What would happen if the Seattle Monorail Project were killed?
The agency would essentially shut down, although some staff members would likely remain to help dispose of acquired property. If the project were abandoned, would I get my tax money back? The bad news is: Sorry; you wouldn’t. The worse news is: Not only that, but the 1.4 percent motor vehicle excise tax would continue to be collected, perhaps for about two more years, to pay off the agency’s obligations. Those include a debt to the Bank of America that now stands at $110 million. Could the monorail be merged with Sound Transit? Only state lawmakers could do that, and the monorail has few friends in Olympia. It and Sound Transit are separate, stand-alone agencies created by the Legislature. The monorail lacks authority to merge itself with Sound Transit or give its tax revenues or property to Sound Transit. Besides, Sound Transit in the past has rejected monorail technology in favor of light rail. What financing options are available to the project board? With voter approval, the agency
