tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post5386233884908777959..comments2023-11-05T04:34:10.303-05:00Comments on The Naked City: Transit update from the TriangleUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-90886638577400751592009-08-25T22:01:53.688-04:002009-08-25T22:01:53.688-04:008/20/2009 09:45:00 Anon,
...and you've obviou...8/20/2009 09:45:00 Anon,<br /><br />...and you've obviously bought or are part of selling the lie that "it's all and only the economy".<br /><br />It's not.<br /><br />Before the economy tanked CATs was already scounging for money from the Towns and Builders to construct the North Corridor because the 1/2 cent was not enough.<br /><br />Before the economy tanked, the Northeast corridor cost had already started to escalate dramatically pushing groups like University City Partners to start the drum beat for more taxes. They originally wanted the existing 1/4 cent that is available to Mecklenburg and then they started pushing for Mecklenburg to be included in the HB 148 which would have given Meck another 1/2 cent transit tax. Fortunately the taxpayer dodged that bullet just a couple weeks ago.<br /><br />Long, long before the economy tanked, the City of Charlotte took the Streetcar off the plate of the MTC becuase there wasn't enough money in the half cent to pay for it. They had to pay back the BPC for their votes in the transit tax repeal debate. That's also why they will override the veto Mayor McCrory delivered last night.<br /><br />The 1/2 cent was never enough to deliver all the promises CATS and the politicians made - including McCrory. They lied repeatedly, and trying to exuse their past failures on the current economy is just another lie too.Ricknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-80772615592115365742009-08-22T01:34:12.232-04:002009-08-22T01:34:12.232-04:00I worked at RDU for a couple of years. It is hard...I worked at RDU for a couple of years. It is hard to imagine this area EVER building light rail. People are very naive when it comes to transit planning. Contrary to popular belief, the biggest driver of ridership is not the price of gas; it's $10 parking. Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill are all cities with plenty of free parking and even more cheap parking. These cities are also much less dense than Charlotte. You have to have or at least zone for density to make light rail work!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-36792424288180185592009-08-20T17:28:15.143-04:002009-08-20T17:28:15.143-04:00Boring.....Boring.....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-81049631835613057102009-08-20T09:45:27.261-04:002009-08-20T09:45:27.261-04:00If not for the economy, a commuter rail line to Mo...If not for the economy, a commuter rail line to Mooresville would already be under construction. It along with a light rail extension to the University area remain the next two system priorities. But given the drop in sales tax receipts in this economy (not the ambitious system plan), the horizon year by which they are both completed may now be ten years farther out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-51965480429893616042009-08-19T22:15:02.658-04:002009-08-19T22:15:02.658-04:00Oh, geez. For a second there, I thought she was ta...Oh, geez. For a second there, I thought she was talking about Brad <b>Krantz</b> (the guy who used to co-host with Richard Spires at WBT).<br /><br />The image of him working at NC transit was just too perfect. Scary, but it would explain a lot...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-49218708681144539692009-08-19T21:00:17.743-04:002009-08-19T21:00:17.743-04:00If the voters in those counties are paying attenti...If the voters in those counties are paying attention, they'll only approve the tax if it has a limited plan.<br /><br />As Charlotte has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, a half cent transit tax has very limited capability and eventually Triangle Transit will be back for a second helping as CATS wanted to do before we dodged that bullet.Ricknoreply@blogger.com