Opinion ID: 2639085
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The length of the light rail line

Text: There is no disagreement that the reduced 14-mile light rail line is a substantial deviation from the 21-mile light rail line approved by the voters. The trial court so found, and Sound Transit does not dispute that conclusion. Sound Transit contends, however, that the deviation is not unlawful because, in its view, the voters granted it the discretion to scale back the light rail project if funding for its construction should prove to be insufficient. It argues, therefore, that although most major deviations from a voter approved public project are prohibited, the deviation in this case is not. We agree that the significant question is not whether the shortened light rail line is a substantial deviation from the proposed plan approved by the voters. Rather, it is whether the deviation was lawful because the voters granted Sound Transit discretion to change the plan. As we stated in Hayes, [t]he question is one of construction of contract, and that contract is expressed in the original ordinance. If the terms of that instrument do not permit the proposed change, then it cannot be made, regardless of the advantages which might result. Hayes, 120 Wash. at 375, 207 P. 607. It is clear that the corollary principle is also true: if the contract approved by voters authorizes substantial deviations to a project under particular circumstances, then the agency may lawfully make such changes. Sound Transit relied upon language in Resolution 75 in wielding its discretionary authority. That resolution, as we have observed, was adopted in 1996. It incorporated the Sound Move plan and directed that voters in the Sound Transit district consider the plan and approve local taxes for its implementation. As we conclude below, Resolution 75 was the enabling legislation for the Sound Move project, and it was the measure approved by the voters. Sound Transit relied on section 2 of Resolution 75 in making its decision to construct a 14-mile light rail line over the course of 13 years. Section 2 of the resolution provides that In the event that the proceeds of federal contributions, plus any other moneys of the RTA [Regional Transportation Authority, Sound Transit] legally available, are insufficient to accomplish all of the capital improvements provided by this Resolution, the RTA shall use the available funds for paying the cost of those improvements that are contained in the Ten-Year Regional Transit System Plan and are deemed by the Board to be most necessary and in the best interests of the RTA after consideration of the financial policies approved by Resolution No. 72. In the event that the Ten-Year Regional Transit System Plan improvements, or some portion thereof, are impractical to accomplish due to changed conditions or force majeure events, the RTA may use the available funds to pay principal of or interest on bonds, to reduce tax levies, or to pay for other capital and/or service improvements that achieve the stated goals of said plan, as the Board in its discretion shall determine as appropriate or necessary in accordance with law and Board policy. CP at 415 (emphasis added). Both Resolution 72 and Appendix B to the Sound Move plan, incorporated by Resolution 75, provide that where actual and projected expenditures exceed [the] actual and projected revenues and funding sources by 5 percent or greater, and/or where unforeseen circumstances occur which would result in an inability to substantially complete projects within [the] plan, the Board is required to take one or more of the following actions:  Correct the shortfall through use of such... uncommitted funds and/or bond capacity which is available ...; and/or  Scale back the ... plan or projects within the plan to match a revised budget; and/or  Authorize a vote of the RTA District on a revised ballot measure. Decl. of Joni Earl, Ex. B App. B at B-4. Sound Transit claims that the 14-mile light rail line is a scaled back version of the 21-mile light rail line that it adopted due to unforeseen costs. Sane Transit responds that Sound Transit could not scale back the light rail line project because the full text of Resolution 75 was not sent to the voters or included in the official voters' pamphlets distributed by the counties. It contends that the voters were unaware they were granting any such discretion to Sound Transit and could not have approved Resolution 75. It urges that the trial court erred in concluding otherwise. We disagree. Sane Transit relies upon the principle that acts approved by the people are construed by focusing on the language of the proposal as the average informed voter would read it. See Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 v. State, 142 Wash.2d 183, 205, 11 P.3d 762, 27 P.3d 608 (2000); State ex rel. Evergreen Freedom Found. v. Wash. Educ. Ass'n, 140 Wash.2d 615, 637, 999 P.2d 602 (2000); City of Spokane v. Taxpayers of City of Spokane, 111 Wash.2d 91, 98, 758 P.2d 480 (1988). In cases where voters are not provided with the full text of the measure to be voted upon, Sane Transit would have us ignore the language of the measure and attempt to construe the measure based on extrinsic documents sent to the voters which the average informed voter may or may not have read. An inquiry into the voter's subjective understanding of what he or she thought he or she was enacting is a task we will not undertake. See generally Amalgamated Transit, 142 Wash.2d at 205, 11 P.3d 762 (inquiry into the voters' intent will not occur where the text of an initiative is unambiguous); City of Spokane, 111 Wash.2d at 97, 758 P.2d 480 (court will avoid entering the realm of pure speculation about what individual voters were thinking, nor will it assume voters do not read or understand the measure presented to them). Reference to the statutes governing placement of a proposal for a high-capacity transportation system on a ballot leads us to conclude that Resolution 75 was the approved proposal. RCW 29.79.035(1) requires the ballot title to contain a concise description which must ... clearly identify the proposition to be voted on. See also RCW 29.27.066. RCW 81.104.140(7) requires reference in the ballot title to the summary pamphlet sent to voters. In order for the ballot title, which has not been challenged, to comply with these statutes, it must be concluded that Resolution 75 is the identified proposition and the eight-page Sound Move: The Ten-Year Regional Transit System Plan is the summary pamphlet sent to voters. We have previously indicated that where the ballot title would lead to an inquiry into the body of the act, proper notice, as required by article II, section 19 of the Washington Constitution, has been given to the voter about what he or she is deciding. Wash. Fed'n of State Employees v. State, 127 Wash.2d 544, 555, 901 P.2d 1028 (1995). Similarly in this case, although Sane Transit claims that the voters did not realize which proposal they were voting on, the ballot title informed the voters that Resolution 75 was the proposal to be enacted, and the resolution was available for consideration by request to the office identified in the voters' pamphlet. Sane Transit further argues that reliance on the ballot title does not satisfy the requirement in article II, section 1(e) of the Washington Constitution that the voters be allowed to study the measures prior to election. The requirements of article II, section 1(e) of the Washington Constitution are implemented by chapter 29.81 RCW which governs the voters' pamphlet. Wash. Fed'n of State Employees, 127 Wash.2d at 553, 901 P.2d 1028. Sane Transit does not challenge the voters' pamphlet. It does, however, contend that Resolution 75 is not the enabling legislation for the Sound Move project because the full text of the resolution was not set forth in the voters' pamphlet. Sane Transit's argument is unpersuasive. The voters' pamphlet was required to contain [t]he text of each measure. RCW 29.81A.040(3); see also RCW 81.104.140(9) (requiring a voters' pamphlet). If the word text in RCW 29.81A.040(3) means full text as Sane Transit suggests, then the voters' pamphlet was invalidly drafted because it did not include the full text of any proposed legislation. [8] We reject Sane Transit's argument, concluding that RCW 29.81A.040(3) is unhelpful because the voters' pamphlet did not set forth the full text of any legislation. Moreover, the validity of the voters' pamphlet is not before us because Sane Transit is not challenging its validity nor could it as the time period for contesting it has long passed. [9] Instead, we agree with the trial court's conclusion that the voters' pamphlet and the summary pamphlet were not sufficient to inform the voters of the detailed aspects of a multibillion dollar transportation and financing plan, and could not be considered enabling legislation. [10] Resolution 75 which provides those details is the legislation adopted by the voters. Justice Sanders's dissent asserts that if Resolution 75 were the legislation adopted by the voters, then only that portion of the resolution authorizing an increase in sales taxes and motor vehicle excise taxes was adopted. Dissent of Sanders, J., at 365. As noted above, the legislation adopted by the voters must be sufficient in detail. The only document with sufficient detail for enabling legislation is Resolution 75, and even Resolution 75 is sufficient only when it is viewed in its entirety. [11] As set out above, section 2 of Resolution 75 recognized that taxpayer funds might exceed anticipated costs or that revenues might be insufficient, and directed the agency to take certain action in either event. Where funds were insufficient, Sound Transit was authorized to use the available funds to pay for other capital and/or service improvements that achieve the stated goals of [the Ten-Year Regional Transit System] plan, as the Board in its discretion shall determine as appropriate or necessary, including scaling back the scope of an individual project in the 10-year plan. CP at 415. We conclude, therefore, that Sound Transit acted within its authority in adopting a plan for a 14-mile light rail line.