Making the ideological decision to throw good money after bad, the Seattle City Council voted 7-2 to buy failed bike-share company Pronto for a whopping $1.4 million – and has earmarked another $5 million in taxpayer money to subsidize another company to run the system! The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will now seek a new contractor to run the insolvent bike-share scheme as a publically owned system.
The two council members who voted against the wasteful buyout were Tim Burgess and Lisa Herbold. Herbold pointed out that the plan to buy the company was like upgrading to buying a flip phone while paying for a smart phone.
Bruce Harrell, who ultimately supported the buy-out, was the only councilmember to bother to question the conflict-of-interest situation apparent due to SDOT Director Scott Kubly’s past relationship with Alta Bikes (a company contracted by Pronto). According to reports, Alta, now called Motivate, is a “likely bidder” to operate the new publically owned scheme.
Harrell was content with the explanation that an amendment gave council “full authority over choosing the new contractor, taking Kubly out of the loop.”
When asked whether or not he discussed his potential conflict with the city ethics department, Kubly admitted that there is “no written or formal record of the city vetting his relationship with Alta.” He also said that he “does not remember” who he spoke to about the matter at the mayor’s office.
How convenient.
Just to be clear, Pronto opened just a little over a year ago. The company’s ridership hovered around less than one trip per bike per day. Yet, the liberals in charge of Seattle city government thought it was a great idea to buy the failed company at a projected cost (when it’s all said and done) of $6.4 million of taxpayers’ hard earned dollars.
And, that if (a big if) the city does not go over budget.
AARRRGGGGHH!! Please proofread your articles more closely! ‘Publically’ is really spelled ‘Publicly’!
AND, “He also said that he “does not remember” who he spoke to about the matter at the mayor’s office”, should read: “He also said that he “does not remember” WITH WHOM he spoke about the matter at the mayor’s office.
Someone is obviously a product of a poor educational program run by incompetent liberals!
Thanks. I’m really on your side!
-Larry C.
“Publicly” is a variant spelling of “publically.” According to the Columbia Guide to Standard English and Oxford English Dictionary, there is no difference between the two words. Also, if you bothered to click on the link provided in the paragraph, you would see that “he ‘does not remember’ who he spoke to…” mimicked the word choice used by Seattle Met. So, I suggest you do your research before you insult people with your rude comments.
AARRRGGGGHH!! Please proofread your articles more closely!
What evidentiary basis have you for assuming any article here has ever been proof-read at all?
Publically’ is really spelled ‘Publicly’
If you spent as much time and money at the pub as do the writers here, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, either. 🙂
… WHOM …
Whom here care? Not the folks whom run this site, certainly.
Someone is obviously a product of a poor educational program run by incompetent liberals!
People who lack good basic educations are most qualified to tell us all about the amazing greatness of charter schools.
I’m really on your side!
Why are you on the side of people who are too lazy, stupid, or ignorant to know basic grammar?