Light Rail Extension Brings Blight (Phoenix, Scottsdale: loans, neighborhoods, pit bull)

[phetaroi]

Originally Posted by tijlover

This is what's so overlooked with light rail, the potential development at the train stops, and, in effect, creating little mini cities. Here, in Tucson, we only have a line that goes from ASU to Menlo Park and it's amazing all the development going on along that one line.

This was our experience in D.C., as well. Blighted parts of the city were rejuvenated after the arrival of the Metro system.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

My question is: if Prop 105 passes, what happens to the already planned light rail routes, such as the one that is supposed to run west on Washington Street to the Capitol, and then in the I10 median to the west Valley? I definitely want to see the Capitol line remain as part of the expansion, but I have hesitations about having it in the I10 median.

Every planned expansion would be cancelled if Proposition 105 passes, and capital improvements needed to keep the existing line up to date might even be thwarted. Commuter rail would also be out of the question due to the broad wording of "fixed rail transit" used in the ballot language. That's why it's a terrible proposition. It's rigid and would put a straight jacket on the city.

[More Rock]

Roads bring blight. Remove all roads.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by kytoaz

I didn't say she never saw homeless people, I said she never had any issues with them. So many people act as if seeing a homeless person equates to them being in physical danger, which is generally laughable. I will say this about the expansion and prop 105. I live in south Phoenix and frequent several small shops and restaurants on central and bringing the train down central makes little sense to me. 7th st to baseline would be a much better option. Cramming the rail down an already thriving street full of local shops isn't a great idea. Light rail drives expansion, so why not put it on a street that is under-developed as opposed to hurting the already thriving stores on central?

One thing I think all people can agree with about homeless people is that a large percentage of them can be unpredictable. It's perfectly fine for someone to take the position that they don't want people with unpredictable behavior hanging around where they live, especially if they have children.

[kttam186290]

Originally Posted by asufan

One thing I think all people can agree with about homeless people is that a large percentage of them can be unpredictable. It's perfectly fine for someone to take the position that they don't want people with unpredictable behavior hanging around where they live, especially if they have children.

Every fascist idea on the planet began with, "...but the children"

Over and over again, it seems like. "...the children" are a cover for people who want to impede others.

This isn't a personal attack on you, per se, it's just a pattern I notice.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by kttam186290

Every fascist idea on the planet began with, "...but the children"

Over and over again, it seems like. "...the children" are a cover for people who want to impede others.

This isn't a personal attack on you, per se, it's just a pattern I notice.

It's also 100% correct that many people with children like to avoid homeless people

What other patterns should we be aware of that you notice?

[Sno0909]

Originally Posted by kttam186290

Every fascist idea on the planet began with, "...but the children"

Over and over again, it seems like. "...the children" are a cover for people who want to impede others.

This isn't a personal attack on you, per se, it's just a pattern I notice.

Yes, because a homeless person chose drugs over everything else. Or made poor life choices. It's now our fault that we are impeding their growth because we care about our children. That's a fascist thought process?

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

Yes, because a homeless person chose drugs over everything else. Or made poor life choices. It's now our fault that we are impeding their growth because we care about our children. That's a fascist thought process?

A lot of them are just plain mentally ill

[asufan]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

A lot of them are just plain mentally ill

A huge portion of them are mentally ill, which is why they have the unpredictable behavior that many people want to stay away from. Occasionally my son will play baseball games at parks where homeless congregate. I remember one night game where the homeless guy cut the power to the bathrooms so there were no lights, then hung out in the stall in the dark talking to little boys to go in there with him. Parents threatened him with his life until the police were called and hauled him away. Another time the homeless guy was following a 14 year old girl around staring at her like a pit bull looking at a steak. My most memorable encounter was a fist fight I got in with a homeless guy when he walked by and accosted me when I was viewing a rental property in a rough area.

Having a desire not to be around that has nothing to do with politics. It's laughable that the poster accused me of "fascism" because I am generally PRO light rail but understand the possible downfalls. There are people here that are hypersensitive to any political angle they can take, I keep politics out of my life and my thinking. I'm not a politics dork.

[kytoaz]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

Yes, because a homeless person chose drugs over everything else. Or made poor life choices. It's now our fault that we are impeding their growth because we care about our children. That's a fascist thought process?

It's these kind of vast, sweeping statements about entire groups of people that are indeed the path to fascism. I am a member of the American legion and I personally know several homeless combat veterans that simply got broken during wartime. They can probably never go back to a normal life. Yeah, let's just call them names and make unfounded conclusions about them because they make us uncomfortable. And another thing, most working people in this country are just a couple of bad breaks away from being homeless.