The view expressed by Pence is what the proponents have come to believe. As we recall, it was widely believed that the voting opponents understood what RTA means for congestion, and the supporters did not. Any discussion of the RTA plan has to begin by noting the incredibly wide array of support for the Regional Express campaign, support that is both wide and deep. For example, last year the entire City of Everett, the mayor, city council and civic leadership, was unanimously opposed to the RTA ballot measure. This year, those same people all support the new RTA plan.
Organized opposition is concentrated on King County's east side.
Even though there are a number of elected leaders who oppose RTA, we are urging that people read some of the documents that are posted in this web Forum, read the Regional Express campaign literature, and then decide for themselves. When the ballots are tabulated in a democracy, each person's vote counts the same as any other. However, your praise of HOV lanes might be premature. Now I know you'll say that the cheap abundunt bus service will be jeopardized by the rail scheme. I agree that rail is expensive, but I think it offers a city a way to to densify if urban planners who understand its potential are in power.