This fall I will be facing a real dilemma. I have always supported transportation issues and schools, operation levies and construction bonds.

The district needs just $1 per $1,000 of assessed property value to replace several badly needed schools. Sound Transit wants just $.25 per thousand plus car tab fee and sales tax increases.

At its informational meetings, Sound Transit actually presented a reasonable plan with a coordinated approach this time, including parking to interface the suburbs with mass transit.

King County recently bumped my valuation 10 percent, which is the equivalent of increasing my property taxes $1.50 per thousand. Medicare is bumping my premium at least 15 percent again next year, probably more. But there is minimal inflation, so Social Security will allow a generous $2 per month increase.

Maybe this works with the new math of the 21st century, but my ancient, mid-20th century math indicates seniors on fixed incomes need to start planning an evacuation of King County. They need to do it before total gridlock makes evacuation impossible in the very near future.

– Bob Zimmerman