While not a death-knell, word that the Seattle City Council's transportation committee had split on whether or not to recommend buying out Pronto Cycle Share put a damper in hopes that Seattle would eventually see a cycle share program worthy of it's status as a great cycling city.
Turns out, that word was incorrect. The committee actually voted in favor of recommending the move, 4-2.
Councilmember Mike O’Brien, who chairs the committee, announced the result as a 3-3 split.
O’Brien, Kshama Sawant and Rob Johnson voted to save Pronto, while Lisa Herbold, Tim Burgess and Debora Juarez voted against it, O’Brien’s office said afterward. That’s how The Seattle Times and other media outlets reported the result.
Oops.
Though Juarez didn’t contest O’Brien’s take at the time, she actually voted "Aye," which means the real result was 4-2 in favor of buying the struggling bike-sharing program for $1.4 million. That’s what the council’s official record now shows. Now, instead of the plan headed to a March 14 city council meeting with no recommendation, there will now a full recommendation on record for the council to approve spending the money to keep the "insolvent" program afloat and then letting SDOT take the reigns. $3.6 million from Mayor Murray's initial earmarking would then be used to grow the bike share program around the city.
· Seattle council panel’s Pronto vote wasn’t an even split, after all [ST]
· Seattle City Council Splits on Saving Bike-Share Program [CS]
· Seattle Among Safest Cities in America for Biking & Walking [CS]
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