Sorry Rex, Readers Oppose Proposition A

The poll last week showed most readers disagree with Rex Sinquefield about Proposition A on the November  Missouri ballot.  What does he think of the municipal earnings tax in St. Louis & Kansas City?

“Instead of paying income and earnings taxes — in which the more you make, the more you’re taxed — Sinquefield wants to boost sales taxes.

In his mind, this is a more equitable way of taxing the public — a theory that makes lots o’ cents if you’re loaded but not so if you’re middle-class (or below) and forced to pay additional sales taxes to make up for the elimination of income taxes. (RFT: Hey St. Louis, About That Billionaire Knocking on Your Door…)”

The following was the results:

Q: Missouri Prop A would require votes in KC & STL to retain the 1% earnings tax. Thoughts?

1. Missouri voters should reject Prop A 135 [62.5%]
2. The earnings tax needs to go and passing Prop A is the first step 40 [18.52%]
3. Passing Prop A is OK, that allows local voters to decide to keep the tax or not 33 [15.28%]
4. Unsure/no opinion 5 [2.31%]
5. Other answer… 3 [1.39%]

And the “other” answers:

1. Keep it but eliminate it for people living in the city.
2. The whole thing is a charade perpetrated by a rich Tea Party jerk
3. For most of the state, this is voting on taxes for other people.

Vote no on Prop A November 2nd!

– Steve Patterson

Poll: Prop A transit tax passed, now what?

Last week voters in St. Louis County approved a half cent sales tax for transit:

In November 2008 the same measure was narrowly defeated by a narrow margin (48.45% to 51.55%).  Now what?

“The sales tax increase will generate about $80 million a year for Metro. The measure also triggers a previously passed 0.25 percent tax increase in the city of St. Louis.

By the end of the year, the bus and light-rail agency will restore all the routes and service it had to cut last year, said Metro President and Chief Executive Bob Baer. Metro will also be able to maintain and add jobs, he said. “Instead of a loss of 600 jobs, we’ll be adding 125,” he said.”  (full story: Voters approve Metro tax – St. Louis Business Journal)

So the poll question this week is what would you like to see in the way of changes & improvements to the system.  Obviously the prior level of service will return but I think we should expect more. Some of you have said you’d like route maps and schedules posted at bus stops.  I’d like to see Metro add GPS to buses and display at bus stops how long until the next bus arrives. For the poll in the right column I’ve listed a few items but feel free to add to the list.  As always, share your thoughts in the comments below.

– Steve Patterson

Have you ever ridden a municipal bus?

In the last week it came to my attention that I know many people, including some supporting Proposition A, have never once ridden a city bus.  That was me well into my 30s. So my poll this week is trying to see if readers here have actually ridden a bus or not. The poll is in the right column.

I’m still no daily rider but I’ve ridden the bus in several cities so I feel I know enough to give a general overview.  Hopefully more experienced riders will add their tips in the comments below. The route number for the bus is show at the top and on the sides, #13 in the above example.  Where you have more than one bus using the same stop this is helpful so you get on the correct bus.  All our buses here have bike racks on the front. I was very nervous the first time I went to place my bike on the rack.

In these examples the rack is folded up since it is not in use.  Loading your bike just requires you to pull down the rack so you can load your bike.  Each rack will hold two bikes in opposite directions from each other. The rack has trays for the wheels and a bar to hold it securely in place.  For more information see Metro’s Bike-N-Ride FAQ page.

Regular adult fares are $2.00 and $2.75 with a transfer valid for a connecting bus.  Bus drivers do not give change so if you use three singles to buy a pass w/transfer you will not get any change. Unlike our light rail where you buy a ticket and just walk on, with a bus you pay as you enter.  The fare box accepts bills and coins.  Riders with passes just swipe their pass as they enter. See the Metro Fare Chart for all the details.

Riders are asked to exit the set of doors that are midway toward the back.  That allows new passengers to begin entering the bus.   Unlike our light rail, or commuter rail/subways in other cities, a bus doesn’t automatically stop at every stop.  A pull cord runs along each side of the interior of the bus.  You pull the cord to alert the driver you wish to stop at the next stop.

If you are among those that has never ridden a municipal bus I encourage you to do so.  I still prefer modern streetcars but the bus has a place in most transit systems.

– Steve Patterson

Show your support for transit

On Tuesday April 6, 2010 voters in St. Louis County will vote on a measure to help fund transit operations in the region. Voters in the City of St. Louis approved a companion measure years ago and it will begin once the county approves their measure.  Myself and others have changed our Facebook profile pictures to show us using public transit:

There are some rules about photography but they don’t prevent snapping a quick pic such as mine above:

Photography on the Metro system is permitted with the following limitations. Photographers and videographers who plan to take photos or video for commercial use, or who need to set up tripods, lighting or other equipment need prior approval. For approval call 314-982-1440 or e-mail SpeakerTourResearch@metrostlouis.org. Please be advised that security personnel may approach photographers and videographers to inquire about their purpose. Activities may be limited for security, safety or customer convenience. Photography of critical infrastructure including MetroLink tracks, bridges, and tunnels is not permitted.

So get out there on our transit and get a picture of yourself using the system so your friends in St. Louis County will realize that even if they personally don’t ride transit, they know folks who do.

– Steve Patterson

Conservatives can support public transit on April 6th

Liberals do not hold a monopoly on supporting public transportation.   Thanks to a post on Sprawled Out I learned of an interview by Street Films with conservative author William S. Lind.  Some of his points include:

• Auto dominance in the U.S. is not a free market outcome
• Liberal transit advocates should not mention reduction of greenhouse gases when talking transit to conservatives
• Libertarian anti-transit critics use wrong measurements
• “When you tax one competitor and subsidize the other the subsidized competitor wins.”

Here is the video (3:21 minutes):

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q9zeJnCx6Q

I often find myself agreeing with fiscal conservatives — and disagreeing with Libertarians.

“Conservatives And Public Transportation”Conservatives and Public Transportation” is a collection of studies originally published between 1997 and 2009 in booklet form by the American Public Transportation Association. The book includes a previously unpublished report on the activities of the National Surface Transportation Commission, appointed by Congress in 2005 to examine the infrastructure needs of this country. Weyrich served on the commission and wrote language that strongly supported public transportation for the commission’s final report. That language, which had been adopted on a 9-3 vote, was excised from the final report.The studies helped conservatives understand why transit should be an essential part of the conservative agenda: because it enhances national security, promotes economic development, helps maintain conservative values including a sense of community, and provides welfare recipients with access to jobs.”  (Reconnecting America)

More:

“The Free Congress Foundation has established The Center for Public Transportation under a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to offer a re-balanced vision of the national transportation system in which rail and highway travel complements each other. Some journeys will always be more convenient by car. But Americans should be able to travel from any point in the country to any other point without using a car, if they so choose. They had that option as recently as the 1950s. By re-creating it, we can ensure that America is not held hostage by crises in the Middle East or other oil-producing areas.”  (Free Congress Foundation)

Conservative or liberal, there are reasons to support good mass transit.

-Steve Patterson