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That article tells me that WE NEED A 1 CENT TAX. Obviously, the 1/2 cent tax is not good enough due to unfortunate economic conditions. No one saw this credit meldown coming (not even Wall Street). I don't think CATS officials were dishonest nor do I think they used "bait and switch" tactics. Everyone has been affected by the economy and it only makes sense that CATS has been too.
There are a lot of tax payers in this county that are not going to understand the need for more transit funding and this is sad. Charlotte and Meck will likely vote down any attempt for more funding due to a lack of trust with CATS. The construction industry here could really use another light rail project. The current blue line's construction put a lot of people to work!!! The tax payers won't see things that way. The conservatives will claim victory and call for another repeal of the 1/2 cent tax. Personally, I will not stay in Charlotte if this town ever votes to stand still economically and with transit. There are just too many other wonderful forward thinking cities in this country to consider.
If this city/county ever does vote down a transit money increase, I think the city should build it without the tax payers' permission (much like the arena). The arena is proof that our taxpers are sometimes wrong when we say no!!!
Last edited by urbancharlotte; 12-17-2008 at 10:51 PM..
I totally agree with that, but aren't we kidding ourselves about policies changing in Raleigh?
Actually, I was more interested in seeing peoples feelings about light rail- specifically because I believe the city planners were myopic in their vision of where it should go. Given the overwhelming reponse to the blue line, I fully believe the city should bump up the schedule for the northern leg. I also think we should offer the option of extending it to Lowes Motor Speedway- at Cabbarus countys/ Bruton Smith's expense.
Additionally, I think we should look at a line running from uptown to Union County- perhaps in the median/bus lane of Independence. Ideally, I would also go west to the airport.
Of course, this is all IMHO!
You, know...running it to Lowe's Motor Speedway would be an excellent idea. Have you ever been in that race traffic? It is horrible. Maybe that would be an idea to decrease that traffic. I used to live in that area (well...kinda still do cuz I am an UNCC student) and when it was race time, those of us who lived immediately close to the area did not come out.
I'm curious as to whether or not you mean the currently installed light rail, or any light that ever gets installed anywhere (presumably, your front yard--with a Thomas The Locomotive version on the front that can talk to you).
There never was any "battle" with the light rail nay-sayers...it was a land slide vote, no contest. 70% against the recall and 30% for it. It was a case of a few activists that someone erronously let have a voice and cause this county to waste time, money, and effort on an unnecessary "vote." And to further stick it to the nay-sayers, the light rail has performed like a champ and put up ridership numbers never imagined for this early in the game. Granted, it had some pretty big budget issues, but if you ask me, Tober should have had his head put on a plater and served to the public since he was ultimately responsible for it. That certainly does not mean the project as a whole is bad.
All that said, if you want to see what a metro region looks like without any mass transit direction and an ignorant resistance by the public to help pay for mas transit, look at Orlando. Light rail, high speed rail, and commuter rail plans have all been shot down by voters...there's a quasi-private/government bus system that will take you about 6-8hours to get across the region at any time of the day IF it even coems your way...and you've got one of the country's worst highways (I-4) being funded by federal and state dollars to be "fixed" which is already a failing design before they even started work!!! If you want to sit around waiting for the state or feds to come in and fix it, be prepared to wait 10+ years.
You have to give some to get some...and in our fortunate case, we're gettign a lot for a miniscule tax, if you ask me. We're getting a lot in the form of a well thought out plan for mass transit in our region. It's tough to feel like you've gotten something when all there's only a 1,000 page report to flip through, some crafty brochures in PDF format online to summarize everything, and a light rail line that *seems* to service only a small wedge fo the region, but we've got what every metroploitan area of 500,000+ citizens would kill for: a proactive plan. We're not gridlocked like Boston became and had to tunnel under the city to get any sort of relief. We're not jammed like LA is and have no option of solving the problem. We're not built out like Atlanta with an undersized 16-lane interstate feeding our downtown. We've got options with small pressure releases in place (a working bus system and the start of a light rail line) to keep us sane until the full plan is in full swing. That is priceless and is a huge reason as to why our city is so desireable. The argument goes round and round on these forums...some folks gripe that there's too much traffic in Charlotte while someone that moved here from somewhere else laughs at the "traffic" we think we have. The truth is that our commute is piddlesome compared to other regions of comparable size...and we're trying to act now to keep it that way!
To relate this all to the topic of this thread, yes, I'd be more than willing to pay an extra 1/2 cent to speed things up. I'm a relatively impatient person when it comes to seeing the whole project through. 2030 seems like an eon (eon = very long amount of time) from now! I'd rather see us in full swing by 2015-20, plowing ahead of every major metro in this country. Not to mention, getting it done sooner will save untold fortunes in costs with the way construction cost inflate every quarter of a year.
I couldn't agree more. I think taxes are part of life and if you want to enjoy the progression of Charlotte as a major city it's gonna cost. You can't get something for nothing. I voted for both, for I-485 and light rail. IMO, if you have a problem or disagree with the way things are being funded, there is always Rock Hill, Gastonia, Monroe, and Concord. I am ready for the bullets that will be flying and I have my buttet proof vest. . BTW, I don't like tolls, but anyone knowledgeable about them could these be a better way to fund projects than the sales tax?
...I don't like tolls, but anyone knowledgeable about them could these be a better way to fund projects than the sales tax?
No. As I've stated, they turn into self-funding beasts of their own. Many miles of multiple lanes that must be held to strict maintenance standards (due to the high speeds...things like signage, paint striping, lighting, etc.), the cost of running the newer high-tech toll booths, and the sheer cost of building a new road (construction, right-of-way/land costs, design). It's completely unfeasible. And int eh long run, you're stuck with a road that gets you no further than you were before, only this time, you get to pay for your sitting in traffic.
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It is horrible. Maybe that would be an idea to decrease that traffic. I used to live in that area (well...kinda still do cuz I am an UNCC student) and when it was race time, those of us who lived immediately close to the area did not come out.
. BTW, I don't like tolls, but anyone knowledgeable about them could these be a better way to fund projects than the sales tax? 
