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Today @SoundTransit Board is considering fare reform legislation to reduce penalties and interaction with criminal courts. Some background here: theurbanist.org/2022/04/27/tra

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Pierce County Exec

enthusiastically agreed. But

@KccClaudia

disagreed saying they need to deal with the disproportionality of impact and avoid criminalizing poverty. Renton CM Ed Prince seconded that.

"Let's do our fare enforcement like responsible people should be," Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell, sharing anecdotes of lower income people claiming they'd just not pay w/o threat of fines/court.

Bruce Harrell commended Sound Transit staff for their racial equity work and said he'll vote for the fare reform package, but not the McDermott amendments that take penalties and fines out of the court system.

A screenshot of the meeting shows a handful of boardmembers plus a summary of McDermott's amendment.

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Fellow ST Boardmember

@D5Juarez

also voted no on McDermott amendment taking fare penalties out of the court system. It failed 7-9. Most Pierce and Snohomish member were no's, too. Seattle members could have swung it.

Juarez came out strongly in favor of McDermott's second amendment taking fare evasion fines out of collections since it would damage credit scores of low income folks, hurting people of color most. Juarez said the credit system was akin to redlining in its racial impact.

11:36 PM · Apr 28, 2022

Board chair Kent Keel (of University Place) is also in favor of the collections amendment, agreeing with Juarez.

Harrell asked a question of how the courts could levy a fine without referring to collections. He said he's with the spirit of the amendment, but said it doesn't accomplish what it tries to.

Sound Transit's Russell Arnold said "we have no ability to effect what courts do." So, courts could still send fines to collections, but would clear ST a way to pull some cases out of it if they're consulted.

The amendment seeking to take fare nonpayment fines out of collection passed 13-3, with Bruce Harrell joining his Republican colleague Dammeier in opposition.

noted, this is a contorted position for Harrell to take. Collections is hell for poor people.

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Erica C. Barnett

@ericacbarnett