Submitted by Terry Parker on Fri, 06/16/2006 - 9:09pm.
Sam,
For once I partly agree with Lenny. The urban renewal districts should not be given time extensions and Lenny makes a good case for that. It is time these districts be placed back on the property tax roles to support schools and other government services. It is doubletalk for the Mayor to state that the children are his top priority while continually siphoning off tax dollars from these never ending districts that would otherwise go to schools.
My disagreement with Lenny relates to the Eastside Streetcar. Lenny has suggested the most likely and correct funding method for such a project, but the route of the streetcar is in the wrong place and the plan has not addressed and/or glossed over the negative impacts it will have on congestion, motorist fuel economy and air quality. Several members of the streetcar CAC are too intense on taking a club approach to the traffic on MLK and Grand Avenue, a club approach that will only make things worse. Instead of using the MLK and Grand Avenue alignment with a Broadway Bridge river crossing, a two-way pedestrian oriented transit mall like route using Sixth Avenue should be chosen with a Steel Bridge river crossing on the tracks already in place. Further open minded study is absolutely needed
The couplet too has problems, in particular with the eastbound traffic connection from Burnside to Sandy, and the westbound connection from Burnside to Couch. This too needs further study before any project is approved or started.
Sam, For once I partly
Sam,
For once I partly agree with Lenny. The urban renewal districts should not be given time extensions and Lenny makes a good case for that. It is time these districts be placed back on the property tax roles to support schools and other government services. It is doubletalk for the Mayor to state that the children are his top priority while continually siphoning off tax dollars from these never ending districts that would otherwise go to schools.
My disagreement with Lenny relates to the Eastside Streetcar. Lenny has suggested the most likely and correct funding method for such a project, but the route of the streetcar is in the wrong place and the plan has not addressed and/or glossed over the negative impacts it will have on congestion, motorist fuel economy and air quality. Several members of the streetcar CAC are too intense on taking a club approach to the traffic on MLK and Grand Avenue, a club approach that will only make things worse. Instead of using the MLK and Grand Avenue alignment with a Broadway Bridge river crossing, a two-way pedestrian oriented transit mall like route using Sixth Avenue should be chosen with a Steel Bridge river crossing on the tracks already in place. Further open minded study is absolutely needed
The couplet too has problems, in particular with the eastbound traffic connection from Burnside to Sandy, and the westbound connection from Burnside to Couch. This too needs further study before any project is approved or started.