Mayor Castro Leaving? (San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Anton: section 8, school district, sales tax)

[smuboy86]

Originally Posted by AFMike

Your ignorance is telling...where do you think government gets money from?

"The County has dedicated $92 million of ATD funds (that voters were promised would be used for new roads) directly to the streetcar. When challenged on the legality of this move, County Judge Nelson Wolff arranged to “swap” the money with TXDoT so that the ATD funds would be spent on roads and TXDoT would dedicate an equal $92 million and spend it on the streetcar – essentially laundering the money to avoid the promise."

"VIA’s financial results are significantly impacted by sales tax collections, which account
for 74% of VIA’s budgeted revenues in 2014, and are driven by the local economy"

In 2013 VIA took in $25.4 Million in rider revenue and $1.8 Million in advertising revenue...the expenses were $199.5 million for a loss of $172.3 million (Compared to $160 million the previous 2 years)

So what part of this is actually votable on? Via's sales tax is legally theirs they can spend it as they wish. If we had a vote on every construction project nothing would actually get. The streetcar isn't funded by a new tax, or raising an old one. It's a zero sum game. If via by some foolish notion cancels the project, the txdot money and the federal funding go away.

[AFMike]

Originally Posted by smuboy86

So what part of this is actually votable on? Via's sales tax is legally theirs they can spend it as they wish. If we had a vote on every construction project nothing would actually get. The streetcar isn't funded by a new tax, or raising an old one. It's a zero sum game. If via by some foolish notion cancels the project, the txdot money and the federal funding go away.

That is an idiotic statement that it is "theirs" and they can "spend as they wish"; it is taxpayer money and it needs to be spent wisely.


The $92 million that came from the county should be voted on as well as VIA starting something that they clearly don't have enough money to complete, they are about $75 million short now, and there is a memo floating around that the actual cost will be closer to $500 million not the public $280 million number.

Who will bail them out? In 2013 their tax revenue was up $10 million but their operating loss still went up $8 Million...How long can their losses keep outpacing their revenue at this rate before they need a bailout.

Again, I am not saying don't do it...I am saying put it to a vote, it it way too much money now and for the next 20-30 years for 12 appointees to decide.

[BestintheWest]

Castro is the poster child for tax and spend liberal and a deteriorating infrastructure

[outafocus]

How a clown like Castro can get elected THREE TIMES after a great mayor like Phil Hardberger is beyond me. I hope that idiot goes to Washington and suffers the same fate our other idiot mayor/HUD director did.

That reminds me of a twenty year old joke. How do you say Bill Clinton in Spanish? Henry Cisneros!

[Bo]

Originally Posted by outafocus

How a clown like Castro can get elected THREE TIMES after a great mayor like Phil Hardberger is beyond me.

IN each of those elections, there were no better-funded candidates running against him. I liked Diane Cibrian, the District 8 councilwoman who ran against him his first term, but she was steamrolled by the Castro machine.

[Mom2Feebs]

Don't let the door hit ya....

Rumors are swirling about a possible VP candidate for Clinton, but if history is any indication, cabinet appointees are basically being put out to pasture.

One can only hope.

[huckster]

From A lot of backwards looking citizenry. The future is coming so is change. Go with it or be bowled over by it. Castro is overwhelmingly popular , yes. Bigger than San Antonio, if he can stay squeaky
clean and keep his friends along the way up he has a long future ahead of him, he is very young.
This is how things are.

[Azure110]

I was a Castro fan until he pushed for certain items such as prek4sa. Obama is proud of his ability to give away hard earned taxpayer money to "feel good" projects of little value so he wants to promote him. No surprise there.

[KM1174]

Originally Posted by AFMike

NY Times "President Obama is preparing to nominate Mayor Julián Castro of San Antonio as his new secretary of housing and urban development, elevating one of his party’s Hispanic rising stars as part of a cabinet shuffle that has possible implications for the 2016 presidential race, Democrats informed about the plans said on Saturday."

Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/us...-hud.html?_r=0


Maybe his replacement will listen to the taxpayers on street cars...

big mistake, not that obama hasnt made his share of them, but this is a big mistake.

mayor.. dip**** didnt listen to anyone over durango, street cars or his other pet projects he pushed to 'leave his legacy'


needs to take his san antonio/texas hating mother with him and GTFO, we dont need trashy people like that here saying they hate san antonio/texas but still living here.

Originally Posted by outafocus

How a clown like Castro can get elected THREE TIMES after a great mayor like Phil Hardberger is beyond me. I hope that idiot goes to Washington and suffers the same fate our other idiot mayor/HUD director did.

That reminds me of a twenty year old joke. How do you say Bill Clinton in Spanish? Henry Cisneros!

this city is heavily democratic and, very sadly, they vote for the guy who's the same colour as them. really, REALLY sad considering im hispanic and see/hear other hispanics talking like this.

other people will no doubtedly chime in and cry bs, which is fine. they are entitled to their opinion(s), no matter how stinky they are. go out and listen to the hispanics in the heavily hispanic neighborhoods.

bigotry/racism is alive and well in sa, much to the ire of the logical thinkers here.

Originally Posted by The Man in SATX

haa haa was thinking the same thing myself...

thirded.

Originally Posted by AFMike

Put streetcars to a vote, if the voters believe it is worth $280 million + ($50 million per mile) then I'll shut up...

Uuntil then I say they are abusing taxpayer money for their pet projects.

he has to leave his crappy legacy! its his right, no matter what the tax payers say!!!

[huckster]

Julian is renowned for this, for getting this law through.
Never mind it is a forward looking plan, this makes no difference. Nor does it matter that it passed overwhelmingly.

Originally Posted by Azure110

I was a Castro fan until he pushed for certain items such as prek4sa. Obama is proud of his ability to give away hard earned taxpayer money to "feel good" projects of little value so he wants to promote him. No surprise there.