A few weeks ago I posted Light Rail Revisited. If you didn't see it click on the link and be sure to read the COMMENTS.
The PSTA has sent the County Commission a recommendation to include a ballot initiative to add 1 percent to Pinellas County sales tax for transportation.
On the surface, the PSTA makes the argument that the bus system will have a budget shortfall of $8 Million in 2016 and needs the additional revenue, but the ballet initiative would also allow the sales tax revenue to be used for Light Rail. The commenters in the Light Rail Revisited Post bring up a lot of excellent points. Check them out.
My guess is the light rail people will quickly grab the lion's share of the money.
In the last day or so we have seen how HART (Hillsborough Area Rapid Transit) and PSTA (Pinellas Sun Coast Transit Authority) are tap dancing around a state order that they merge to reduce duplication and save some money.
Protecting the fiefdoms seems to be the issue and it is also the problem.
Take TBRTA(Tampa Bay Regional Transit Authority) for example. Over the last 5 years or so I have been to probably 10 presentations from TBARTA, each one presented by some high paid consulting firm, and TBARTA has yet to really produce anything practical.
Public Transportation in the Bay area could be the poster child for government boondoggle.
Before we, the taxpayers, agree to provide an unending flow of sales tax revenue to be used by people who have, to this point, produced less than stellar results and fund those who would cut a swath through the middle of the State's most densely populated county so some politicians can stand in front of an empty train and proudly claim success, we better think a bit.
Raising the sales tax to 8% can't be that good for tourism, remember the goose and the golden eggs.
Almost all agree a sales tax is a regressive tax, but the public transportation people would encourage your yes vote to a sales tax to support them while adding a heavier tax burden to those they say they wish to serve.
The light rail people, like flock of vultures, are trying to ride into the sales tax revenue stream on the fears the bus system will collapse without the tax.
All of this could be a ballot issue in 2014. The Pinellas County Commission should either receive and file the sales tax request or better yet send it back to the PSTA and ask them for a proposal that deals with the bus system only. And if PSTA is really in the light rail camp a separate proposal for light rail.
Hillsborough County voted down a sales tax proposal for light rail, Pinellas voters would be wise to follow suit should the issue in its present from make it to the ballot.
e-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net, or send me a Facebook Friend request.
Light Rail is a need for the future. Swallow hard and do it now! We are a suburban city and county. The county is 90%+ built out residentially and traffic in St. Pete is still manageable - just hit Dale Mabry at rush hour and you will be thankful you live in st. Pete. It will not last without mass transit.
"Hillsborough County voted down a sales tax proposal for light rail, Pinellas voters would be wise to follow suit should the issue in its present from make it to the ballot." Remember to follow the money: it ALL comes out of our pockets - every penny. Then, when it is built (buses, trains, whatever), we pay 80% of operating costs. EVERYONE pays and currently about 3% of our population actually rides. Does anyone really think that the number of riders will significantly increase because there will be a train from St. Pete to Clearwater? If there is so much demand, PSTA should add an express bus along exactly the same route that will take exactly the same amount of time and see how many people ride that bus. Then we will know before we are forced to pay $130 MILLION a year in increase sales taxes. Yes, the bus system is failing because they cannot make it efficient and useful even though ALL capital costs are paid by taxpayers and 80% of operating costs are paid by taxpayers. Riders pay 20% of operating costs, NONE of capital costs (i.e., new buses, etc.). We do not need a new sales tax, we need new management of PSTA.
So we have a large % of the populaution paying for infrastructure that the same large % actually use. You are advocating that EVERYONE pay taxes to support a point-to-point light rail that very few will actually ride - the typical ridership on all light rail systems in the US is less than 5% of the population, yet 100% are forced to support it in some way (yes, even our tax dollars are supporting those trains). Remember, ALL capital costs are paid by local, state and federal taxpayers - that is just about everyone. Then they still don't have enough, so they ask for a "measly" 1% local sales tax increase, which is 14% more sales tax than we currently pay. And where does it go? From downtown St. Pete to downtown Clearwater. Can we try buses on the same route, same schedule and see how many people ride? If we get a significant number, say 100,000 per day (10% of Pinellas population), then consider ways to raise money to build a train. If we don't, the buses can be deployed to other, more useful routes. Once a track is laid, it cannot be moved. That is a huge bet with lousy odds (using our $2 BILLION). That is four baseball stadiums!
“But today, for the first time, we have data showing how much failing to invest in our surface transportation system can negatively impact job growth and family budgets.” We have about 300 Million vehicles on our roads today; that number is growing every day. We have cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles and yes, even bicycles on those roads, taking kids to soccer games, goods to consumers, people to work. That infrastructure is "bloated" only because people who (for some reason) hate cars opine that it is so. Not true, it is what it is because people consciously decide what mode of transportation they are going to use. Trucks and buses are with us forever and they need roads. Trains don't go to grocery stores and soccer fields. Bicycles cannot deliver goods. Even electric cars need roads. Do you really believe a 1% sales tax on 100% of the people in Pinellas county will encourage more than 3% of the people to use public transportation? Do you really believe that spending $2 BILLION will propel Pinellas county into the 21st century? We have some of the least expensive fuel in the world. In some countries the cost of gasoline has been $10/gal for years - and they still drive cars and trucks and even buses. Govt detrmines the price of fuel much more than any corporation.
True, and please tell me what % of the population does not use surface transportation. We also know that EVERYONE pays for public transportation, whether they use it or not. Less than 5% of the people actually use it. Is that really fair? Why do you hate cars? Why do 95% of the people depend on cars? (because they can)
The consumer is the largest reason for high oil prices, the demand is outgrowing the production supply. Now it is true that the company decide how much they are going to pump, which does effect price. But with so many oil needy products, it is the consumer that is raising prices.
By the way...."I can attest after having had drive from St Pete, to Clearwater, to Largo, to Tyrone area this past weekend...." There will never be a super advanced light rail from Largo to Tyrone. Charlotte buses provide 65,000 rides/day (32,500 people) or about 2% of the population. A little less than Pinellas ridership. Traffic congestion has not decreased to any noticeable degree. So tell me again why100% of Pinellas residents should pay an extra $130,000,000 per year in sales tax so a very small number of people can ride a train from St. Pete to Clearwater.
Yep we need light rail now for the future.