What is it about a train that makes city officials go 'off the rails'? Here in Wisconsin it is the same thing, the state is broke but yet they are talking about a 'high speed train' from Milwaukee to Madison that travels at speeds about the same as cars on the interstate, which by the way, parallels the train tracks.
Oh, and by the way, the train stops at the airport so you have to take a cab from there to anywhere in the city. I wonder what that will cost you and I wonder how much you could save by driving your own car and be able to go anywhere at any time without paying for a cab?
It seems all the politicians see is the initial influx of cash but not the on-going cost of maintaining these monsters. In the end, it will cost the tax payers millions. Just what we all need, more taxes to support another worthless political boondoggle. And here is another item to consider, who exactly will ride the train rather that drive their cars? hmmmm Interesting enough, they don't know who will ride the train or why. They can only guess!
Madison is planning a trolley for this city as well even though rider ship on the city bus system is a bust and has to be supported every year with more and more money to keep it running. History has shown that where ever a trolley has been installed, it has failed to support itself. No matter, they say, it would so cool to have one even though it will only serve a small portion of the city. It will be so cool.
Why cause more pain for the tax payers? What is it about 'We are broke' that these people don't get? Who are these people?
WHY CITIES ARE BROKE OR, THERE IS SOMETHING TRAGIC ABOUT A TRAIN...
Source: Nick Gillespie, "Why Cities Are Broke or, There is Something Tragic About a Train...," Reason Magazine, July 8, 2010.
Cincinnati, a city that is down on its luck and its population, faces a $50 million deficit next year, but anxiously awaits signs that the feds will shovel some money their way to build a streetcar system in the Queen City, says Nick Gillespie is editor-in-chief of Reason.tv and Reason.com.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is scheduled to announce nearly $300 million in federal funding for streetcar, trolley and bus proposals nationwide, with Cincinnati being one of dozens of cities in competition for the grants.
Cincinnati, which still needs about $42 million in additional state or federal dollars to fund the streetcar plan's $128 million first phase, has applied for a $25 million "urban circulator" grant from the U.S. Transportation Department that would significantly close the project's funding gap.
The city has identified about $86 million for the project, including $64 million in city bonds that Mayor Mark Mallory has pledged will not be issued unless the city receives roughly the same amount in state and federal funds.
There is absolutely nothing that a streetcar system could possibly do to make Cincinnati a better place to live, says Gillespie. Meanwhile, the city is promising not to spend up to $86 million unless they find someone to match them in this foolishness, unless of course, they want to go ahead and start building it anyway.
Even if the full $128 million budget is not in place, city officials have said preliminary construction could begin this fall with relocation of utilities to clear the way for track installation for a streetcar system that will extend from Downtown's riverfront to the Uptown communities around the University of Cincinnati.
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