SunRail

[Dale]

Dale I don't share your concern for Crotty in regards to his needs to "balance" out transportation woes.  This proposal is pretty damn good and his comments on this issue thus far are inaccurate, and therefore he's more of an obstructionist than anything else.  His need to respond to the Sentinel in this manner clearly shows his concern for his image more than anything else.

Many of you here are complaining about the "Slantinel" yet is there anything in that editorial that you disagree with?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

praha, it's hard to see you satisfied with any action of Crotty's other than, "Quick ! Where do I sign ?"

And yes, I do have reservations about the Sentinel editorial. For one thing, I do not tend to equate asking questions with 'foot-dragging', as I believe the Sentinel characterized it.

But again, I have a feeling that Crotty is going to come along on this proposal.

[prahaboheme]

praha, it's hard to see you satisfied with any action of Crotty's other than, "Quick ! Where do I sign ?"

And yes, I do have reservations about the Sentinel editorial. For one thing, I do not tend to equate asking questions with 'foot-dragging', as I believe the Sentinel characterized it.

But again, I have a feeling that Crotty is going to come along on this proposal.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quick, where do I sign? Hardly, though I do admit that as a liberal, I like my mass transit cities. I suppose a large bulk of Floridians prefer gridlock on I-4 as long as they have Sean Hennessey.

But Dale, seriously, why ARE you satisfied with Crotty?

[prahaboheme]

double post

Edited June 22, 2005 by prahaboheme

[Jaybee]

Well, if history has anything to do with the Sentinel's analysis, as well as the timbre of comments coming from the Orange County Board, you'd think they are wanting to kill the project - plus there's alot more information floating out there necessarily isn't in print that lead journalists to form their opinions. $44M cost to the County, part of which will probably be paid by the City, over ten years is a no-brainer.

The paper said it best when they equated the cost of the project to a "rounding error" on the County's budget. To leave 100's of millions of dollars from the feds and state on the table is irresponsible. In light of mitigation needed by the region for the reconstruction of the I-4 corridor (and Crotty's support of 20/20) there should be a non issue.

We wouldn't be having the same conversation if the debate was to build a new road, speaking of which... anyone hear of expanding the toll road system to Harmony just to accommodate that development and others on the east side of St Cloud? Hell, we'll just do anything in this region to encourage sprawl, but we can't invest in another mode of transportation?? That doesn't make any sense to me.

Then you'll have glorified Home Owners Assn Presidents like Jacobs who want to know what's in it for thier constituents in Windermere. Easy answer - extra capacity on the I-4 corridor via at least one alternative mode. If Crotty can't lead these other personalities out of the forest in the beginning, what exactly makes you think he'll pull that rabbit out of the hat in the end?

[Dale]

Quick, where do I sign?  Hardly, though I do admit that as a liberal, I like my mass transit cities.  I suppose a large bulk of Floridians prefer gridlock on I-4 as long as they have Sean Hennessey.

But Dale, seriously, why ARE you satisfied with Crotty?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I just cannot for the life of me understand why the world is bearing down on Crotty, when there are other parties involved who are also asking questions, parties which may (for all we know) be more apt to kill this than Crotty would.

I don't think we should approve a rail plan just because it's a *rail* plan. Much as I like rail, I think it's perfectly appropriate to ask questions.

Who's Sean Hennessey ?

And " ... seriously, why ARE you satisfied with Crotty ?" sounds an awful lot like a loaded question to me.

[prahaboheme]

oops...Hannity (sp?)

[prahaboheme]

I just cannot for the life of me understand why the world is bearing down on Crotty, when there are other parties involved who are also asking questions, parties which may (for all we know) be more apt to kill this than Crotty would.

I don't think we should approve a rail plan just because it's a *rail* plan. Much as I like rail, I think it's perfectly appropriate to ask questions.

Who's Sean Hennessey ?

And " ... seriously, why ARE you satisfied with Crotty ?" sounds an awful lot like a loaded question to me.

Edited June 22, 2005 by prahaboheme

[Dale]

In any case, why is Mica pushing rail so hard ? Has he forgotten he's a [R] ? B)

[Jaybee]

Doesn't matter if he's [R] or [D], he's on a congressional transportation commission and he's seeing pork going everywhere else except for Central Florida 'cause we got people local leaders like Crotty. You'd think that Crotty would be smart enough to go along with pork from a fellow [R].

[Dale]

Doesn't matter if he's [R] or [D], he's on a congressional transportation commission and he's seeing pork going everywhere else except for Central Florida 'cause we got people local leaders like Crotty.  You'd think that Crotty would be smart enough to go along with pork from a fellow [R].

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe it doesn't matter to Crotty whether the peoposal is [R]-driven or [D]-driven. Maybe he just has some earnest concerns over certain particulars.

Still, as I said several times, I bet he signs on.

[GregoryMCSE]

I dare Crotty to vote commuter rail down! Oil is at $60 a barrel! I swear on all the I value and hold dear that if Crotty turns down matching funds for mass transit I will do everything in my power to help his next election opponent defeat him.

[GRS328]

Here's a fairly insightful Q&A with Rep. Mica and Orlando Weekly regarding the commuter rail proposal. It was posted in the city news section on the main page of UP, but not sure everyone would've noticed it.

By Jeffrey C. Billman

John Mica has to be frustrated. Time and time again, the Republican Volusia County congressman has tried to push the region's leaders into thinking about rail as a means of alleviating congestion on I-4. He's even secured federal money to help out; but no one has jumped on board.

Why? Because rail is expensive, so much so that it might require raising taxes. And as Mobility 20/20's defeat two years ago demonstrated, Central Floridians are very quick to complain about I-4, but unlikely to raise taxes on themselves to do something about it.

Enter Mica, 2005. This year's plan is a commuter rail line running on CSX tracks from Volusia County to Poinciana, at a cost of $473 million. Half of the money would come from the feds, and a quarter would come from the state. The remainder, $118 million, would be divided by the four counties

[Dale]

Smutty as Orlando Weekly is, you've just about have to rely on it and orlando Magazine for incisive investigative journalism around here.

That said, I thought the title of the story was a bit misleading in that it seems that more people are listening than ever before.

[GregoryMCSE]

Here's a fairly insightful Q&A with Rep. Mica and Orlando Weekly regarding the commuter rail proposal.  It was posted in the city news section on the main page of UP, but not sure everyone would've noticed it. 

By Jeffrey C. Billman

John Mica has to be frustrated. Time and time again, the Republican Volusia County congressman has tried to push the region's leaders into thinking about rail as a means of alleviating congestion on I-4. He's even secured federal money to help out; but no one has jumped on board.

Why? Because rail is expensive, so much so that it might require raising taxes. And as Mobility 20/20's defeat two years ago demonstrated, Central Floridians are very quick to complain about I-4, but unlikely to raise taxes on themselves to do something about it.

Enter Mica, 2005. This year's plan is a commuter rail line running on CSX tracks from Volusia County to Poinciana, at a cost of $473 million. Half of the money would come from the feds, and a quarter would come from the state. The remainder, $118 million, would be divided by the four counties

[pomegranate]

Fingers crossed indeed. We desperately need this, it's long overdue, and our leaders are going to look like buffoons if this opportunity slides out of our grasp once again.

[prahaboheme]

Smutty as Orlando Weekly is, you've just about have to rely on it and orlando Magazine for incisive investigative journalism around here.

That said, I thought the title of the story was a bit misleading in that it seems that more people are listening than ever before.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think its a stretch to call the Orlando Weekly "journalism."

[Dale]

I think its a stretch to call the Orlando Weekly "journalism."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, I think Billman's quite incisive, quite bold. The Sentinel has no one like him.

[demon]

I dare Crotty to vote commuter rail down!  Oil is at $60 a barrel!  I swear on all the I value and hold dear that if Crotty turns down matching funds for mass transit I will do everything in my power to help his next election opponent defeat him.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If he does vote it down I'll be glad to help with that.

[Dale]

If I had to guess, I'll bet that emails and letters to Crotty along the lines of, "Don't you dare approve commuter rail!", are probably outnumbering pro-rail threats 2:1 at this point.

[pomegranate]

If it isn't approved, let's erect a statue of him along I-4 so everyone can get a good look while they're stuck in traffic... with the caption: "Et tu, Crotty?"

Edited June 27, 2005 by pomegranate

[firemick]

If I had to guess, I'll bet that emails and letters to Crotty along the lines of, "Don't you dare approve commuter rail!", are probably outnumbering pro-rail threats 2:1 at this point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Alright now, take that negative thinking elsewhere...Pal!!!!

[cwetteland]

Alright now, take that negative thinking elsewhere...Pal!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ditto

[Dale]

Alright now, take that negative thinking elsewhere...Pal!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm sorry, perhaps you haven't heard that Tigger died just this past week (or rather the voice of Tigger - Paul Winchell).

As to my 2:1 hypothesis, I think I'm being realistic. I'm suppossing that Crotty is actually better disposed towards rail than most of his constituents.

[cwetteland]

I'm sorry, perhaps you haven't heard that Tigger died just this past week (or rather the voice of Tigger - Paul Winchell). 

As to my 2:1 hypothesis, I think I'm being realistic. I'm suppossing that Crotty is actually better disposed towards rail than most of his constituents.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

... and the next day Piglets voice died also ... weird but true.

[Dale]

... and the next day Piglets voice died also ... weird but true.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's an omen.