer vote:

rban Politics #265, Nov 10, 2008

By City Councilmember Nick Licata
with assistance from my LA Newell Aldrich

COUNCIL MAY VOTE $30 MILLION MORE ON MERCER

In the Budget Committee this week the City Council will consider
whether to authorize spending $30 million for the Mercer Corridor
Project in 2009 without first receiving the financial and environmental
information it requested in Ordinance 122686 (passed in May 2008) as a
necessary condition for the Mayor to proceed with the Mercer Project.
The majority of Councilmembers referenced the ordinance*s intent in a
September 30th letter by agreeing to review the project in 2009 before
determining a proper course of action. 

Two proposals will be discussed and voted on this week.

The first proposal, sponsored by Jan Drago, allows $30 million in
spending, which would have the practical effect of authorizing all
property acquisition necessary to expand the right-of-way in the
corridor without meeting the conditions in Ordinance 122686. 

I*m sponsoring the second proposal, which will not release those
funds, until the conditions in the ordinance are met by Council having
the opportunity to evaluate the Executive*s progress toward closing
the combined $100 million funding gap for the Mercer and the Spokane
Street Projects. 

The necessary information requested would provide the Council with:

-- A revised finance plan for both projects, including 
	- a schedule for both anticipated revenues and expenditures; 
	- an updated project cost estimates based on 100% design;  
	- further value engineering analysis; 
	- a revised assessment of potential sources for grant and
partner agency funding; 
	- and a contingency plan that identifies proposed alternative
funding sources should 			anticipated revenues not
materialize

-- A completed environmental review for the Mercer Project, including
all technical reports and memoranda

None of this information has been provided to the Council. To allow the
Mercer Project to go forward without it would be committing millions of
dollars to a project that does not meet the Seattle Auditor*s
recommended best practices for proceeding with major public works
projects. 

The City Auditor recommended not issuing notices to proceed with
projects that depend on external funding prior to obtaining secured
financial commitments. Further the Auditor stated that if the City
decides to proceed, City departments should provide the Council with a
contingency plan in advance of project approval.

The budget for the $200 million Mercer project lists $52 million yet to
be obtained from state and federal sources.

The financing plan for the Mercer Project has also changed since the
April 1, 2008 presentation to the Council*s Transportation Committee.
There SDOT proposed financing bonds with revenues from the commercial
parking tax in excess of original projections, over 15 years. The Mayor
now proposes dedicating additional commercial parking tax revenues to
the Mercer Project to pay off the bonds in 20 not 15 years, thus
increasing interest costs.  

Seattle residents from around the city have expressed opposition to the
current Mercer Project. By proceeding with this project without
reviewing the minimum requirements set by the Council, I believe sends
the wrong message to them.

Below is the list of community groups that have come out in opposition
to proceeding with the Mercer Project.

Magnolia Community Club					 
Rainier Beach Community Club Executive Board		 
Queen Anne Community Council				 
Southeast Seattle Crime Prevention Council			 
Othello Neighborhood Association				
Columbia City Community Council				 
North Seattle Industrial Association				 
Aurora Avenue Merchants Association 			
Fremont Chamber of Commerce				 
Ballard District
Council						
Seattle Community Council Federation			
Northeast District Council					
Metropolitan Democratic Club					
Seattle Marine Business Coalition				
36th District
Democrats						
46th District
Democrats						
43rd District
Democrats						
BINMIC								
Queen Anne Neighbors for Responsible Growth		
University District Community Council
			 
Expressing Concerns

Feet First (supports dedicating surplus commercial            
parking tax revenues to fully funding healthy 
transportation choices equitably across Seattle rather 
than going to the Mercer Project)