Letter to the Editor: The Back Story to Sumner’s Public Transportation Dissolution

What Mayor Dave Enslow did not tell you in his letter to the editor (Maintaining Bonney Lake Bus Route Helps Everyone) and his interview in the Puyallup Herald last week (New Route to Serve Sumner) was the back-story of how he dissolved the Pierce Transit bus and Shuttle service to Sumner.

Mayor Enslow, board member of Sound Transit, struck a back door deal on his own for commuters with Sound Transit. He left our elderly, physically and/or mentally challenged citizens without Shuttle resources, and left those who used our bus routes unable get to their jobs.

Here's what I think you should know:

• Mayor Enslow, appointed to represent the City at PTIC (Pierce County Public Transportation Improvement Conference) was not in a decision-making position, but an information-gathering position to bring to Sumner City Council for consideration. 
• Mayor Enslow did not state that at PTIC’s December meeting that he “wanted to bring this back to council for discussion, as he did not know how the council felt about it,” yet he cancelled all council meetings and study sessions for the remainder of the year, leaving zero opportunity to share information with council.
• Mayor Enslow did not state that at January’s study session he told council that to opt in/out was non-binding until May 8, 2012 and that $2 million in sales tax revenue supports the service, but Sumner receives $500,000 in service.
• 90 percent of Sumner’s sales tax base comes from a handful of Sumner’s high ticket item businesses, supported by those outside of our city limits. Sumner’s resident contributions are about 10 cents on the dollar, or about $200,000 of the $500,000 in received services.
• Mayor Enslow did not state that at the January 23 PTIC meeting, as he indicated, “that for now, Sumner would like to stay in to see where this process takes the city." In the roll call moments later: “Mayor Dave Enslow - Withdraw from the PTBA."
• Mayor Enslow did not notify citizens or council that he single-handedly removed Sumner from receiving critical services.
• Mayor Enslow did not notify citizens nor council of a public hearing on March 8 at 6:00 p.m.
• Mayor Enslow removed public transportation and the Shuttle (aiding our elderly and those with physical and/or mental challenges) without council vote or resolution, like surrounding jurisdictions. A council discussion/vote requested by Councilmember Hynek at a recent council meeting was shut down by Mayor Enslow.

Upon researching PTIC Minutes to aid me in bringing forth a motion to save the service by the supposed May 8 deadline, I discovered the above and brought it to Mayor Enslow’s attention. He told me he was close to striking a deal for commuters. I asked, what about our citizens who need the Shuttle to maintain doctor visits and getting to the grocery store, our residents at their weakest who need our help? Mayor Enslow responded that he was concerned with getting commuters to the train.

Sumner is now exempt from receiving these critical services from Pierce Transit for 2 years.

*Information is substantiated by and extrapolated from PTIC Minutes and Sumner City Council Minutes and Agenda. Full time-line with deeper explanation available. Contact Nancy Dumas, Sumner City Councilmember, ndumas@ci.sumner.wa.us, 253-299-5794.