Should I Vote Yes or No on Rail? Houstonians Please Help

but there are money interests on both sides...downtown developers are salivating over the thought of this current Main Street rail line...and you know that other developers will follow the rail as well. it just depends what you're interest is...but it's not just one side that has special interests at heart.

 

... and MATURE (for contrast purposes, of course )

 

"There is not a traffic problem in Houston" Step into reality buddy!
Look, this is my main beef with rail debate, this is not about transforming the city into New York or Boston or forcing everbody to walk and ride the trains. This is about having options and an alternative for mobilty. I understand that everybody is not going to ride a train and give up their beloved cars, but there are some that will. There are some that don't have cars and will welcome another form of public transportation other than bus. Why deny those that will get off their asses and walk 20 min to a train station the opportunity to do so. If you don't want to give up your car or surburban lifestyle, then don't.

p.s.- Hey Gene, COLORful people in urban areas are not that bad. We don't bite, unless provoked.

 

Well, operating loss is helpful in analysis, but taken out of context can be misleading, particularly on an organization such as DART (where society and the local economy reaps benefits, and other transportation expenses and capital investments are offset). It also is not helpful to look at one year, which happens to be during an sluggish (at best) economic period.

Net Income for 2002 was about ($1,000,000). 2001 was $124,000,0000 and 2000 was $74,000,000.

To accurately assess the performance of the org, the significant non-operating inc/exp should be analyzed more in depth (to assess their efficiency v. alternative transportation expenditures), and also analyze the non-financial benefits to society and local economy.

 

pardon:

...also analyze the non-financial benefits to society and non-financial statement benefits to the local economy.

 

If something could be put together to get me from 249 / 290 to Downtown without me having to drive (or sit on a bus in the same traffic that I would be in anyway except not in the comfort of my own car), I would be all for that.

 

Americans who do not live in cities w/ rail and have not visited Europe often think of them as buses on rails. It's not like that at all. Trains are an awesome alternative mode of transportation.

That doesn't mean that every rail plan is acceptable, but it should never be dismissed out of hand, IMO.

 

Wow, I missed this one from you earlier:

"Create a vibrant Urban core? I want my green yard where I can't hear my neighbors and they can't hear me. I want drive up convienience. I don't ever want to have to walk anywhere cause it always either 100 degrees or pouring down rain. If you like Boston or San Francisco move there, I don't want to have to deal with those, ever so colorful urban bums, er folks."

Sounds like you spend most of your life inside that "personal cocoon".

Each unto his own I suppose. Personally, those things you discount and denigrate are some of the things that make my life in Houston enjoyable.

 

Buck,
My life proceeds by it's own design.

 

Other people exist. In fact, some 6 billion other people exist.

A lot of people are happier ignoring these facts, and I could type a lot about what different moral philosophical and religious traditions recommend in this realm, but let's just leave it simple.

 

If other people did not exist I would have to watch myself on TV.

 

That is brilliant and made my week. Thank you.

 

John Culberson is really giving Chris Bell a smackdown on NBC right now on the issue of light rail. Chris Bell's main come back is that every other major city has rail, why not Houston? Man what a terrible, terrible reason to vote for this plan. Culberson has proven that it will without question be a money loser for the city, as well as doing NOTHING to reduce congestion.

I've yet to hear a good reason from the rail supporters about how rail makes sense for anyboy. It won't reduce congestion, it won't reduce travel time, and Metro even admitted that it will carry less than 1% of its passengers. Sounds like an awful idea to me.

but hey, it does look cool...

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Culberson just stated to Chris Bell, "CASE OVER". I think he reads cc.net!!!

Man I'm just embarrassed for Chris Bell. Culberson is just humiliating him.