OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension

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[KCPowercat]

I don't disagree

[beautyfromashes]

Frankly, this city does not deserve nice things.

And why do we keep voting special taxes, minimum wage increases and streetcar routes for the East Side when them and their crony politicians in Freedom Inc. keep pushing votes that hold us back?

[earthling]

Disheartening, so how about targeting free (to ride) bus in the meantime. Dave mentioned about $11M per year.

[brewcrew1000]

Well, kids, I guess we have 2.2 miles of rail transit for the next 30 years.

Probably was time for me to leave KC anyway. ...

Little Rock fricking Arkansas has a longer Street Car network then KCMO.

I wish Brigham Young had just settled in KC. Yes Mormons are conservative but they are surprisingly progressive and its working for Salt Lake City.

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[JBmidtown]

Disheartening, so how about targeting free (to ride) bus in the meantime. Dave mentioned about $11M per year.

Yeah, let's give the East Side another reward for shitting all over us.

Fuck the east side, fuck the northland, fuck Brookside fuck this trash-tier, hick city.

[Highlander]

People simply had no clue what they were voting for. It's that simple.

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[Highlander]

I'm not sure why you think that. South KC, the Northland, and especially the East Side have consistently voted down rail transit. That's why two decades after the first attempt to start building a system of rail transit in this city we've resorted to building tiny sections piecemeal via TDDs. The section of the city that wants rail transit, and is willing to pay for it, is a clear minority.

Read the ballot question. I said a couple of days ago the wording would be paramount. All it says is that there has to be a vote. Nothing about a city wide vote. I suspect the vast majority of people who voted for this didn't even know there was a TDD and that there was an effort underway to locally fund a streetcar. They saw it as ...I don't want the cost of a streetcar imposed on me so, goddamn yea, I'm going to vote yes. I suspect you could re-poll the electorate but explain the issue and have it turn out the opposite of the results. People are indeed that ignorant. Had the opposition to Q1 worked from that premise things may have turned out differently..

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[KCPowercat]

if i didn't know the background I'd think "sure, there should be a vote prior to the city deciding on rail plans"

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[Highlander]

I'm not going to argue that the ballot language was clear or that people knew exactly what it meant. I do think the language was pretty transparently anti-rail in tone, and it's perfectly consistent with past electoral results to think it passed because the people who voted for it are anti-rail.

I don't think people in KC are as much anti-rail as they are part of the "it does not benefit me, I'm not paying for it" crowd. You can equate that to anti-rail but it's only because any single rail line is going to serve a small portion of the community and those who are serviced don't want to pay. Frankly, I think it comes down to having a large very insular and even arrogant portion of the community (compared to Denver and other progressive places) that cannot understand that they might have to wait for the benefits and even give something the meantime for the greater good. There are other dynamics to be sure, especially with the east side, but I don't think, in spite of the history, that people are inherently anti-rail....in spite of all Chastain has done to lead them in that direction. In fact, had people educated themselves on the issue, something KC isn't good at, they probably would have had no problems with a select group of people paying for the benefits of a streetcar themselves. I do think the wording on the ballot along with a lack of any knowledge at all of the issues was a bigger problem than KC being anti-rail.

[earthling]

From the Star article on Q1 passing...

It’s not certain that the city will follow the prohibition. The City Council still must consider whether the measure is legal or should be repealed or challenged in court, and a spokesman for Mayor Sly James said Tuesday night that he would await a ruling from the city’s Law Department.

One provision of Question 1 would impose a penalty of up to $1,000 per day for noncompliance. Some critics said penalizing city planners from planning makes the measure unconstitutional. But drafters of the provision said if that’s a legal problem, that provision could be removed from the ordinance.

The city’s Law Department has previously said Question 1 does have constitutional problems, but that any decision on a legal challenge would be premature before Tuesday’s election.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/kc ... 87912.html

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[Highlander]

By the way - who would be the best people in city government to write to urge repeal of Q1? As a KC native, and one that very much would like to relocate to KC when my career winds down (in the not too distant future), these results have given me pause. I've talked to a lot of former Kansas Citian's who have lived around the US/world and they too have taken notice of the positive changes going on in the city and many were of like mind. They had not really considered KC as a place to live but were more and more coming to the conclusion that maybe KC would be a great place for all the same reasons people on this forum do. It's very sad indeed to let a few curmudgeons dictate a halt to the momentum.

[beautyfromashes]

No offense but over 12k people voted against it. That's more than a few curmudgeons. The Anti-everything group outplayed the Progress group on this one. Getting it reversed merely because we dislike it seems dishonest and anti democratic.

Personally, I think you set the vote and make sure the language is right and election is right. Make it say, "Can the Midtown TDD (boundaries) vote to tax themselves to expand the streetcar? No taxes will be collected outside the district for this project and no city funds will be used for its creation." I trust that if it is worded correctly and is clear and honest, it would pass. Of course, probably wouldn't hurt to buy off the East Side with free buses to ensure a win, self serving and all.

[Highlander]

No offense but over 12k people voted against it. That's more than a few curmudgeons. The Anti-everything group outplayed the Progress group on this one. Getting it reversed merely because we dislike it seems dishonest and anti democratic.

Personally, I think you set the vote and make sure the language is right and election is right. Make it say, "Can the Midtown TDD (boundaries) vote to tax themselves to expand the streetcar? No taxes will be collected outside the district for this project and no city funds will be used for its creation." I trust that if it is worded correctly and is clear and honest, it would pass. Of course, probably wouldn't hurt to buy off the East Side with free buses to ensure a win, self serving and all.

In a city of half million people. That's a few. Very few. That said, I think you are right with the way to word the ballot.