I've been a big supporter over expanding Link within Tacoma and opposed to connecting it to SeaTac (and thus Seattle). I've based this opinion on the belief that the whole south Puget Sound region needs to focus its money on making Tacoma more attractive as a jobs center, instead of making it easier to ship its good workers up to Seattle. If the Tacoma area could support its own population with good jobs, I-5 wouldn't be so horribly crowded in the first place!

That said, I can certainly see benefits to "Link"ing the Puget Sound corridor, even if I don't believe that should be top priority. Without having seen the actual figures, I could tentatively support ST spending some Pierce County subarea funds to acquire the right-of-way from Tacoma to the King County border now before it gets even harder or more expensive to do so, as long as Tacoma Link gets extended at least to Tacoma General as well.

In regards to Tacoma streetcars, I think many supporters are hoping ST gets involved primarily because there's so little faith in the City of Tacoma actually finding the funds and political motivation to make it happen themselves. Perhaps the idea of a $20 car tabs increase that would go to street projects that was reported in today's paper could be even higher and also go toward a streetcar network?

I sure hope Tacoma does this car tabs increase. I have a hard time understanding why there would be so much opposition to a $20/year increase. The potholes around my neighborhood near Frisko Freeze easily cause more wear and tear on my car than $20/year! Heck, I'd be fine with a $50 increase, especially if some of that went to funding a streetcar network that could reduce congestion, reduce car pollution, and improve property values!

The fact is that Sound Transit is expanding LINK in Seattle and had proposed to expand LINK within Tacoma.

It is entirely appropriate to expand LINK within Tacoma.

The next Sound Transit package has to stand on its own merits if it expects Tacoma residents to vote for it.

So, are these encouraging words to the folks at Tacoma Streetcar? Or is it disheartening?

Given the number of Tacoma civic groups and neighborhoods that have lined up for an extension in LINK as a priority for Sound Transit package, I don't see any ST package finding much support in Tacoma without a significant extension of LINK within the city on a priority time line.

Fortunately, the Cascade Chapter of the Sierra Club and the Seattle Transit groups have come to a similar conclusion.

My only concern is the Sound Transit " buying right of way"...we've already seen the results of their "buying" ie: Miller Farm.....hopefully all the Directors and Board of ST will conduct future plans here with more integrity on future "buys".

"Anderson said it's not Sound Transit's job to build local streetcar systems."

...unless those local streetcar systems are located in Seattle?

We pay taxes to ST, we supposedly have Pierce County representation on the ST Board, but so far all we've gotten out of the deal is a toy train that goes like 15 blocks. No future ST ballot proposal should get a single vote from Tacoma unless it includes LINK extensionS that at least begin to approach what has been done for Seattle.

The disturbing thing I see is that if only the land is accumulated in the next ST proposal and ST3 would have to be passed to actually build light rail to Tacoma.

Seattle and other areas are unlikely to pass ST3 for Tacoma's sake. Tacoma needs to have something stand alone in this round to be worth voting for. With all of its flaws, the last ST proposal which failed at least had light rail within 20 years.