"Anti-tunnel group turns in signatures, demands vote"

Chris Grygiel (seattlepi.com):

Protect Seattle Now has "asked the Mayor, the City Council and the City Attorney to pledge by 5 p.m. today that they will place this referendum on the ballot and not silence the voice of the people of Seattle."

McGinn an City Councilmember Mike O'Brien, the lone tunnel opponent on the Council, have done so. O'Brien said the City Charter makes it clear that the City Council has no choice in the matter, once the referendum signatures have been verified.

In an e-mail to the media, McGinn said he would "pledge to uphold the City Charter and recognize the Seattle public's right to have a vote on the deep bore tunnel. They are the ones at risk for paying for all tunnel cost overruns. They should have a say."

City Council President Richard Conlin hasn't yet indicated what he will do - and it's almost certain that lawsuits from various groups on all sides of the issue will now be filed. MORE...