Seattle light rail supporter woo Obama voters

Supporters of an $18 billion Sound Transit expansion on the November ballot are counting on Barack Obama to put it over the top.

A Proposition 1 advocate, Ben Schiendelman, says it expects to gain from young people voting for Obama for president.

Proposition 1 would raise sales taxes in the urban areas of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties to pay for a 34-miles expansion of the light rail line to Lynnwood, Bellevue and nearly to Federal Way. A similar measure failed in last year's election.

Opponents say this is a bad time to raise sales taxes and the first stage of the light rail line isn't even rolling yet.

Supporters are encouraged by nearly 48,000 new registered voters in King County, pushing the total in the county to more than one million.

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Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com

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