Mass Transit Debate Hinges On Funding And Timing

FloridaFuture · August 22nd, 2007, 11:58 AM

Mass Transit Debate Hinges On Funding And Timing
By RICH SHOPES, The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 22, 2007

TAMPA - There's no shortage of funding scenarios for mass transit.

One calls for a voter referendum in January to counteract the bruising effects on bus service if the 'Super Homestead Exemption' passes.

Another has voters going to the polls in November 2008.

A third sends voters to the polls in 2010.

All three differ in timing but basically ask the same question: whether the sales tax should be increased a half cent to fund new trains and buses.

The plans' backers concede only one plan will make it to voters because politicians don't want competing plans that require the public to support a tax increase. That means the other two sides must be willing to compromise.

'We only have one bite at the apple,' Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe said.

So far nobody's blinking.

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio favors 2010 to give the newly created Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority enough time to come up with a comprehensive plan and enough time for voters to learn about it.

Sharpe wants to go to the polls in November 2008 to build on the momentum now surrounding mass transit.

Ricardo Roig, chairman of the board for Hillsborough Area Regional Transit, wants to save the bus agency before it's gutted by tax cuts. HART already is pondering the elimination of two routes, the 98 in-town trolley and the 52 limited express from Pasco, to cope with tax cuts mandated by state legislators in June.

If passed by voters in January, the superexemption will roll back property taxes further. One scenario has HART cutting 12.5 percent from its $50 million operating budget.

Roig wants a separate referendum in January to shift the agency's funding from property taxes to sales taxes to spare it more cuts.

Iorio and Sharpe applaud Roig's enthusiasm but say he's not getting the bigger picture.

More time is needed, they say, to craft a plan for a network of trains and buses and to give voters time to study it before going to the polls.

Sharpe says that can be done by November 2008 but waiting later may slow momentum behind transit.

The county's transportation task force will issue a major report on mass transit early next year, including funding strategies. After that, it will come down to working out the plan's details and launching an education campaign.

'We're going to have to develop the information and find groups of individuals, citizens, who can go out to explain and debate what is being proposed,' he said. 'We can't do that by January. We can do that by November.'

Iorio wants to wait longer, until the regional authority, backed by the state Department of Transportation, can develop a master transportation plan by July 2009.

After that, it will take a year to educate the public. She wants to model the effort after successful referendums in Dallas, Denver and Charlotte, N.C.

'The advantage of being the last major metropolitan area without a transit system is that we can look around and learn from others,' she said. 'In every referendum that succeeded, there was a thorough, detailed plan. In every jurisdiction where it failed, there wasn't a detailed plan. Voters aren't stupid. They want answers to specific questions.'

Iorio and Sharpe said they expect the referendum question to work itself out in coming months. It will need to, they say, to succeed.

The county task force, of which Sharpe is a member, will convene in the fall to study mass transit, including funding options.

The newly formed regional transportation authority, which includes the mayor, will meet for the first time Aug. 24.

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633 or at rshopes@tampatrib.com.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/aug...in/?news-metro

Robert.Maddrey · August 22nd, 2007, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FloridaFuture

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio favors 2010 to give the newly created Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority enough time to come up with a comprehensive plan and enough time for voters to learn about it.

2010....good lord we have practically 2 decades worth of previous plans already in the can...

HARTride 2012 · August 22nd, 2007, 04:26 PM

I'd have to agree with Iorio. Sooner than 2010 is too soon for not only the voters to see what its all about, but also for the regional authority to properly materialize and view the issue as well.

FloridaFuture · August 22nd, 2007, 11:15 PM

How about just ASAP, as long as it isn't an overly hurried plan.

HARTride 2012 · August 23rd, 2007, 02:52 AM

Remember, the regional authority has barely even materialized. Give them SOME time to look at the issue.

Robert.Maddrey · August 23rd, 2007, 05:17 PM

I cannot help but keep thinking about how exponentially the price tag for this project has skyrocketed since the early to mid 90's to now. Waiting is fine to a certain point, but on the other hand with 20 years worth of previous plans to build off of, and taking local and national inflation into consideration action should be sooner rather than later.

Jasonhouse · August 24th, 2007, 05:05 PM

^Republicans do this on purpose (hinder progress)... It serves both their desire to make government look useless and untrustworthy, and gets them much more profit when people are so desperate for a new road, that they don't care what the cost is (because just about all road builders pay off Rep candidates with 'campaign contributions')... I also suspect this is why political leaders enjoy splitting up road projects into multiple segments, thus inflating the overall cost significantly, though the project's quality inevitably deteriorates and is not finished any faster... But it does give a big financial "thank you" to more 'campaign donors', doesn't it?

I of course jest... a little.

HARTride 2012 · August 24th, 2007, 05:57 PM

Don't forget about how much b.s. pork our state and federal legislators stuff into bills so that they can get their "special little road projects" built while the rest of our infrastructure is neglected. Take for instance, the bridge to "nowhere" in Alaska, and the Bud Shuster "Porkway" in the northeast.

Robert.Maddrey · August 24th, 2007, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasonhouse

^Republicans do this on purpose (hinder progress)... It serves both their desire to make government look useless and untrustworthy, and gets them much more profit when people are so desperate for a new road, that they don't care what the cost is (because just about all road builders pay off Rep candidates with 'campaign contributions')... I also suspect this is why political leaders enjoy splitting up road projects into multiple segments, thus inflating the overall cost significantly, though the project's quality inevitably deteriorates and is not finished any faster... But it does give a big financial "thank you" to more 'campaign donors', doesn't it?

I of course jest... a little.

But of course, thats the nature of the modern American political machine now isn't it. In fact keeping that concept in mind, its not as though any of these mass transit improvements are designed to appeal/assist the more "conservative" republican/neo-con demographics are they.

August 22nd, 2007, 11:58 AM	#1
FloridaFuture Former Mod Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tampa/Gainesville Posts: 5,238 Likes (Received): 1	Mass Transit Debate Hinges On Funding And Timing Mass Transit Debate Hinges On Funding And Timing By RICH SHOPES, The Tampa Tribune Published: August 22, 2007 TAMPA - There's no shortage of funding scenarios for mass transit. One calls for a voter referendum in January to counteract the bruising effects on bus service if the 'Super Homestead Exemption' passes. Another has voters going to the polls in November 2008. A third sends voters to the polls in 2010. All three differ in timing but basically ask the same question: whether the sales tax should be increased a half cent to fund new trains and buses. The plans' backers concede only one plan will make it to voters because politicians don't want competing plans that require the public to support a tax increase. That means the other two sides must be willing to compromise. 'We only have one bite at the apple,' Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe said. So far nobody's blinking. Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio favors 2010 to give the newly created Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority enough time to come up with a comprehensive plan and enough time for voters to learn about it. Sharpe wants to go to the polls in November 2008 to build on the momentum now surrounding mass transit. Ricardo Roig, chairman of the board for Hillsborough Area Regional Transit, wants to save the bus agency before it's gutted by tax cuts. HART already is pondering the elimination of two routes, the 98 in-town trolley and the 52 limited express from Pasco, to cope with tax cuts mandated by state legislators in June. If passed by voters in January, the superexemption will roll back property taxes further. One scenario has HART cutting 12.5 percent from its $50 million operating budget. Roig wants a separate referendum in January to shift the agency's funding from property taxes to sales taxes to spare it more cuts. Iorio and Sharpe applaud Roig's enthusiasm but say he's not getting the bigger picture. More time is needed, they say, to craft a plan for a network of trains and buses and to give voters time to study it before going to the polls. Sharpe says that can be done by November 2008 but waiting later may slow momentum behind transit. The county's transportation task force will issue a major report on mass transit early next year, including funding strategies. After that, it will come down to working out the plan's details and launching an education campaign. 'We're going to have to develop the information and find groups of individuals, citizens, who can go out to explain and debate what is being proposed,' he said. 'We can't do that by January. We can do that by November.' Iorio wants to wait longer, until the regional authority, backed by the state Department of Transportation, can develop a master transportation plan by July 2009. After that, it will take a year to educate the public. She wants to model the effort after successful referendums in Dallas, Denver and Charlotte, N.C. 'The advantage of being the last major metropolitan area without a transit system is that we can look around and learn from others,' she said. 'In every referendum that succeeded, there was a thorough, detailed plan. In every jurisdiction where it failed, there wasn't a detailed plan. Voters aren't stupid. They want answers to specific questions.' Iorio and Sharpe said they expect the referendum question to work itself out in coming months. It will need to, they say, to succeed. The county task force, of which Sharpe is a member, will convene in the fall to study mass transit, including funding options. The newly formed regional transportation authority, which includes the mayor, will meet for the first time Aug. 24. Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633 or at rshopes@tampatrib.com. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/aug...in/?news-metro

August 23rd, 2007, 05:17 PM	#6
Robert.Maddrey Native Floridian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 817 Likes (Received): 0	I cannot help but keep thinking about how exponentially the price tag for this project has skyrocketed since the early to mid 90's to now. Waiting is fine to a certain point, but on the other hand with 20 years worth of previous plans to build off of, and taking local and national inflation into consideration action should be sooner rather than later. __________________ Robert W. Maddrey Editor & Owner Down Shift Magazine >> My Photos of Tampa <<

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

August 22nd, 2007, 04:26 PM	#3
HARTride 2012 Let's go... Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 10,148 Likes (Received): 34	I'd have to agree with Iorio. Sooner than 2010 is too soon for not only the voters to see what its all about, but also for the regional authority to properly materialize and view the issue as well.

August 22nd, 2007, 11:15 PM	#4
FloridaFuture Former Mod Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tampa/Gainesville Posts: 5,238 Likes (Received): 1	How about just ASAP, as long as it isn't an overly hurried plan.

August 23rd, 2007, 02:52 AM	#5
HARTride 2012 Let's go... Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 10,148 Likes (Received): 34	Remember, the regional authority has barely even materialized. Give them SOME time to look at the issue.

August 24th, 2007, 05:05 PM	#7
Jasonhouse Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 12,318 Likes (Received): 8	^Republicans do this on purpose (hinder progress)... It serves both their desire to make government look useless and untrustworthy, and gets them much more profit when people are so desperate for a new road, that they don't care what the cost is (because just about all road builders pay off Rep candidates with 'campaign contributions')... I also suspect this is why political leaders enjoy splitting up road projects into multiple segments, thus inflating the overall cost significantly, though the project's quality inevitably deteriorates and is not finished any faster... But it does give a big financial "thank you" to more 'campaign donors', doesn't it? I of course jest... a little.

August 24th, 2007, 05:57 PM	#8
HARTride 2012 Let's go... Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 10,148 Likes (Received): 34	Don't forget about how much b.s. pork our state and federal legislators stuff into bills so that they can get their "special little road projects" built while the rest of our infrastructure is neglected. Take for instance, the bridge to "nowhere" in Alaska, and the Bud Shuster "Porkway" in the northeast.