Same Train, Same Cost
As pointed out by my good friend Mike Kole, Republican mayor Jim Brainard will be giving a talk at a Democratic luncheon this week. One of his featured topics will be discussion of the proposed billion dollar elevated train from Noblesville to Indianapolis. This is an issue both Mayor Brainard and the Democrats happen to agree on. The train, they say, should be built, must be built in order to alleviate the heavy traffic congestion developing in the quickly grown-out areas east of Noblesville.
Never mind the proposed reduction in expected traffic flow, even by their own studies, is around 2-4%. Never mind that the train will only go to the outskirts of Indianapolis, thus having very limited functionality. It will cost an estimated billion dollars (up from last year's estimate of $800 million) to construct and then there's the yearly maintenance and operation costs, also projected in the millions. As has been pointed out to me, but if it helps, why not build it? It can't hurt, right?
Sure, alleviating traffic by building mass transit is a good idea in theory. Social Security and Medicare were good in theory. Everyone loves to come up with big, bold ideas like this to solve seemingly insurmountable problems. The fact always comes down to, who's going to pick up the check? Does it sound like a good idea to them. As I try to point out to proponents of these initiatives. If it costs you an extra $100 a month in property tax or an extra $50 in income tax or both, is it worth it to you? What if a couple years from now that becomes $200 a month? Or $300? Is it still a good idea? If you have a family and are living paycheck to paycheck, as most Americans are, then the answer typically is NO.
Grand public works and projects meant to "help the people" always sound good when they're proposed. People that deal in budgeting these projects, though, are so used to dealing with big numbers, they usually disregard what it might mean to the average family, what undue burden it will put on them. THAT is selfish. That is self-serving. That is not caring and it is not "for the people". Call it for what it is, socialist, and most assuredly not for the people.
As pointed out by my good friend Mike Kole, Republican mayor Jim Brainard will be giving a talk at a Democratic luncheon this week. One of his featured topics will be discussion of the proposed billion dollar elevated train from Noblesville to Indianapolis. This is an issue both Mayor Brainard and the Democrats happen to agree on. The train, they say, should be built, must be built in order to alleviate the heavy traffic congestion developing in the quickly grown-out areas east of Noblesville.
Never mind the proposed reduction in expected traffic flow, even by their own studies, is around 2-4%. Never mind that the train will only go to the outskirts of Indianapolis, thus having very limited functionality. It will cost an estimated billion dollars (up from last year's estimate of $800 million) to construct and then there's the yearly maintenance and operation costs, also projected in the millions. As has been pointed out to me, but if it helps, why not build it? It can't hurt, right?
Sure, alleviating traffic by building mass transit is a good idea in theory. Social Security and Medicare were good in theory. Everyone loves to come up with big, bold ideas like this to solve seemingly insurmountable problems. The fact always comes down to, who's going to pick up the check? Does it sound like a good idea to them. As I try to point out to proponents of these initiatives. If it costs you an extra $100 a month in property tax or an extra $50 in income tax or both, is it worth it to you? What if a couple years from now that becomes $200 a month? Or $300? Is it still a good idea? If you have a family and are living paycheck to paycheck, as most Americans are, then the answer typically is NO.
Grand public works and projects meant to "help the people" always sound good when they're proposed. People that deal in budgeting these projects, though, are so used to dealing with big numbers, they usually disregard what it might mean to the average family, what undue burden it will put on them. THAT is selfish. That is self-serving. That is not caring and it is not "for the people". Call it for what it is, socialist, and most assuredly not for the people.
posted by Rob Beck | 6:26 AM
4 Comments:
Preach on! Just remember, that $800 million figure was up from $500 million the year before. This boondoggle will be $1.5 billion before you can blink! But, as with so many things in life nobody will pay attention till it's a done deal and their taxes are through the roof, again.
Someone recently touted the train in Chicago as being a great boon to the people there. Great example! As we all know, there isn't any congestion in Chicago!
Chant along with me...
Monorail...Monorail...Monorail...
I can see it now...The Brainard Memorial Monorail Line, running from Carmel to Indy. Over in Noblesville it will be the Charlie White Line Express. Removing 4 out of 100 cars, (at best) on the I-69 corridor for a billion or more is NOT a good use of any monies taken from the residents of this county and the others who will have to pay for it.
If they wished to put in express bus service, as they did during construction a couple of years ago that might work. BY all accounts the buses leaving Fishers were full on almost every run. Maybe one of the private bus companies could set up an express service?
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