News from former Councilmember Randy Corman, your Renton City Hall insider. (All views expressed in journal entries are Randy Corman's personal views, and not the official position of the City of Renton or other city employees. Views expressed in reader comments are those of the commenter)

Daily archives for March 7th, 2023

Legislature carefully crafts law that harms moderate-income homeowners and protects wealthy ones

Mar07
2023 Written by Randy Corman

Homes in Medina and other small cities won’t be impacted by HB 1110; the legislature exempted them (photo from Google Street View)

 

The State House of Representatives just passed a sweeping housing bill, HB 1110, that some are bragging finally gets the NIMBYs (Not in My Back Yards) to stop blocking new housing.  Except the legislature didn’t actually do that.  The truly wealthy enclaves in our area, like Medina, Hunts Point, Yarrow Point, and Clyde Hill are not impacted at all, as they fall below a city size threshold included in the law.  And anyone who owns a home covered by an HOA, which is about 80% of our newer homes these days, and includes many found in expensive areas including all gated communities, typically won’t be impacted either.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Pierce County expressing concern about Sound Transit delays; Renton should do the same

Mar07
2023 Written by Randy Corman

This Sound Transit bus has just made one of its Renton stops at our downtown transit center between South Second and South Third. This transit center is scheduled to be replaced by a new transit center at Main and Grady to support Sound Transit’s Stride express (BRT) service.  There is no parking planned at the new transit center until 2034 due to Sound Transit budget realignment.

 

My recent posts about Sound Transit delays in Renton here and here are timely, as Pierce County is now pressing Sound Transit to remedy delays to our south.  We should be partnered with Pierce County, not in competition with them, and I don’t mean to make it sound as if we are.  But as Sound Transit works to mitigate Pierce County impacts, Renton needs to insist the funding does not come from our already disproportionately small share of Sound Transit resources.

Furthermore, we should be in the front of the line, demanding that Sound Transit restore our parking for opening day of the BRT service, something that would only cost four months of Renton’s Sound Transit taxes.  It’s the most modest of requests after Renton has already spent about a billion dollars for very little service.

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Posted in Sound Transit

About the author

Hi, I’m Randy Corman. Welcome to my blog!  I served on Renton City Council for 28 years, 1994-2021, with six years as Renton Council President.  I’m also a mechanical engineer and manager, and worked for the Boeing Company for 33 years, from 1984- 2017.  My wife and I have five kids and five grandkids, and we all live in Renton.  I’ve kept this blog for 17 years, and get thousands of readers each month. Please share your feedback, ideas, and opinions in the comments.

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