Saturday, December 17, 2005
BART to San Jose plans sinking
The uncovering of a sleazy politician may be the best way to bring sanity to regional transportation plans. The current revelation finds San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales caught in a garbage collection scandal. Since Gonzales was a supporter of an incredibly expensive plan to bring a BART line to San Jose, that plan is now in jeopardy.
The head of the Valley Transportation Authority, San Jose's transit agency, claims that the BART extension is "inevitable." Yet everyone seems to be turning against it. First the Sierra Club, which last year argued that BART was so expensive that building the line to San Jose would do transit more harm than good.
Now, with the Gonzales scandal, opposition to BART is snowballing. First, the federal government says that BART is such a waste of money that it does not want to cover the 20 percent share of the costs that it was counting on. Then a critic of the BART extension wins a seat on the Valley Transportation Authority council. Even the San Jose Mercury News, which historically has supported rail transit, admits that BART will do nothing to stop traffic congestion.
BART to San Jose, RIP.
The head of the Valley Transportation Authority, San Jose's transit agency, claims that the BART extension is "inevitable." Yet everyone seems to be turning against it. First the Sierra Club, which last year argued that BART was so expensive that building the line to San Jose would do transit more harm than good.
Now, with the Gonzales scandal, opposition to BART is snowballing. First, the federal government says that BART is such a waste of money that it does not want to cover the 20 percent share of the costs that it was counting on. Then a critic of the BART extension wins a seat on the Valley Transportation Authority council. Even the San Jose Mercury News, which historically has supported rail transit, admits that BART will do nothing to stop traffic congestion.
BART to San Jose, RIP.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Stink still rises in Portland sewer deal
When it rains, sewers spill
Why is Portland developing the Pearl district ,Macadam project
along with Many other high density projects when the capacity
of the sewers can’t handle them.
Every time it rains in Portland, the sewers dump raw sewage into
The Willamette river . Even when the new big dig is finished in
2011 to 2020, Portland still will not stop all the dumping. You
would think Environmentally friendly Portland planners would have
Planned better.
I find it odd, that the City of Portland and the commissioners
feel they are being singled out. Portland’s down town receives
the lions share of tax abatements, historical tax breaks and
$10 of millions in urban renewal subsidies yet they don’t use
it to do the most pressing problem in the city, their sewers.
Portland has millions of dollars to subsidize Baseball Stadiums,
Trams, and expensive streetcar projects, extending Light Rail,
expanding the Convention Center and adding a taxpayer subsidized
convention center motel.
Maybe the Mayor & Commissioners should stop pointing the finger
of blame and get their priorities straight.
Why is Portland developing the Pearl district ,Macadam project
along with Many other high density projects when the capacity
of the sewers can’t handle them.
Every time it rains in Portland, the sewers dump raw sewage into
The Willamette river . Even when the new big dig is finished in
2011 to 2020, Portland still will not stop all the dumping. You
would think Environmentally friendly Portland planners would have
Planned better.
I find it odd, that the City of Portland and the commissioners
feel they are being singled out. Portland’s down town receives
the lions share of tax abatements, historical tax breaks and
$10 of millions in urban renewal subsidies yet they don’t use
it to do the most pressing problem in the city, their sewers.
Portland has millions of dollars to subsidize Baseball Stadiums,
Trams, and expensive streetcar projects, extending Light Rail,
expanding the Convention Center and adding a taxpayer subsidized
convention center motel.
Maybe the Mayor & Commissioners should stop pointing the finger
of blame and get their priorities straight.
A park, not transit center, says donor
Paving over parks for transit?
For months the city of Milwakie has been trying to turn
part of a park into a parking lot for light rail.
Residents have been up in arms about the change
in plans. Until the donor of the land was finally asked
about the land.
Kellogg Lake site - Dena Swanson says the land she gave
in 1991 is not for light-rail parking
For months the city of Milwakie has been trying to turn
part of a park into a parking lot for light rail.
Residents have been up in arms about the change
in plans. Until the donor of the land was finally asked
about the land.
Kellogg Lake site - Dena Swanson says the land she gave
in 1991 is not for light-rail parking
