By David Anderson, Tillicum
The signature drive to stop High Speed Rail (HSR) through Lakewood continues to March 2. Two 2’x4’ banners have been created for the signature gathering sites (Post Office, Library and Safeway). Volunteers will be coordinated via communitymattersweb@gmail.com.
The arguments are many for opposing HSR but at a minimum the peoples’ right to vote on so significant a transportation measure the city will likely ever face is reason enough to get this on the ballot. Much has been written on this subject which can be found by typing in “High Speed Rail” in the search box at The Suburban Times.
We’ve been approached by a paid signature gathering firm that wanted $3/signature. With 5,000 signatures needed that’s $15,000 which we wouldn’t spend even if we had it. This is a ‘roll-up-our-sleeves’ – not a ‘pull-out-our-wallet’ – initiative. We get 5,000 signatures by March 2 because we care, not because we have money to spare.
The power of “You”
You can make a difference. The 2006 TIME magazine Person of the Year was “You”. Cover story author Lev Grossman wrote of “community and collaboration on a scale never seen before” (referring to the arrival of the Web). The “Stop the train” signature drive provides you an opportunity to demonstrate what matters to a community in a tangible, practical, collaborative way.
- If each of the 500 that have already signed just got 10 more we’d be done.
- If each of those reading this would alert others to this letter we could once again demonstrate not only the power of “you” but the strength of “us”.
There are always those who wish to stop progress. “Up to 12 trains” per day? Really? I would like 24-36… in Europe, public transportation has made owning a car a non essential. We have waited long enough. The corridor that the trains will travel have minimal impact.
This is not a local “public transportation” issue as the trains in question are the Amtrac trains that currently use the rail system along Tacoma’s waterfront and past Steilacom’s waterfront, then on south out of the state. Those are the trains they wish to re-route through So. Tacoma and it’s road crossings and into Lakewood and it’s its road crossings, backing up traffic at each location. All this cost and inconvenience just so the federally subsidized Amtrac system can save a few minutes getting out of Tacoma. This is not a project to be confused with Sound Transit eventually coming into Lakewood and transporting people north to Seattle and beyond. Contact David Anderson in Tillicum for details.
Those of us who live outside Lakewood have a lot of inerest in this vote. Are we eligible to vote? Or is this petition for Lakewood voters only.
ps This is a valid email address.
Paul (and others of similar persuasion), I hope you’ll read the series of three articles in The Suburban Times per the link in the letter to which you are commenting.
Raye, the initiative is for Lakewood residents only as Lakewood – as opposed to DuPont for example – has the Initiative and Referendum (I&R) right. The privilege of voting for issues initiated by the people was won in 2007 after two years of battling with City leaders who begrudgingly allowed an advisory vote – the result of which they promised to abide. Seventy-two percent of Lakewood’s residents voted in favor of I&R. This now provides Lakewood residents the very-uphill opportunity to gather 5,500 signatures to put on the ballot – where it belongs – inarguably the most important transportation issue this city will ever face. For those outside the City of Lakewood who believe this should be put to a vote of the people, we are soliciting volunteers to gather signatures of Lakewood voters – deadline is March 2nd. We will even offer assistance to the people of the City of DuPont to obtain Initiative and Referendum voting privileges in return for help with our project.