$900 Million Dollar Question?
None by KCPW
SL County Voters Could Move Trax West
(KCPW News) Voters this November could have a $900 million question on their ballots. The Utah Transit Authority says with that new public money it could take light rail into western Salt Lake County sooner, rather than later."Which would essentially bring four light rail extensions into fruition in the next 7 to 10 years rather than 30 years," says UTA Spokesman Justin Jones.
A voter referendum is the option getting most discussion among policy makers. The Salt Lake County Council could put the issue on the ballot this November. Accelerating the TRAX extensions to West Jordan, West Valley, Draper and the airport has a total price tag of $1.2 billion.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Michael T Packard said:
This is really a $1.5 billion dollar question. The total cost really includes about $300 million long term operating subsidy. Virtually all of this will be paid by the car driving taxpaying public.
This is just another round of tax hikes for transit. More tax hikes will be requested once UTA gets this rail project going. The total UTA intends to spend is over $16 billion tax dollars.
The cost per household over the next 25 years would expand to over $16,000 per household. Most middle and upper income taxpayers would be soaked for more than this....try $25,000 to $40,000.
Meanwhile, there is no money for western Salt Lake Valley freeways that now and far into the future will do the heavy lifting for our mobility.
It's not the gods that are crazy....It's irrational democrats and liberal republicans...Especially it is the Mainstreet Mafia that wants everything for downtown Salt Lake. The studies show that is where most of the benefits from these silly trains will stop....Oh, and the U of U gets more, too. Who would have guessed?
Michael Packard
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