Everett Transit buses at the "bus barn" parking lot seen Nov. 2. The electric buses were charging for their midday charging needs.
Photo by Michael Whitney.
Updated May 14: Story updated from print version with comments from Community Transit.
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EVERETT — Mayor Cassie Franklin made a statement last week giving the city government's stance that it doesn’t plan to act on merging Everett Transit into Community Transit at this time.
Franklin spoke to clear up a cloud of questions over state legislation which would give the countywide bus system, Community Transit, newfound authority to try annexing Everett Transit. It would only be executed if city of Everett leadership mutually agreed. No public vote needed, unlike how it works today. It is a provision in the state transportation funding bill, ESSB 5801, which is on Gov. Bob Ferguson’s desk.
Neither Community Transit nor the City of Everett asked for the provision, both entities said.
Merging is “not aligned on our current priorities and not something we’re looking to act on,” Franklin said at last week’s council meeting.
“My administration and this council are focused on other, more urgent priorities, specifically actions that could save general fund dollars and create long-term, sustainable revenue for our city,” Franklin said.
Earlier this decade, the city studied consolidating Community Transit with Everett Transit, wrapping up the study in 2023 and was discussing the idea as late as January 2024.
Community Transit's board is not asking to pursue it, Community Transit spokesman Martin Munguia said May 14.
"Our position continues to be is this is up to the city on what it wants to do," Munguia said.
The two agencies have differing tax rates and two different union bodies.
Everett is an anomaly among the state’s 10 most-populated cities by having an in-city bus system. About 4,000 people ride Everett Transit local routes each weekday as of 2023.
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Correction, May 14: A line in this story said Community Transit approached Everett about a takeover in 2019. In a Tribune story reported at the time, Community Transit was invited by the city to discuss the idea.
Additionally, the print version of the story listed the wrong bill number for the transportation funding budget. It is 5801, not 1801.
The Tribune regrets the errors.
