As I read more of the fine print in Boulder County's Ballot Issue 1A, the less convinced I am it is worthwhile.
Two things stand out - that only 20% of the $8 million/yr the tax would raise would go towards trails, and the language would allow Boulder county to purchase land and infrastructure outside Boulder County (see page 8, item "e") as deemed necessary to complement (or boost/complete/encourage, pick your term) transit programs within Boulder County.
The first point I believe was added as a savvy move to pull in more votes from the County's recreational-minded citizens. The second point is more of a concern, as it gets to a larger presumption of knowing what's best for neighbors and aggressively pursuing our goals in their jurisdiction.
Granted, transportation systems must efficiently cross political boundaries. However that aspect just doesn't sit well. Plus, we approved the $4.7 billion FasTracks tax plan in 2004, and 1A, given all the other ballot issues, just doesn't come off as compelling.
Read Boulder County Commissioner Will Toor's advocacy piece for 1A, and an opposing view from Louisville citizen Eva Kosinski. You can also check out the YES on 1A campaign website. How will you vote?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Plus I forgot to add another item - the tax scales back from 0.20% to 0.05% in 2020, however a "forever" tax is not easily defended. Sunsets on taxes mean the government has to re-justify them at some point, always a good policy.
It’s difficult to imagine how someone who favors the concept of mixed use and transit-oriented development in the center of Lafayette (e.g., your previous postings regarding Lafayette’s 2C) can have serious doubts based on the barely nascent opposition to County issue 1A. The communities of East Boulder County, particularly Lafayette, enjoy a relatively to outstandingly high level of service from RTD, and these communities stand to benefit from the continuation and enhancement of that same high level of service.
The link to a 1A opposition piece is telling, as the author mistakes DRCOG TIP projects for transit, objects to “new facilities,” and concludes that trails are merely for recreation and therefore not a function of government. This is opposition, but is it rational?
No doubt it is hard to see the commuters who aren’t jamming up the traffic lanes because they chose to take transit or commute under their own power. But they are out there, and in Boulder County more than elsewhere. A high level of service and funding for both transit and trails is essential to enabling options that benefit all users of the transportation system, as well as the ancillary benefits this can have in terms of economic development.
Post a Comment