Here's a few words of advice to our state Senate Republican Caucus about the $12.3 billion transportation package they've proposed: If you plan to enact this, you better pass it (and the 11.5 cent per gasoline tax that funds it) directly instead of referring it to voters, and then hope to God somebody doesn't referendum it. Because if it goes to the ballot, it's going down in flames.

As explained recently on Sightline Daily, 73 percent of the proposed spending would go to building new roads. Only 20 percent goes to road maintenance and safety, while a bare 4 percent goes to transit, bicycle, and pedestrian improvements. Only 4 percent! That's not just the opposite of what we want, it's an intentional insult!

"Ha, ha, fuck you Seattle," the Republicans are laughing. "You're so desperate for your Metro-saving MVET that you'll accept anything!"

Except, it's too late for that. Sure, the Republican proposal contains the MVET authority we asked for, but not councilmanic approval. Which means if this gas tax hike has to go to the ballot next November, the soonest we could go to King County voters for approval would be the spring of 2015. Meanwhile, Metro is going to start slashing service by June of 2014.

No, at this point the best choice left to King County is to go to voters in April with what authority it has as a transportation benefit district (car tabs and sales tax), and then tell the legislature to fuck off. There's no way a gas tax passes statewide without passing overwhelmingly in Seattle, and I can promise you that if this package goes to the ballot, my car-hating colleagues at The Stranger will take no prisoners in championing its defeat. The MVET hostage-taking was economic terrorism, and fuck if we're going to reward those tactics with even reluctant support.

Also, some words of advice to the Seattle legislative delegation: If Republicans want to vote en bloc in favor of an 11.5 cent per gallon tax increase, that's up to them. But if you vote for this abomination in its current form, giving it the veneer of bipartisan support (or giving Republicans the opportunity to vote no), prepare to look over your left shoulder and work a little harder for reelection.