June 2003
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| Governor Gary Locke signs the 2003 Legislature's transportation package in Olympia May 19th |
When the Legislature and the Governor found common ground on a new state transportation package last month, Washington state and the central Puget Sound region took a big step toward reversing a late 1990s nosedive -- punctuated with the defeat of Referendum 51 last fall -- which threatened to put the brakes on major parts of the region's plans to make traffic better. Passage of the "Nickel Account" is the latest in a series of actions aimed at turning the corner on transportation. It emphasizes planned roadway improvements to supplement voter-approved transit funding, tolls and other new tools that have combined to move the region's Destination 2030 plan closer to reality. As new state laws are implemented to enhance accountability and efficiency in project delivery, planning is underway to supplement the state's investments with additional regional support under laws enacted by the state Legislature in 2002 and 2003. Elected leaders within King, Pierce and Snohomish counties are busy preparing a ballot measure. In Kitsap County a passenger-only ferry ballot plan is being prepared. Meanwhile, Congress is deeply immersed in rewriting federal (TEA-21) law that expires September 30th. A push is underway to significantly grow federal support for improvements to transportation systems that keep the nation moving. Add it all up and the region is within striking distance of achieving the 2010 investment goals set in the Destination 2030 plan, according to an updated "Action Strategy" adopted by the PSRC's Executive Board on May 22nd. "It's Your Nickel -- Watch It Work"
A five cent increase in the state gas tax, effective July 1, is the centerpiece of a state funding package that also includes a 0.3 percent sales tax surcharge on motor vehicles and a surcharge on heavy vehicles. Over 70 specific projects within King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap counties are specifically targeted for funding within the next 10 years. Grant programs are also funded which will bring more state support to the region from the estimated $4.2 billion raised. A complete summary of the Nickel Funding Package projects is on the Web at: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/nickel/Default.htm Regional Transportation Investment District
County council members within King, Pierce and Snohomish counties are preparing a package that could be in front of voters by spring 2004. The 2003 state Legislature provided additional support for the RTID planners through bonding authority, enacting equity policies into law and allowing an additional funding option -- a regional gas tax up to 2.8 cents per gallon. The latest on RTID planning is on the Web at: http://www.rtid.dst.wa.us/. Kitsap Prepares To Keep Foot Ferries Afloat
The state Legislature provided enough funding to keep the Bremerton/Seattle passenger-only ferry operating until September 20th. It also granted Kitsap Transit the ability to seek voter approval for a public/private passenger ferry proposal. The plan would serve Bremerton/Seattle, Southworth/Seattle and Kingston/Seattle routes with 14 new boats and terminal connections to support them. Find out more on the Web at: http://www.kitsaptransit.org/capital/Planning.html. "TEA" Time In Congress
In May, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta formally rolled out the USDOT's proposal to rewrite federal transportation laws known in shorthand as TEA-21, which expire at the end of September. Almost immediately House and Senate transportation leadership indicated their intent to boost funding amounts and rewrite the administration's proposals. House and Senate transportation leadership are proposing to grow the Administration's $247 billion six-year request to as much as $375 billion. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee estimates its $375 billion plan would provide an additional $1.7 billion for transportation improvements in Washington state by 2009. The USDOT proposal is on the Web at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reauthorization/safetea.htm. Action Strategy Available at www.psrc.org
The Regional Council's updated Destination 2030 "Action Strategy" is available on the Web at www.psrc.org. The Action Strategy is focused on the first 10 years of the 2030 plan. State law requires that the region's plans be updated every two years.
| Richard McIver Receives Lifetime Achievement Award |
| Seattle City Councilmember Richard J. McIver was presented with a Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award from Western Washington University Alumni Association on May 2 in Bellingham. McIver is a 1976 graduate of the university's Fairhaven College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in community development, with majors in urban planning and finance. He was honored with the award for his 30-year history of local and national leadership in the fields of housing, planning, urban renewal, and community and economic development. He was recently re-elected president of the Puget Sound Regional Council. |  |
| Regional Council Calls for Policy Board Appointments |
It's time to appoint members to the Regional Council's Transportation Policy Board and Growth Management Policy Board. The two policy boards make recommendations on major growth management, economic and transportation issues to the Executive Board. This month, the Council is sending requests to Regional Council members and others representing various regional interests, with the hope of completing the appointment process this summer. The voting members on each policy board are elected officials representing the Regional Council's member counties, cities, ports, state agencies, and the state Legislature. The policy boards also have non-voting members who represent specific interests and participate in ongoing board discussions. The non-voting members include representatives of business and labor (four on each board) and community/environment representatives (four on each board). These members can be either self-nominated or nominated by businesses, organizations, or other interests. The Regional Council officers then select the board members from all those nominated. In addition, non-voting members include representatives from other public agencies and associate members. Nominations for both the voting and non-voting positions are needed in writing by August 1. The nominations should be sent to: Puget Sound Regional Council, 1011 Western Avenue, Suite 500, Seattle, Washington 98104. For a roster of current membership on the policy boards or other information, call Sylvia Nelson at (206) 464-7518.
Puget Sound Milestones
New Report Tracks Highway and Ferry Performance A new Regional Council report lists travel-time speed and reliability information for major highway corridors and Washington State Ferry routes serving the central
Puget Sound region. The report is the latest from the Puget Sound Milestones program, which monitors growth and transportation issues through an ongoing series of focused, topically oriented reports. Future Milestones reports will focus on other components of the metropolitan transportation system, including: transit, nonmotorized (bikes and pedestrians), freight and goods, intercity passenger rail, and regional aviation. The Roadways and Ferries report is available on psrc.org, or by calling the Regional Council's Information Center, (206) 464-7532, infoctr@psrc.org. For more information, contact Matthew Kitchen at (206) 464-6196, e-mail mkitchen@psrc.org, or
Ben Bakkenta at (206) 464-5372, e-mail bbakkenta@psrc.org.
Smart Card Gets OK from Transit Agencies On April 29, seven public transportation providers signed an agreement to create a new smart card fare system for central Puget Sound. By 2006, passengers on buses, trains and ferries will be able to use a smart card embedded with a microchip that automatically calculates any fare due. The cards can be reloaded and used indefinitely, and will eliminate the current system of more than 300 types of tickets, passes and tokens. The Regional Council has contributed around $16 million of regionally managed transportation funds to make this project happen.
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| Despite Losses in 2001, High-Tech Employment Experiences Huge Increases From 1995 |
Beginning in 2001, the central Puget Sound region's economy and its high-tech sector in particular received a series of major shocks that eventually pushed it into its first recession since the early 1990s. The region as a whole lost almost 15,000 high-tech jobs, a decrease of 10.1 percent. The Computer Related sector lost the most jobs with a decrease of over 5,000. Software suffered the second greatest loss of jobs with a decrease of over 4,000. Biotech was the only high-tech industry that experienced an increase in jobs. The Biotech sector added over 1,000 jobs, increasing by 9.9 percent between 2001 and 2002. Table 1: Regional High-Tech Jobs, March 2001 to March 2002*
| High-Tech Industry | 2001 | 2002 | Actual Change | Percent Change |
| Aerospace | 11,866 | 10,100 | (1,766) | -14.9% |
| Biotech | 11,668 | 12,824 | 1,156 | 9.9% |
| Chemicals and Allied Products | 725 | 553 | (172) | -23.7% |
| Computer Related | 23,093 | 17,793 | (5,300) | 23.0% |
| Electronic Equipment | 13,941 | 11,062 | (2,879) | -20.7% |
| Instruments and Related Products | 11,579 | 11,181 | (398) | -3.4% |
| Software | 53,103 | 48,785 | (4,318) | -8.1% |
| Telecommunications | 22,889 | 21,571 | (1,318) | -5.8% |
| Region High-Tech Total | 148,864 | 133,869 | (14,995) | -10.1% |
| Region All Other Jobs | 1,527,167 | 1,472,540 | (54,627) | -3.6% |
| Region Total | 1,676,031 | 1,606,409 | (69,622) | -4.2% |
| Washington State Total | 2,667,002 | 2,586,234 | (80,768) | -3.0% |
| Source: WA State Employment Security Department, Puget Sound Regional Council. | ||||
24 percent of those jobs. The Software sector experienced the largest job increase with a gain of more than 30,000 jobs, an actual change of 129.9 percent and an average annual change of
14.9 percent. Computer Related had the second largest gain in employment with an increase of more than 14,000 jobs. This sector increased by 180 percent, an average annual change of 18.7 percent. The Chemicals and Allied Products sector is the only sector that experienced a loss, decreasing by 29 jobs. This sector decreased by a total change of 3.8 percent and an average annual change of 0.7 percent. Table 2: Regional High-Tech Jobs, March 1995 to March 2001*
| High-Tech Industry | 1995 | 2001 | Actual Change | Annual Percent Change | Total Percent Change |
| Aerospace | 9,525 | 11,866 | 2,341 | 3.7% | 24.6% |
| Biotech | 8,076 | 11,668 | 3,592 | 6.3% | 44.5% |
| Chemicals and Allied Products | 754 | 725 | (29) | -0.7% | -3.8% |
| Computer Related | 8,247 | 23,093 | 14,846 | 18.7% | 180.0% |
| Electronic Equipment | 9,912 | 13,941 | 4,029 | 5.8% | 40.6% |
| Instruments and Related Products | 10,180 | 11,579 | 1,399 | 2.2% | 13.7% |
| Software | 23,096 | 53,103 | 30,007 | 14.9% | 129.9% |
| Telecommunications | 14,129 | 22,889 | 8,760 | 8.4% | 62.0% |
| Region High-Tech Total | 83,919 | 148,864 | 64,945 | 10.0% | 77.4% |
| All Other Jobs | 1,317,541 | 1,527,167 | 209,626 | 2.5% | 15.9% |
| Region Total | 1,401,460 | 1,676,031 | 274,571 | 3.0% | 19.6% |
| Washington State | 2,295,138 | 2,667,002 | 371,864 | 2.5% | 16.2% |
| Source: WA State Employment Security Department, Puget Sound Regional Council. | |||||
| * | This data reflects only jobs covered by the Washington Employment Security Act. "Covered" employment accounts for 85-90 percent of total employment. |
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| 206-464-7532 - FAX 206-587-4825 - infoctr@psrc.org |
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