Opinions On Proposition 104 (Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale: 2014, neighborhoods, buy)

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by observer53

Talk to ADOT about that one... they built those, not the City.

A lot of people don't understand that, the freeways around Phoenkx are State Routes Phoenix doesn't have the capacity to do anything about that.

[cactusland]

Originally Posted by observer53

Talk to ADOT about that one... they built those, not the City.

Aha, that makes more sense then. Thank you.

[pbenjamin]

That is more or less true, but the City did build the 51 from McDowell to Glendale (the part with the 55 mph speed limit) before turning it over to ADOT in 1992.

[new2colo]

I will be voting yes. Phoenix has the potential of a bright future if we invest today. Every great major city of the world has an extensive mass transit system. As much as I gripe
about commuter rail vs. light rail, I do appreciate that this city is making an investment in transit. For too long Phoenix has been focused on suburbanization and not becoming a more urban place. Planners in the 50s-80s allowed the region's original streetcar to be torn out, numerous historical buildings were torn down for dumpy parking lots, and liberal growth policies have allowed for a continuous cannibalization of more established neighborhoods. Although many people here appreciate Phoenix for being a more suburban oriented city, the
fact of the matter is that this is the 6th largest city and needs to reflect that. If people want to live in suburban areas, living in a growing city of almost 1.6 million is probably not the place to be.

[kell490]

I tried the light rail a few times when it first started up my impression was it took too long stopping at every station and stop light. It was little faster then a city bus, but in reality the rapid bus system was much more efficient because most people do not live in the area where the light rail is operating. Recently the light rail discussion came up at work co-worker said he and his wife tested it out riding it to the airport he said the light rail has a big problem with tweekers and Hobo's riding the light rail without paying. The same people with the sign asking for money and a gas can how they ran out of gas. He said these people who stunk and were high on drugs get on and off without paying, and he didn't feel safe riding with those people. I thought they watched for that he said it seemed to him police gave up on enforcing free riding maybe it was politically incorrect to kick those people off the light rail. This reminds me a lot of the city Dash bus which was free those hobo's would ride it around all day I used to use it to go to lunch when I worked downtown until I saw a hobo shooting up drugs in the back. I will suggest people vote no we need rapid service down the freeways not in the city.


Fox 10 report tax payers paying for people that don't pay
City transit officials readily admit getting everyone to pay is impossible. And the truth is they don't want to check any more than 20 percent of riders a day.

"If you go over the industry standard of 20 percent or more.. you start to create an environment of harassment," said Ruiz.

http://www.fox10phoenix.com/story/28.../23/light-rail

[Magnum Mike]

I appreciate everyone's responses, although I respectfully disagree with some of you who would like to see a hike in sales taxes to pay for a light rail system expansion that seems to operating in a deficit right now.

Phoenix Prop 104 - OnwardAZ.org

There's nothing wrong with having a light rail system in the Phoenix area, when the conditions are right and more commuters would use it for their daily commute, but spending additional tax payer Dollars on expanding a system that seems to be poorly-managed, and benefits only a small percentage of commuters right now would not make any sense.

As a native and a resident of Phoenix, if I were to pay additional tax Dollars for something that is supposed to "reduce congestion", I would like to see a large portion of the money used for different things, including various improvements in the roads/freeways and a variety of other things. Sure use some of that money to expand the light rail, but not most of it.

Light rail systems seem to be ideal for places like New York City, where you have some 8 million people living within an area that's a little over 300 square miles, not for a metro area like Phoenix, where it's spread out over 14,000 square miles, and I certainly cannot see a light rail system that mimics NYC's subway system and runs in all directions, on some of the major surface streets in Phoenix.

[Java Jolt]

I'm not a Phoenix resident so I can't vote on this but I'm 100 percent behind it.

Phoenix needs this to improve city streets, expand light rail, and improve bus service.

I would add freeways to the list too but that would fall on ADOT, not Phoenix.

Some people are against it because of the cost to taxpayers but if it's rejected now, increased mass transit will still be needed in the future and it will be even more of a cost burden then.

[Magnum Mike]

Originally Posted by kell490

I tried the light rail a few times when it first started up my impression was it took too long stopping at every station and stop light. It was little faster then a city bus, but in reality the rapid bus system was much more efficient because most people do not live in the area where the light rail is operating. Recently the light rail discussion came up at work co-worker said he and his wife tested it out riding it to the airport he said the light rail has a big problem with tweekers and Hobo's riding the light rail without paying. The same people with the sign asking for money and a gas can how they ran out of gas. He said these people who stunk and were high on drugs get on and off without paying, and he didn't feel safe riding with those people. I thought they watched for that he said it seemed to him police gave up on enforcing free riding maybe it was politically incorrect to kick those people off the light rail. This reminds me a lot of the city Dash bus which was free those hobo's would ride it around all day I used to use it to go to lunch when I worked downtown until I saw a hobo shooting up drugs in the back. I will suggest people vote no we need rapid service down the freeways not in the city.


Fox 10 report tax payers paying for people that don't pay
City transit officials readily admit getting everyone to pay is impossible. And the truth is they don't want to check any more than 20 percent of riders a day.

"If you go over the industry standard of 20 percent or more.. you start to create an environment of harassment," said Ruiz.

Light Rail: The real cost for taxpayers - FOX 10 News | fox10phoenix.com

That's the key point, even with the expansion, it would still only serve a limited number of commuters, like those who live along Central Avenue and work in downtown Phoenix, or until the current expansion is completed some time this summer, the stretch on 19th Ave from Bethany Home north to Dunlap, it would definitely serve those commuters who live in that area and work in downtown or mid-town Phoenix, but again, that's only a very small percentage of the commuters.

[Pink Jazz]

While I support this proposition, we need to get more than just the City of Phoenix onboard. Unfortunately, such a proposition would not pass in Scottsdale.

[kell490]

If the city's would pay for a rail system to run down the freeway that would be much better idea even better then the rapid bus because they would not be affected by freeway backups. My employer is at 5th street and Van Buren 20 story building AZ center. Most if not all the employees lived 15-30 miles from there. Lot of people lived in East Valley Chandler, Gilbert, West valley goodyear, Estrella, Scottsdale, Carefree and North Phoenix. Most were upper middle class they wanted to live in the higher end areas. Most rode the rapid bus's which came from the park and rides which could be used by a train service. Park and rides seem to work most of the time those lots are full.

A hike in sales tax would push Phoenix to one of the highest in the state the city needs to find new ways to fund projects without raising taxes that isn't always the answer. If the city wants to draw in middle to upper class the people who are driving on the freeways they need to clean up druggies and derelicts problem on the light rail. The city will never make a dent in single person car travel unless that is addressed.