Sam:
I don't have an opinion on the core issue you raise about funding options but I am concerned about the (seeming) lack of debate on the Eastside Streetcar option. Has a life cycle cost analysis been done between electric buses and the streetcar? The infrastructure improvements, that I'm told attracts development, could still be done (road improvements, overhead power cables, etc.) but instead of more rails for bikes to crash on, attractive modern busses could be used instead (and even used over the whole streetcar route).