The state legislature's transportation committee chairs—Mary Margaret Haugen (D-10) in the Senate, and Judy Clibborn (D-41) in the House—will announce today how they plan to spend the approximately $350 million the state is receiving in federal transportation stimulus dollars. Expanding Mercer Street—one of Mayor Greg Nickels's pet projects, for which the city has sought $50 million in stimulus dollars—will not be on the list. Nor will $25 million to widen the Spokane Street Viaduct to provide a grade-separated route connecting I-5, SR 99, SR 519 and I-90 with the Port.

According to remarks the mayor made at this morning's Downtown Seattle Association breakfast (where they were apparently playing the Ramones—??), the legislature no longer intends to use stimulus money to fund a "single project of any significance in Seattle."

If this stands, the largest city in the state, with the biggest contribution to the state's economy, will get no help from Olympia to create jobs. Our efforts to replace the dangerous Alaskan Way Viaduct will again be put in jeopardy. This is no time for the same old Olympia game—not when so much is at stake.

This is not what the president intended. This is bad policy and bad economics. It disrespects the voters and taxpayers of this great city and is an insult to the companies that contribute so much to the state's economy.