Well, said, Cary. The corollary to your commentary is the canard that "real Americans" are found only in rural areas, which you now see playing out in the presidential race.

Interesting essay Mr. Bozeman but somewhat thin as to specifics, except for one: the insidious idea of tax-increment financing.

Is that your real point: to conflate caring for cities with implementing tax-increment financing?

Hey, it is 8pm, folks, first night published. This writing deserves better responses. I'm obliged to bow to comrades who hold the Puget Sound feel better than my ignoble self (as only regular-visitor outsider). I'll refrain from responding to the usual insults awarded my call for an award of national heroism to Mayor Michael McGinn, Seattles Best servant in a long time, definitely heroic, historic. I am honored to have been a part of his successful effort to block the DBT, led by Mayor M. McGinn.

The DBT is an engineering MISTAKE of monumental proportions.
Quit it.

Isn't there any editing on Crosscut? Bozeman "set" and watched a discussion "monitored" by Joni Balter?

This article raises very important points that I hope other news outlets and commentators will pick up, as well.

Cities in Washington actually provide a net export on every dollar in taxes they pay to the state to subsidize nonurban areas, particular the schools. It is intensely in the best interest of nonurban areas of the state to see that cities are vital and economically prosperous as well.

Yet, too often nonurban political forces undermine the economic health of the entire state by standing in the way of urban interests, e.g. the taxing issue. The way schools are funded is also a serious problem in this regard.

On the other hand, you also have nonurban interests forcing things like the Deep Bore Tunnel down Seattle's throat. This is a great example of an anti-Seattle governor and non-Seattle legislators pushing something through that Seattleites instinctively know doesn't make sense. The tunnel won't actually bring drivers into Seattle (only through it, yet somehow Seattle should pay for overruns for a road that bypasses it?) and the state's own Environmental Impact Study just said that congestion on city streets will be just as bad with or without the tunnel (although a surface option would cost a few billion dollars less for that same result). That multibillion dollar effort could be put into transportation projects that we *know* would help business from myriad other examples internationally: mass transit and light rail.

The way higher education is funded in the state also doesn't make sense long-haul: cities need to have legions of well-trained employees to attract and retain business, but higher education is being driven into the ground by antiurban forces (that wear the badge of being "pro business"). Business cannot thrive over the next decade if higher education remains as unaffordable as it has become. Universities and colleges are vibrant parts of almost every city in the state, but nonurban interests stand in the way of proper funding.

I have always liked Cary Bozeman.

It is the Anti-urban-and-everything-that-might-mean-growth crowd that cripples. Schools, roads, ferries, businesses and more.

It is time to allow business to thrive, to reinstall the MVET so ferries and roads can haul people, goods and services to where they need to go, when they need to go, and it is long past time to fund schools appropriately.

Voters created monsters at every elected level, and every bureaucratic job. Seriously - the lack of brain power and commonsense reasoning in government is jolting. Is this lack a true and correct reflection of ourselves, or are we finally waking up to the reality that we have to be more involved, each of us?

People who work for the government in Olympia typically don't have much interest in supporting much of anything but what the government in Olympia does. These days.

And those people dominate what the state legislature and the Governor see and do.

It's dumb - but true.

There's no better example than transportation. State transportation leaders in the legislature and in the Governor's shop don't really care much these days about how people get to a job - they only care about the state road that is a portion of the trip. They could care less about transit or the city street that starts and completes the trip.

That's why, when the state legislature had a windfall of federal money a couple of years ago (many hundreds of millions), Olympia spent all of it on state roads, even though they could have spent it on anything.

If you're wondering why you're being asked to vote to raise local taxes to fix the streets or keep the buses running: blame transportation leadership that works in Olympia.

The 2011 Legislature passed a bill (SB 5233) that includes a tax increment financing program. I would be interested in knowing whether this legislation is what Mr. Bozeman was looking for. And if not, what more does he think needs to be done. And from those who oppose TIF, what are the negatives of this law.

I regret writing vague statements. My above attempt at a mayoral accomplishment was meant to place Mayor Bozeman alongside great mayors especially for the elegant classic Bremerton waterfront dockside entry; future evening outings destination on the ferry; quite an accomplishment.

I hope to represent only 10-20% our engineering/architectural professionals who adamantly or vehemently oppose the bored tunnel. Another 20-30% are borderline Don't want to think about. However, the "unutterable risk" of failure is precariously too high. Be PROUD of Mayor Mike Mcginn.
THE MAYOR is right to oppose the DBT, right about the possibility of a successful surface boulevard design. We should stop listening to wsdot prognostications otherwise known as predetermined outcomes.
I'm sorry to have to be so blunt and condemning of wsdot chiefs and department heads who produce extremely controversial plans handsomely awarded honors and then bucketloads of money. DBT=crap. MercerWest=crap. LaskanWeiy=Glitzy-doodah what don't wurk gud.