KCRag Forum

First public meeting for the Main Street Extension is April 3: http://kcstreetcar.org/about-streetcar/ ... extension/

When will the starter line be paid off? I assume the tax will expire or kept in place for maintenance? Could there be a vote to extend the taxes to help pay for further extensions in the future?

beautyfromashes wrote:When will the starter line be paid off? I assume the tax will expire or kept in place for maintenance? Could there be a vote to extend the taxes to help pay for further extensions in the future?

The bonds were issued in 2014 with a maturity of 2028 and 2032.

The tax rate can be lowered to fund only operations and the special assessment not taken if the election allowed this use (I think it did, can't find a ballot copy). Otherwise the purpose of the tax has been concluded, to pay for the system, and collection should end.

In theory you could have a new vote inside the TDD. But in terms of what TDDs do, would make more sense to form a new one and make it be functionally a new tax. The reason is you need the vote of the entire existing TDD on any new item or boundary growth. Might as well let the current TDD shrink it's tax and form a new tax for the new use.

You're talking 15 years out anyways. We'll have three mayoral elections before the tax could be reallocated

Not to mention that the original tdd will be rolled into the new tdd.

So the ballot application process looks to be a bit more involved this time. If I recall last time we were able to request ballot via online form and it was sent - one online step. This time need to print the form and send in with copy of voter ID card (or other proof of voter status) to get the ballot. Looks like they want to validate by person requesting the ballot directly rather than by automated address lookup in system.

Were there validation issues last time? Not a big deal but in this age of lower voter participation, making it more inconvenient doesn't help. Why not mail out ballot (unrequested) to all registered voters in system in qualified areas? The invalids would be caught by notary requirement and could also require putting voter ID # on ballot.

Here's the form directly...
https://www.16thcircuit.org/Data/Sites/ ... llable.pdf

I'm guessing you used the Connect KC ballot application form to auto-pull your voter information and submit last time around - it's been updated for this election.

^Am pretty sure it wasn't that system last time but it works just as well. Thanks! That is what needs to be linked by articles and the ballot notice website.

Those encouraging people to vote should include that link instead...
https://www.connectkc.org/ballot/

What are thoughts of sending ballots automatically to all qualified addresses (in voter registration database) rather than having to request a ballot. Some may want only the informed voters to make the effort, others may find it more inclusive to auto send ballots to all qualified. I tend to lean towards the latter as it encourages higher voter participation (Oregon does this with highest participation rate in nation). There is a case for those making the effort to take extra steps representing the 'turnout' but it comes across as social engineering and some consider it voter selection.

earthling wrote:What are thoughts of sending ballots automatically to all qualified addresses (in voter registration database) rather than having to request a ballot. Some may want only the informed voters to make the effort, others may find it more inclusive to auto send ballots to all qualified. I tend to lean towards the latter as it encourages higher voter participation (Oregon does this with highest participation rate in nation). There is a case for those making the effort to take extra steps representing the 'turnout' but it comes across as social engineering and some consider it voter selection.

I think the auto-mailing of a ballot is a great idea. I think Colorado already does this as well.

Voting should be as easy as possible. It is fairly easy to catch individual cases of voter fraud or double voting.

Wonder how that process is determined... local election board, circuit court, state level?

State

Correct. It's all in the TDD Act, which has it's own election process defined. Once you choose mail-in (which we did to reduce the burden on the district), everything is clearly defined.

Not surprising that at the (GOP controlled) state level, an involved ballot request would be required instead of encouraging broader participation by auto-mailing ballots to all registered voters in qualified areas.

So moving on, use this link to promote voting rather than the circuit court link...
https://www.connectkc.org/ballot/

DaveKCMO wrote:First public meeting for the Main Street Extension is April 3: http://kcstreetcar.org/about-streetcar/ ... extension/

Ok, who wants to grab beers after this thing?

Assuming phase two has smart lights and below average functional pedestrian detection....here are some suggestions for the vendor.

* We know the minimum time required for each pedestrian phase. Before changing the cycle the smart system should know a minimum time it plans on staying on a cycle. If that is more than the minimum required ped time, flip to auto walk.

* In the same line of thinking if during a cycle a pedestrian is detected, the system should know how much time is left in its cycle, flip to walk (it may do this but if it does it is super delayed or doesn't work well).

* Recheck for pedestrians before the cycle change to ensure their walk signal is still needed....I hesitate to throw this out there but if we are looking for effectiveness....I've seen way too many times the ped is detected right after a cycle change and has went ahead and crossed the street...and that second cycle has a walk signal but no peds.

* Better detectors....or additional ones like on the button...the aerial ones aren't great....they are slow.

More

* The system should know by now how long it takes the streetcar to get from a point to it's intersection....if it's close, hold open the light...the # of times I see the streetcar stopped going south from p&l stop at Truman is maddening...the light will be green, as soon as streetcar leaves stop, goes to red.

Anyone have a subscription to the BizJournal? I have a feeling this is just a fluff piece:

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... route.html

Yeah it's basically about the neighborhood associations supporting use of the trail.

That will be an option shown at the April 3 meeting.

Great tweet from Dave

https://twitter.com/kclightrail/status/ ... 34240?s=21

First off, what vote is happening by April 3? the last thing they want is for people against the train to think there’s a deadline on April 3 to vote by not telling people they must request a ballot. That there’s a municipal election on April 3 certainly won’t help them here. Bet a number of less savvy or interested voters will go to the polls and think the streetcar is on the ballot.

Secondly (and the big one). Who is they? I’m trying really hard to not make this be a classic racist or classist use of the term. What basic group could this word otherwise refer to? Tourists? People from JoCo?