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Request for streetcar design is shelved
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
BY ROBERT VITALE
Bowing to criticism from council members who’ve complained about being left out of the debate and responding to concerns of residents and businesses, Mayor Michael B. Coleman removed a request to begin design of a High Street route and acknowledged he has more selling to do.
In a memo to Council President Michael C. Mentel pitching his $103 million idea as a catalyst for economic development, Coleman said, “While these issues are clear to me, our public needs more information.”
Council kept $2 million in the 2008 capital-spending plan that Coleman had requested for design and engineering of a 2.8-mile streetcar line from Downtown to Ohio State University. But it took the streetcar label off the money at the mayor’s request.
Councilman Kevin L. Boyce said last night’s decision to remove streetcar references from the $1.1 billion capital budget shouldn’t be interpreted as a rejection of the mayor’s plan. Leaving in $2 million without an earmark shouldn’t be interpreted as an endorsement, either, he said.
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Request for Streetcar design is put on hold
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The article says that the 2 million is still in the budget but with the streetcar references detached. So it isn’t quite dead. I’m sad that such a small project could not move forward, but I’m hopeful that an even better plan will be forthcoming.
If transportation options do not expand in Columbus. I’ll remember this day come election time.
Walker, you owe me $2.
Remember the post about two months ago where I bet you streetcars were a no-go — and you gave that riciulous winky face and said they were definitely happening? I couldn’t find it, but I will.
Then you will pay up, son!
Who are the council members stalling this?
http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/0501SCMemo.pdf
From reading, it looks like an engineering study can be done later this year instead of next. I think the next step is clear though; we need to show how this original line will fit into a larger plan. We also need to tell people what the difference is between an engineering study and a feasibility study. In my opinion here is the main difference:
Feasibility study – would this benefit the city
Engineering study – how do we get it done (this would answer questions such as construction timeline, impact to businesses, impact to surroundings, etc.)
A friend’s brother works for the US Senate. He’s got a GMC Denali and a gas card. All paid for by us. So no, they don’t feel our pain. Also, didn’t Hillary just pump gas for a publicity stunt. Then act all *outraged* at the gas prices? :roll:
http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/0501SCMemo.pdf
That is a fantastic memo, but to me it reads as if he has given up and wants to put his thoughts on record for the future.
A friend’s brother works for the US Senate. He’s got a GMC Denali and a gas card. All paid for by us. So no, they don’t feel our pain. Also, didn’t Hillary just pump gas for a publicity stunt. Then act all *outraged* at the gas prices? :roll:
yeah, why do U.S. Govt Officials love SUVs and oversized sedans? I mean seriously. They should driving around in economical cars, after all they work for the govt, and should be pinching pennies where-ever possible.
A friend’s brother works for the US Senate. He’s got a GMC Denali and a gas card. All paid for by us. So no, they don’t feel our pain. Also, didn’t Hillary just pump gas for a publicity stunt. Then act all *outraged* at the gas prices? :roll:
I said CC pays their own gas. Up from that, no paying for nothing.
Remember the post about two months ago where I bet you streetcars were a no-go — and you gave that riciulous winky face and said they were definitely happening? I couldn’t find it, but I will.
Then you will pay up, son!
$2? Hell, I’ve got several drinks coming…
Was there an actual timetable for us to consider this a delay?
A.
[url]http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080506/oil_prices.html[/url]
This is a real issue!!! Grrr…
A friend’s brother works for the US Senate. He’s got a GMC Denali and a gas card. All paid for by us. So no, they don’t feel our pain. Also, didn’t Hillary just pump gas for a publicity stunt. Then act all *outraged* at the gas prices? :roll:
Well, the Bush Tax Cuts really started it in a big way…
With passage of the Jobs and Growth Act, Congress dramatically expanded the already generous SUV loophole by raising the deduction ceiling for certain purchases-including SUVs-from $25,000 to $100,000.7 Under this new rule, the entire cost of all but one large SUV-the Hummer H1-can be deducted. This act also increased the “bonus deduction” from 30% to 50%8, which businesses can utilize in the first year of purchase on the amount above the initial deduction. This bonus deduction was established in addition to the five-year depreciation schedule9, which remained the same.
Under the new plan, a business owner who purchases a $110,000 Hummer H1 in 2003 can now deduct a total of $106,000 in the first year (see table).
http://www.taxpayer.net/TCS/whitepapers/SUVtaxbreak.htm
I don’t think any detailed schedules have been made public, but judging by how long it’s taken us to get to this point (2.5 years), you’d have to be pretty optimistic to think that we could have anything up and running in the next 3-4 years.
You’d have to be even more optimistic to think we’ll have a broader system in place before the tail end of the next decade. Although…this country should be in full panic mode by then, and we tend to make the most progress when we freak out as a nation.
http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/0501SCMemo.pdf
That was great. I hope they come up with some good tool for education and a good plan to convince people that this beginning will have great results when fully in place. I’d like to see somethings posted on the web similar to the 3-C regional rail study and the Scioto Mile park site. Show the different pieces placed in stages over time and how they would connect and work together.
I’ll speak the strongest with my vote when re-election rolls around.
That’s assuming you have an actual pro-streetcar option. My guess is that the GOP challenger, whoever it might be, will be even more reflexively to any form of transportation not involving gas or diesel engines.
There is no delay without a timetable/schedule. The streetcar is still a viable thing for council to vote on. The funds for the engineering study are still there, they have just had the ‘choo choo train’ moniker remover.
ON HOLD doesn’t mean NO GO.
:P
I’ll speak the strongest with my vote when re-election rolls around.
That’s assuming you have an actual pro-streetcar option. My guess is that the GOP challenger, whoever it might be, will be even more reflexively to any form of transportation not involving gas or diesel engines.
And, also, I would hope that you wouldn’t be a single-issue voter and look at the big picture. Republicans and City Council just don’t sound good to me.
If a city councilperson doesn’t want to move Columbus forward with economic development, alternative transit, green initiatives, or progressive actions, I’d say that voting against them would go beyond a single issue.
+1
In fact I would say that those should be some of the top goals for the councilperson. I’ve said this before, if there is another form of public transportation out there that is projected to bring similar results as the streetcar and cost less money I’m all for it. But as of now not one person has given a better idea. If this city wants to reject where this world is heading (and needs to head) then we are digging our own grave.