> This morning's Strib reported on the transportation
> bill that just passed the MN House:
>
> "The bill also establishes a taxing district along
> the Hiawatha light rail
> line, requiring most businesses to make up the
> difference in operating costs
> from what fare boxes bring in. That could be as much
> as $16 million a year
> ... about 500 businesses along the Hiawatha light
> rail line would be
> affected, though Northwest Airlines and the Mall of
> America would be exempted."
This is a bad idea. What next a special taxing
district for the #12 bus line?
The idea that the businesses along the line are the
only ones who benefit, or even benefit the most is far
fetched. Public transportation is a regional issue
not a specific route issue. This gets us back to more
of the problems we developed when we started letting
individual municipalities opt out of Metro Transit.
We know that there are a number of members of the
legislature that don't like LRT, the don't like it for
a number of reasons ranging from that the Governor
does like it to even less rational reasons.
I happen to think that Ted Mondale lied to us about
the costs. The increased costs (whoever pays them)
only feeds the opposition to LRT.
The point is we need mass transit. Is this the best
initial line? Maybe not but it is a start. Rail
works, it moves people quickly and safely. That,
however, is not an excuse for attempting to mislead
the public as Metro Council has done. Why is it that
this is done everywhere in the country.
In Seattle the solution seems to be to keep shortening
the line. This has led to some good cartoons in their
local papers. See (you may need to paste the links):
- Light rail, the final option...
http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/horsey/viewbytopic.asp?topic=Light+rail&id=407
- Lemon of a Light Rail
http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/horsey/viewbytopic.asp?topic=Light+rail&id=350
- Some happy day in 2015...
http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/horsey/viewbytopic.asp?topic=Light+rail&id=342
Creating a new taxing district after the contracts are
let is not the solution. If nothing else it will
result in "Not in my Back Yard" as the reaction to the
next route proposal, where ever it is.
We've known all along that the fare box revenue won't
cover operating costs just as it doesn't with the bus.
Then exempting the Mall of America which probably
benefits the most, well Bloomington must have more
power in the legislature and Minneapolis less than I
would have ever thought.
I guess its right up there with the bonus sales tax
that the Legislature added to meals in my downtown
neighborhood so that we pay 50% more tax on the meals
we buy close to home than anyone else in the state
does. If we pay a higher tax rate, shouldn't we get a
higher rebate?
Terrell Brown
Loring Park
Minneapolis
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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