Phoenix Wants to Double the Light Rail Tax
Our great city is proposing to double the sales tax increase dedicated to light rail and make the increase permanent. This all so we can spend more money to shift people from busses to a mode that is more than 10x more expensive per passenger mile.
Russell Steen:
In Atlanta we will see the same. We can't even meet the ridership numbers offering rides FOR FREE. And these were the (of course inflated) numbers used to justify the costs. http://usa.streetsblog.org/2015/02/20/atlanta-streetcars-early-ridership-numbers-disappoint/
February 26, 2015, 8:11 amPetri:
In Michigan, we lease passenger rail cars just in case we might have a rail line. http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/02/25/mdot-costly-rail-car-leases/24022341/
Even though the community using the passenger cars urged the State not to purchase them; http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/02/25/official-warned-mdot-railcar-leases/23970713/
February 26, 2015, 8:58 amNehemiah:
Quit whining. Its not your money in the first place. You didn't earn it. Government educated you so you'd be able to hold onto a job. They paved the roads that enable you to get to work. Why is it that Americans feel this independent streak?
February 26, 2015, 9:47 ambigmaq1980:
Just so frustrating to see politicians go head long into supporting such a sink hole of public funds, despite the very real differences in geography and demography of their cities vs NYC (where it is still not carrying it's peak of 2T annual riders of 1930, and fares only account for 40% of "revenue" - and they cannot publish timely financial reports - check it out under the MTA "Transparency" tab ).
February 27, 2015, 8:10 amslocum:
Feel grateful that we haven't been able to put them into service -- that would cost a LOT more.
February 27, 2015, 9:35 amMatthew Slyfield:
If you could recover all of the sunk costs in the NYC subway system you could probably buy everyone living in NYC a Tesla Roadster. Of course, there isn't enough parking and the NYC street grid probably couldn't handle the extra traffic.
February 27, 2015, 6:40 pm