Why are light rail and new roads combined in bond proposal? (Austin: 2014, attorney)

[rangergrit]

This a really interesting situation. And it's very important because of the the huge dollars involved.

The city council, who are almost all "lame ducks" because of '10-1', took a light rail proposal and turned it into a "mixed" proposal that included unspecified and unfunded road projects. That is just the definition of "bad government".

It's obvious that adding the roads was a ploy to pass the rail. Good government would propose each separately and let the people vote.

Some people would argue that there are some very powerful interests pulling the strings on this. And the rest of us end up paying for their gains.

[atxcio]

Seems like you answered your own question. And I don't think anyone on the city council would deny it.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by rangergrit

This a really interesting situation. And it's very important because of the the huge dollars involved.

The city council, who are almost all "lame ducks" because of '10-1', took a light rail proposal and turned it into a "mixed" proposal that included unspecified and unfunded road projects. That is just the definition of "bad government".

Ben Wear was on the radio this AM. Council is meeting tomorrow to "clarify" the ballot language, since the AG's office told them combining the two was illegal:

The move follows the Texas attorney general’s office’s view that combining roads and rail in one bond issue isn’t legal.

So, what they will do is ask you to vote on $1,000,000,000 in bonds, and trust them to not spend more than $600,000,000 on rail:

Leffingwell wasn’t concerned about the relegation of the road funding to what amounts to a caveat.

“The intent is clear,” Leffingwell said. “We’re asking voters for approval of $600 million for rail and are basically making a covenant with the voters to spend $400 million, and incur debt for that, for roads.”

I wish I was making this up.

And OBTW - at least $50 of that $400 million is actually rail spending.

[gpurcell]

So the people who are leaving are asking us to respect a covenant with them.

Sure thing.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by rangergrit

This a really interesting situation. And it's very important because of the the huge dollars involved.

The city council, who are almost all "lame ducks" because of '10-1', took a light rail proposal and turned it into a "mixed" proposal that included unspecified and unfunded road projects. That is just the definition of "bad government".

It's obvious that adding the roads was a ploy to pass the rail. Good government would propose each separately and let the people vote.

Some people would argue that there are some very powerful interests pulling the strings on this. And the rest of us end up paying for their gains.

What makes i even more disturbing is that a substantial portion of the so called "road" funding is actually infrastructure modifications necessary to support the rail construction. It has nothing to do with improving roads.

This lame duck council did this in the last large bond election also, packaged things they knew the voters wanted with things that were questionable at best, to try and force the votes to approve them both. This is absolutely disgusting political manipulation, which leads me to vote NO against all of them when packaged like this.

Sadly few voters vote, except for those in the urban core.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

What makes i even more disturbing is that a substantial portion of the so called "road" funding is actually infrastructure modifications necessary to support the rail construction. It has nothing to do with improving roads.

Sadly few voters vote, except for those in the urban core.

Not to mention the utility relocations that will be paid for by water and Austin Energy - shifted over to the ratepayers.

Fortunately, this election will be part of the November general, as well as the first 10-1 election. I think this electorate looks very different from the past bond election voters.

[petro]

Originally Posted by rangergrit

It's obvious that adding the roads was a ploy to pass the rail.

Welcome to politics.

[CarnivalGal]

This is pretty standard for the city counsel. They do this bait and switch stuff all the time. The sad part is that it will pass. Just like every other bond that the city counsel puts on the ballot. Then everyone sits back and wonders why their tax bill keeps going up.

[austin-steve]

The more I dig into this bond proposal, the more I'm convinced it's doomed if the electorate knows the truth and the real facts. Of course, the commercials and propaganda, both for and against to be fair, will stretch the truth omit facts.

And when you complain that it's "mixed", the retort from a rail lover will generally be something to the effect of a snooty "well you just don't understand what multi-modal" transportation means". To which I'd say, "yes I do, it means you take the money that voters thought was for roads and spend it something that isn't a road".

A more honest way would be to split the bonds into dedicated road money, dedicated rail money, dedicated "other" (bikes, sidewalks, etc), and let each pass or fail on its own merits. If there are projects that are truly interdependent, like a rail/road combo corridor that reserves a big median or something in case of future rail, and where one lives or dies with the other, then I think there is a way to do that without obfuscating the fact that they are connected and dependent.

As it is, if someone like me would vote for road improvement but you tell me I can only vote for that if I also vote for rail bonds too, I think that should in fact be illegal and I'm glad the AG pointed that out.

Steve

[hound 109]

I agree with everyone above. A billion dollar bond that doesn't pay for the items that 8 out of 10 people want (&/or need). Even the non-rail or Highway portion of the bond won't help anyone unless they live between the airport & I 35.... or between the River & Ben White (near 35).

& they can pay for the "engineering studies" for the projects THAT ARE NEEDED out of the general budget or it's own tiny 16 million dollar bond. Out of a Billion dollar Bond, 8 out of 10 Austinites would only benefit 16 million. 8 out of 10 Austinites would be idiots if they voted for this turkey.

Besides Rail, here are the road projects (this was posted in another thread a month or so ago).