Our on-going alerts, DEMS! (Distinctly Embarrassing Moments for Seattle!), highlight the many ways one-party Democrat rule in Seattle has hurt the reputation of the city and our state. Read on!
With $millions down the drain, and stained by an ethics violation, the city’s failed bike share program died a predictable death the night before April Fool’s.
The program, known as “Pronto,” was launched in October 2014, costing $4.4 million (including $1.75 million in state and federal taxpayers’ money). From the start, there was fanfare and hype, with promises of widespread use of the bike sharing program -- despite our hills and rainy weather.
When Pronto ridership proved to be far below projections, Transportation Director Scott Kubly urged the city to take over the program. So the city council voted to buy Pronto, wasting another $1.4 million of the people’s money. For a year, under city ownership, the program continued to fail.
Later it was revealed that Kubly, prior to being named Transportation Director, was president of the company that operated Pronto. (Really?! No one read his resume?!) Kubly was found guilty of an ethics violation, and fined $10,000. Of course, that’s just a drop in the bucket compared to the millions in taxpayer dollars wasted. And Kubly still has his job.
Now, the Seattle DOT will spend the next two weeks dismantling the 54 bike sharing stations. The program’s 500 bicycles? They might be sold at a loss to another city, but so far, no takers.
How wasteful of taxpayer money! How corrupt! How typical of Democrat one-party rule in Seattle! How embarrassing!
Washington State Republican Party
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