I read with great interest Sen. Andy Hill’s recent op-ed “Making decisions in Olympia by thinking of Redmond.” I was disappointed that nowhere did he address one of the greatest needs Redmond and all of East King County has for a sustainable economy and future — the need for light rail transit.

When it comes to light rail, Hill apparently isn’t thinking about Redmond — he’s putting party politics first. Just recently, Hill voted against light rail expansion for the East Side. Sound Transit needs $15 billion to bring light rail to Redmond and other Eastside locations, and Sen. Hill voted against full funding. That vote leaves Redmond commuters stuck in traffic.

We’re shooting ourselves in the foot economically if we do not expand light rail into Redmond — and that includes the areas beyond the Microsoft campus. Thankfully, the 2015 House Transportation budget includes local taxing authority needed to make light rail a reality. But some Republicans are threatening to kill that transit taxing authority over their disapproval of Gov, Inslee’s clean fuels standard.

Transit and clean air should not be political trading cards. I hope when the final vote comes, Hill will put the people of Redmond and our need for light rail first.

Paul N. Bay, Redmond

Retired transportation engineer