Like most (I presume) regular bus commuters, I would prefer to see service preserved/expanded than the drivers paid more. I also understand that Metro drivers are among the best paid in the country, with higher salaries than many areas with higher costs of living.

Contracts at all levels of government which contain automatic pay increases were, I hope, written without anticipation on a deflationary recession. If responsible, our leaders will write the next round of contracts to better prepare for economic contingencies.

Right-wingers hate unions and living wages for working people. YAWN! Tell me again, Brewster, why I should support Crosscut when it continues to recycle these tired, worn-out positions.

If Metro is like most, the drivers get their wage rate increased after they've driven a certain # of miles. Without overtime, this happens about every 12 months. This wage increase is in addition to the COLA. Meanwhile, sales tax, Metro's main revenue source, is flat. Even if sales tax revenues were growing slightly, the combination of the longevity and COLA pay raises would exceed it. In other words, this financial situation would eventually be reached unless sales taxes shot up faster. A similar compensation plan has existed for Metro's administrative staff, too: longevity pay increases and COLA pay increases. All reach the top of their pay grade, 120% of average. Even freezing one, the other still beats inflation. Add to this health benefits that at one time was without premiums. If this is still true, since medical inflation is about 10%, that would be that much more in taxpayer costs. This model can't be financially sustained, the unions don't want to give up what they've gained (would you want to give up inflation-beating raises and great health benefits), and management is reluctant to trim back administrative costs, i.e. their own pay and benefits. That leaves cutting service as the only choice unless and until a majority of taxpayers decide either a change is needed or are willing to shift or raise more tax dollars to support Metro's cost structure.

Are you freakin' kidding me? Crosscut joins the politicians who support the race to the bottom in this country.

"NEARLY 10 percent of all bus drivers make more than $75,000 per year." (emphasis added)

Okay, what did the REMAINING 90 PERCENT make?

Organized workers fighting to preserve a livable wage versus gansta bank bonuses, etc., resources flowing to the immoral occupations and their military industrial supporters and Crosscut supports the ganstas by attacking the unions.

More manure from the radical right-wing Republican front group (see http://pstransitoperators.wordpress.com/2010/09/26/joke-of-the-day-washington-policy-center-nonpartisan/ for a link to contributions made to Republican causes and candidates by 100% of the WPC Board members).

Ennis again regurgitates his hatred for working people by making this bizarre claim that bus drivers are responsible for looming cuts. As if in the last 10 years:

-no money was spent on Park and Rides
-no money was spent on traffic improvements
-no money was spent to buy hybrid buses
-no supervisor got a pay raise in the last 10 years
-no manager got a pay raise in the last 10 years
-no administrator got a pay raise in the last 10 years
-no executive got a pay raise in the last 10 years
-no new consulting contracts, construction, etc. occurred in the last 10 years

It's all bus drivers' fault.

Michael Ennis is a fraud and a liar, and the WPC is nothing more than a radical right-wing Tea Party front group. I continue to be amazed that any legitimate media outlet or blog will give him or them an inch of column space. Shame on you, Crosscut.

@ abcs,

Your statement is incorrect. Drivers do not get raises based on miles driven. It takes a part-time Operator 6 years to reach the top of the pay scale; full-time drivers 3 years. After that, there are no raises other than COLA's or those negotiated at contract time.

You are misinformed. I have seen you repeat this lie elsewhere. You really should stop doing that.

Please add to this story what minimal driving hours per week and experience it takes to get all the free medical, dental, and other benefits enjoyed by employees of Metro and King County government.

@animalal,

None of the medical, dental etc. are free. We have premiums. We have copayments. I've worked at jobs in the nonprofit sector with comparable - even better - benefits.

38% of driver work at Metro is part-time.

If I wanted another jeremiad on the threat to our civic institutions posed by the few remaining working people with pensions and cost of living allowances, I'd read the Seattle Times.

Government Transit is unsustainable. It requires huge subsidies to the point that the revenue collected is very minor. Since it's Government owned, the wages are politicized not market driven. The best solution is to privatize and ban Government from owning any transit ever again. The market will provide higher quality innovative service at lower cost and be sustainable.

This is sick, the union employees don't give a rip for their community to the point of reducing service to satisfy their greed. They even don't care for their fellow employees, their greed resulting in many loosing their jobs. I want a better kind of person driving my bus.

"Government Transit is unsustainable."

And yet it's been sustained in the Seattle area for over 100 years - after private transportation went bankrupt.

I guess if something lasts over a century it must be "unsustainable"?

Huh?

"the union employees don't give a rip for their community" I'm a union member, and and I damn well DO give a rip for my community, as did my Grandfather and his parents before him - people who BUILT this community. Paul Bachtel - the jackass (and my union President) who made these idiotic quotes to the press speaks only for himself, not the rank and file membership.

"Greed", hell. Want to see how I live? I'm a bus driver. Check it out:

http://pstransitoperators.wordpress.com/2010/07/30/bus-driver-reveals-lavish-lifestyle/

YOU are the sick one.

Beating on public employees is like beating children - it may feels O.K. while one is caught up in an emotional outburst, but, as most rational parents understand, it does little to effectively address problems. Don't be confused, this is not a piece about the financial problems at Metro. This is a piece of extreme right wing propaganda against public employment.

Shorter Ennis- 'Metro promised the voters, so to keep our word we have break our contract with the union. ' Brilliant. I suppose after that line is crossed we can pay a smaller amount for newly-delivered busses, and short the oil companies for the gas they use.

@I4L, how about getting government out of the road building and operations business while you're at it? Socialized roads are a big expense for the taxpayers, turn them over to Exxon or BNSF so that truckers and drivers can pay free market rates in the same fashion consumers pay for cable service and air travelers are being treated by the airlines. That'll go over well.

Islander4libertarians writes:

"Government Transit is unsustainable. It requires huge subsidies to the point that the revenue collected is very minor. Since it's Government owned, the wages are politicized not market driven. The best solution is to privatize and ban Government from owning any transit ever again."

Do we privatize highways and roads next? How about government maintained streets and bridges? Perhaps we can pay a toll at every corner.

Can the police and fire deptartmens be far off in the privatization parade?

Buster G.

Life would be simple if the county officials had perfectly managed employee costs and didn't make promises they can't keep. Bur we are where we are and we need the review committee to provide guidance; because dreaming about a state bail out us foolish but reestablish trust with voters an d the legislature is key. Short of that wartch the service decline..

The voters didn't vote these tax increases just to get abused, in the end. More and more, the public is being made to feel like they are there to serve the public employee unions. Wasn't it supposed to be that government is there to serve the CITIZENS? Why are we made to feel like we're NOT the boss when we the public ARE the boss? Why are these employees getting far better deals than their bosses (the taxpaying public?)?
Enough, people. Voice your concern at the ballot box and quit electing democrats, which is like putting the fox in charge of the henhouse; if it weren't, you wouldn't see situations like this.

@Jeffw -NO, it's not sustainable, for those 100 years, it's had to have tax money & grants and low cost loans and outright gifts from all sorts of government to keep going. The people have voted multiple times to not raise taxes, to not allow expansions or light rail with only a few votes in the last few years for Gov, that then doesn't do what it promised (the theme of this article). Shouldn't we respect the community wishes? The wishes for the last 60 years, for the most part, are -No light rail, No more taxes, do with what we already give you. Hey, looks like you are getting the raw end -your brothers aren't willing to share? if you aren't on the gravy train maybe you better use that education, that we all paid for, and do something more productive that pays well so I don't have to hear you whine.

@NickBob -How lame is that? A bit of a leap. There are somethings that Gov needs to do. Roads drive the economy and are paid for by the users. Mass transit isn't the gov's job. there are plenty of private companies that can & did provide that service. Highly subsidized gov transit has driven out the private guys, now with all the inter-city buses & trains, it's killing Greyhound. Anything the gov does becomes political, make it private & we'll get out of your face.

Busterg -How do you go from private transit to private police & fire? That's a bit of an ego if you think transit workers are the same as police & fire! Why not try to argue reasonably, it shows you don't have a fact to stand on, so attack me.

Islander,

As I said - public transit IS sustainable - it's been sustained as a public service in this area for 100 years AFTER private service went BANKRUPT. Public transit benefits business and private interests alike. It helps drive the local economic engine.

Was there some kind of vote against light rail? Do tell. Cite, please.

I'm plenty productive thanks. And "whining" is what you are doing, not I.

Yes, roads (like public transportation) "drives the economy". No, by and large roads are NOT paid for by the users of those particular roads.

You're pretty long on whining and short on facts.

What exactly do YOU do for a living?

It really is saddening to see a blame-the-little-guy piece like this in Crosscut.

A good reason to vote NO to more tax increases.

Don't let this piece fool you. A quick perusal of Mr Ennis' work will show that he's not really interested in improving public transportation. He is more concerned about perceived threats to the automobile as a preferred method of transport. His mindset is from the car is king era that we've been living in for the past 60+ years.

Here's an idea for you Mr. Ennis: Before a single new general purpose lane is built you should *demand* a comprehensive network of HOV 3+ lanes with dedicated on/off ramps throughout the region. These lanes would carry vanpools, larger carpools, and buses around the region in a far more cost effective manner than any general purpose lanes. Besides speeding your beloved vanpools along, it would enable access by private individuals carpooling. Adding HOT lanes to the mix would allow a "market based" solution for those willing to pay to whisk past congestion. It would also dramatically improve our bus system's performance and provide real choices about how to get around the region. All this, without attacking bus drivers' hard earned wages.

Cost effective, market-based, potentially pays for itself? Sounds like pretty conservative ideas to me. Why aren't you touting these solutions?

According to Ennis, the threat to the system is that 90% of Metro drivers make less than $75,000 per year?