The talk of KTVB’s ‘Viewpoint’ this morning was two ‘public transportation consultants’. What a joke. Remember the faux community college debate? The same tactics are being utilized again to quell an opposition to their ‘vision’. I found it of great irony that KTVB chose a Portland-based light rail consultant to push their agenda.
Let me put it this way: light-rail is neither an effective or efficient way to reduce the Treasure Valley’s traffic woes. In fact, the problems that light rail brings may well be worse that the problems that it sought to solve.
Outside of New York there is no light-rail system in place that operates as a preferred transportation option. If fact what is largely found is that light-rail generally goes vastly under-utilized, neither removing cars from the road or helping reduce commuter transportation problems.
Nationally the average percent of use for light rail is about 23% of capacity. Considering that light rail, at capacity, operates with a need for about an 80% taxpayer subsidy, how much more tax money is needed to fund this disaster? The cost of light rail is not cheap. The issue of such economic importance that even the Federal Reserve took note:
Nationwide, annual light-rail operating costs ($778.3 Million) far exceed fare revenue ($226.1 Million); the balance ($552 Million) is paid for with tax dollars. Note that these numbers refer only to operating expenses. With such large annual losses, no light-rail system could possibly recoup it’s construction costs, which can amount to several hundred million dollars.
Another point to consider that liberals refuse to see as a ‘problem’- the presence of increased criminal and deviant activity centering along and around light rail stations and lines. MaxRedline blog notes that, ‘According to a map the highest crime neighborhoods in Portland are all within one block of lightrail’.
Do you see the concerns that are prevalent here? The powers-that-be (Ahem Communist Dave Bieter and the Ada County Highway District) do not want to let a legitimate public debate happen. They know they will lose the argument every time. So instead they wish to quell you to sleep by slowly providing information over a prolonged and extended period of time to accommodate the uneducated and ignorant voters with the ‘facts’ as they wish them to be.
So why is this happening? The answer is simple, there is a massive, organized and deliberate attempt to lobby your politicians for the benefit of the few. The Urban Land Institute is the main purveyor of ‘information’ to your Legislators. ‘Information’ in the form of significant campaign contributions. Can’t get a legislator to override his constituency? Fund his re-election campaign, that will get his or her ear.
If light rail does not have riders that fund the system, contributes to crime, violates private property rights, worses the environmental conditions that exist in a city why exactly should we simply accept it? Because we are told to? Because its more ‘feel good’ legislation to benefit the poor? None of those answers are good enough.
The reality is this: In the Treasure Valley people want I-84 extended to eight lanes. We want State street to be four lanes, Boise to Middleton. With the amount the money that is being discussed to bring light-rail to the valley we could EASILY have both of the VOTERS priorities met and have plenty left over for other road improvement projects.
Light rail is a disaster. The politicians are not listening to their constituents on this one. We want our roads improved, not taxes raised for some asinine public transit system. This is just another example of the New World Order’s social engineering. The voters priorities MUST ALWAYS come before that of the some snotty, nit-witty, stuck-up think tank.
Pay attention Treasure Valley, I guarantee you that the media will not cover all sides of the story on this one.
Isn’t progress great?
