Mayor Castro Leaving? (San Antonio, Anton: sales, 2014, cabinet)

[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...

[smuboy86]

Originally Posted by AFMike

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

Exactly what tax is being used on the streetcars?

[Me007gold]

Originally Posted by smuboy86

Exactly what tax is being used on the streetcars?

Taxpayers = Citizens/Residents, who voted no to the streetcars

[SAguy]

Originally Posted by Me007gold

Taxpayers = Citizens/Residents, who voted no to the streetcars

I believe the voters voted no on light rail and not street cars.

[Shock]

Plenty of tax payers support street cars too you know. Why do opponents of something act blind like this. Anyhow, it's unfortunate if he leaves. I think he was pushing SA in the right direction. Hopefully his successor will have similar a vision.

[RedNeckRick]

Good riddance. Don't let the door hit him in the butt on the way out. Looks like he is going down the same road as Cisneros.

[unintentionallyfunny]

Originally Posted by Me007gold

Taxpayers = Citizens/Residents, who voted no to the streetcars

Nope.

[The Man in SATX]

Originally Posted by RedNeckRick

Good riddance. Don't let the door hit him in the butt on the way out. Looks like he is going down the same road as Cisneros.

haa haa was thinking the same thing myself...

[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.

[AFMike]

Originally Posted by smuboy86

Again what taxpayer money? What taxes are going to pay for the streetcar, your lack of an answer is very telling.

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)