Seattle Times: Under the microscope

By Mike Lindblom

While most big transit agencies in the U.S. slashed service during the recession, King County Metro Transit managed to hang on.

Managers shifted a $100 million surplus from a fleet-replacement fund to keep existing buses rolling. And the agency made painful choices — raising fares, while cutting some low-use routes to cram more buses into the main corridors.

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Washington state has one of the most regressive tax structures in the country. The poorest fifth pay 17 percent of their income to state and local taxes, while the richest 1 percent pay 3 percent, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

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