But isn't that the point of local government? Or, at least, isn't that the reason that voters (who vote against public transit in these areas) will give? That

But isn't that the point of local government? Or, at least, isn't that the reason that voters (who vote against public transit in these areas) will give? That large transit agencies covering big swaths of territory are unwieldy? Why is blaming it on individual counties a waste of time? There had to be a political push to withdraw from the larger system, or at least to have the vote, so shouldn't county leaders be "on the hook" for that push? One of the things the Puget Sound region got right with its transit is to have a super-regional, standalone agency with its own tax and bonding authority that has the express mission of "connect the discrete local agencies together with express service." How it does that (see also: Spine Destiny in relation to Link) is a matter of some debate but it factually does accomplish the goal with almost all parts of the region being equally accessible through their major transit hubs. If, for example, Snohomish County up and said "pfft, screw that Sound Transit business," why should a) the county leaders not have responsibility for, if nothing else, not being effective at showing the benefit of connectivity to the regional system; and b) SnoCo be able to complain about not having the benefits of the system that it voluntarily left? Political systems are only "abstract" if one doesn't place stock in the influence of that level of government.