State Senator Adam Kline Withdraws Endorsement for "Plan C" to Fund Metro; Says Mayor Ed Murray Called to Argue Against the Plan

This morning, Eli reported that eight Seattle-area state legislators had jumped on board with Keep Seattle Moving, an initiative to raise Seattle property taxes to buy back almost all of the bus service Metro will be cutting—thanks to the defeat of Proposition 1 last month—in the year ahead. Among the endorsers was 37th District State Senator Adam Kline.

But in the space of the day, Kline has withdrawn the endorsement. He did this, he said, after receiving a phone call from Mayor Ed Murray. "He made a request," Kline told me by phone. "I think he’s right. He pointed out that they wanted flexibility and I'm more than happy to give it to them."

Kline did not fully explain what else he or the mayor might have in mind to save Metro. But, he said: "I think looking back, it makes more sense for the city and the county to come up with something that they can live with. That may be a countywide referendum…I don’t want this initiative getting in their way."

Kline volunteered that he's on his way out of office and isn't "subject to pressure," nor did he get "steamrolled."

UPDATE: Here.