Tampa Bay Rail Discussion

[HARTride 2012]

That would prob be in the Florida Forum (I know its being discussed in this thread quite a bit).

[Jahi98]

With MetroRapid going forward, what about extending the BRT as a HART/PSTA jointly operated line on to Westshore and across the bay into St. Pete as part of the I-275/ Howard Franklin rebuild? Just go ahead and build the express/bus lanes, rolled for car use. In St. Pete, add a carpool/bus lane in each direction. Create circulators from transit centers in Westshore and Gateway (I can see a new transit center at Toytown). This would be something worth riding - might even get some TOD out of it. Since there is this push for toll lanes and general support for road projects, might as well do a palletable transit project in combination.

[HARTride 2012]

I strongly doubt any transit oriented option will be implemented into the HF rebuild. If anything, it will be managed lanes (for as long as we still have Scott as our governor).

[Jasonhouse]

I expect the bare minimum bridge rebuild, and I expect its cost to be as bloated as humanly possible. In the 25+ years I've lived here, there has never once been a road project that was done any differently.

[HARTride 2012]

Exactly. Likely, it will be just another 4 lane bridge and nothing more.

[HARTride 2012]

Looks like we can kiss any possibility of any transportation-related tax increase goodbye until at least 2014 (IF WE CAN VOTE OUT TRICKY RICK). Thanks to the Tea Party...once again, Georgia's proposed transportation half-penny tax referendum failed.

http://news.yahoo.com/tea-party-evol...--finance.html

Yes, we're talking Georgia here, but Florida was watching closely, as with other states. Now we will see further reluctance to pass any such measures as long as the teabaggers continue to insert pivotal influence on government as we know it.

[Jasonhouse]

The problem with that plan was it was a statewide tax to largely pay for ATL area transportation upgrades. Would you want to pay a tax if you knew most of what you were paying was going to go to Miami, not Tampa? (please ignore the fact that this already happens when you answer. lol)

[HARTride 2012]

True, but the point I am trying to convey is, don't expect another tax increase for transportation improvements PERIOD for at least another 4 to 6 years. It won't matter if it's a local, regional, or statewide vote. It won't happen as long as the Tea Party is still gaining influence over government officials.

The city-only option you and others have mentioned for Tampa, fat chance of even that passing if the Tea Party can come back and bombshell the efforts before election day.

[Jahi98]

I don't think the GA vote will have that much effect on our local initiatives. I would watch more closely the success of Sunrail and FECI's MIA-ORL lines. Those are going to carry more influence on what we do here.

[Jasonhouse]

I agree.

[I-275westcoastfl]

I saw a "no tax for tracks" car on Saturday, just

[yapp1850]

the MPO called on the Hillsborough legislative delegation to support a change in state law that would allow large cities in Florida to hold referendums for their own constituents.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn supports the idea, and officials are actively trying to recruit a local legislator to try to approve the measure in Tallahassee next year.

[Jasonhouse]

If they have to recruit a sponsor, they're already sunk.

[TampaMike]

I don't see why any local Republican legislator would be against the measure. It's really not a tax, but more of giving local government more control. Point me in the direction of a legislator that might sponsor the measure and I email them why.

[kmthurman]

They'll find a sponsor -- even if it's a sponsor that means it won't pass. But they should have the fight, let it go down in committee or hope that Rick Scott pulls out his veto pen (which will happen). Then use the loss to fuel

I have said for a long time Hillsborough should focus on 2016. There are about 7 different reasons for this but the biggest one is creating a 4 year campaign would allow the backer to out organize the tea party and get the groups it should have won (african americans, hispanics, suburbs around the routes, suburbs around road construction) and most importantly work to design a better system. This would most of all allow the backers to petition it on the ballot -- collecting large amounts of signatures in support to "get it on the ballot" that would help stave off the idea that the energy is with the tea party.

[HARTride 2012]

I was about to say, if this measure requires approval from Tricky Rick, all bets are off. He'll never sign off on it.

I also predict that "No Tax for Tracks" and other Tea Party groups will fight against this too.

[yapp1850]

all they would do is put it in the transporation bill if scott tries to veto it he will have to veto the whole bill and this will not be just be tampa. any city in the state with population of 150,000 or more

[HARTride 2012]

Even so though, Scott's Tea Party pals will make sure he vetoes the whole thing regardless.

[Jasonhouse]

Originally Posted by yapp1850

all they would do is put it in the transporation bill if scott tries to veto it he will have to veto the whole bill and this will not be just be tampa. any city in the state with population of 150,000 or more

FL governor can line item veto whatever he wants.

[kmthurman]

Originally Posted by Jasonhouse

FL governor can line item veto whatever he wants.

And he will. Sometimes politics is about the long game. Having Scott veto it will make it easier to get more local politicians to back things and make the tea party less influential. Scott is conducting war on Tampa Bay right now and every time that is made clear it makes a lot of this stuff more likely.