Light Rail Extension Brings Blight (Phoenix, Tempe: 2014, to buy, to live)

[Pink Jazz]

IMO the initiative should be challenged and voided if it passes and a criminal investigation should be made against the Goldwater Institute. Also, the State Legislature should change the rules for undoing previous voter-approved initiatives to require 80% of the vote instead of a simple majority.

[grmi66]

Originally Posted by kytoaz

The slope was full of that long before the light rail.

Oh I know, but it's a lot worse now. Instead of being spread out in little pockets it seems to be more heavily concentrated at the end of the light rail now.

[Valley Native]

I'm very mixed about light rail expansion, and the upcoming vote. While I despise the NIMBYs who are forcing yet another ballot proposition on something that was already decided by the voters, I can definitely understand the need for prioritizing transportation projects. Many streets in Phoenix are cracking and have potholes ... something that used to be pretty uncommon here. The last initiative involving light rail also included a provision for street improvements, but very little of that has been accomplished. So while I would like to vote NO to counter the stupid NIMBYs, I do believe it's best to not expand light rail when there are other things that should take priority.

[markeg]

Voting yes will not give any more funds to road improvements. It will only take away funding from the light rail. The money for the light rail will go to another state.
If you think traffic is bad now, take away the light rail and we will have a mess.
Vote NO to 105 on August 27th.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I'm very mixed about light rail expansion, and the upcoming vote. While I despise the NIMBYs who are forcing yet another ballot proposition on something that was already decided by the voters, I can definitely understand the need for prioritizing transportation projects. Many streets in Phoenix are cracking and have potholes ... something that used to be pretty uncommon here. The last initiative involving light rail also included a provision for street improvements, but very little of that has been accomplished. So while I would like to vote NO to counter the stupid NIMBYs, I do believe it's best to not expand light rail when there are other things that should take priority.

The Phoenix City Council has already exercised its power to reallocate transportation funding by cancelling the proposed Northeast and West Camelback extensions and using the money for accelerated street maintenance. Those projects were so far in the future and tentative that cancellation involved no loss of federal or regional funds, just a reallocation of city dollars.

The overly broad, ideologically driven Proposition 105 would do very little to fund more street maintenance. Instead, it would cause Phoenix to forfeit hundreds of millions in federal and regional funds that have earmarked for projects that have already been designed. That money would go to other cities and would not be available for redistribution within Phoenix for any purpose.

I understand the belief that fixing roads is essential, but that is already happening without the need for a rigid straight jacket limiting what the city can and cannot do with transportation funds in the future. 105 and its companion 106 are both poorly written, overreaching propositions that the voters would be wise to reject.

[P47P47]

Well, there's just no getting around the fact that any time you make travel (or anything else) easier and more convenient for law-abiding, regular people, you also make it easier and more convenient for criminals and other low-lifes.

[phetaroi]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

IMO the initiative should be challenged and voided if it passes and a criminal investigation should be made against the Goldwater Institute. Also, the State Legislature should change the rules for undoing previous voter-approved initiatives to require 80% of the vote instead of a simple majority.

And just where did you come up with that 80% figure?

[phetaroi]

Originally Posted by P47P47

Well, there's just no getting around the fact that any time you make travel (or anything else) easier and more convenient for law-abiding, regular people, you also make it easier and more convenient for criminals and other low-lifes.

My question is -- after having lived in D.C. with its Metro Rail, and Bangkok with its Skytrain and subway...how is it that the truly down and out have the money in Phoenix to ride metro when that basically didn't happen elsewhere. Are there that many homeless people patronizing light rail? I'm not quite sure that seems very logical.

[WSPHXPELON]

Originally Posted by phetaroi

My question is -- after having lived in D.C. with its Metro Rail, and Bangkok with its Skytrain and subway...how is it that the truly down and out have the money in Phoenix to ride metro when that basically didn't happen elsewhere. Are there that many homeless people patronizing light rail? I'm not quite sure that seems very logical.

I've never been to DC or Bangkok, but take into account the here in PHX the lightrail has no turnstiles or any way to enforce payment other that security boarding and occasionally checking tickets.

[ibarrio]

Originally Posted by AndyDwyer480

Well the light rail has successfully extended about a mile and a half from mesa and Main down to Gilbert and Main.

Now there are more junkies hanging out at the 7-Eleven and the McDonald's at that corner. There are more people just hanging around smoking meth and shooting heroin

The area was never Paradise Valley but it sure as hell wasn't as bad as it's getting now and it's only been a little over a month since the damn train got extended down here.

That Mesa corner was already full of junkies