So what will be his reasoning to pull state funding for #1 transportation rated project in the state exactly?  It seems to me to be a completely idealogical reasoning. 

 

If the local media won't ask these questions, then its up to us to get the word out regionally and perhaps nationally.  Ultimately it may not change Kasich's position, but at least it will add pressure

I think Kasich painted himself into a corner when he returned the federal 3C's money.  Now the question falls on him -- why fund streetcars but not intercity rail?  This is a tiny, low-profile project from the state's perspective but he is now forced to answer to his own party members (and COAST-types) if he maintains the funding.  Meanwhile, cutting it will break ties with scores of people he might need support from for other items in the near future.  This is only the first year of his governorship, so he'd be foolish to tick off absolutely everyone since he won't be able to get any of his own pet projects done without some support from people on the other side of this issue's fence. 

Now the question falls on him -- why fund streetcars but not intercity rail? 

 

Because without robust local transit options, intercity rail is a lot less useful.  The streetcar seems like a necessary precursor to something like 3C, and is useful on its own to an extent that 3C wasn't.  At least that's what I would tell him.

What I meant was he will have to explain his inconsistency to his own people more so than to his opponents.   

You'd think there was a back up plan somewhere.  Once Kasich vetoed 3C, someone in authority ought to have foreseen the possibility.  How much does taking it up Vine street cost?  It is reLly important to keep this project moving forward and to tracks in the ground.

They could still build it to Findlay Market.  The problem is that the extension couldn't receive state funding for as long as Kasich is in office, which could be until 2018. 

^Ditto.

 

Calling Kasich's office is about as good as signing online petitions to keep the streetcar from being defunded.

 

That is about the worst attitude you can have.

 

My parents are currently involved in an issue with their local municipality that includes multiple other homeowners. My dad has kind of put together a group of residents who keep lobbying the local city council for a solution. He wrote to Sherrod Brown, got the generic email back, then about a week later gets a personal response from Brown and has been communicating with him since.

 

If this funding is pulled, are the funds required to go to another TRAC approved project?

 

 

More bad news:

 

"Data for Ohio show that the five most populous incorporated places and their 2010 Census counts are Columbus, 787,033; Cleveland, 396,815; Cincinnati, 296,943; Toledo, 287,208; and Akron, 199,110. "

So what will be his reasoning to pull state funding for #1 transportation rated project in the state exactly?  It seems to me to be a completely idealogical reasoning. 

 

 

It's the #1-rated transportation project based on criteria set by TRAC under the old administration which sought to increase access to jobs, make better use of existing infrastructure, promote investments in existing communities, promote transportation choices other than just the car, and achieve greater cost-effectiveness for taxpayers.

 

The new administration's TRAC criteria will likely be very different and thus not favor projects like the Cincinnati streetcar. Instead, projects that disperse jobs, residents and increase the amount of infrastructure for a static number of statewide taxpayers to support is more likely.

 

EDIT: but until those criteria are changed, the funding requested has to be judged by the existing TRAC criteria. If it is not, then it's time to ask for a legal opinion.

They could still build it to Findlay Market.  The problem is that the extension couldn't receive state funding for as long as Kasich is in office, which could be until 2018. 

 

I'm pretty sure they would need to go back to the drawing board and get approval for a whole different project if they wanted to change the current plans to leave out the uptown connector.  That was the big controversy with the project back when Roxanne Qualls pushed hard to get the uptown connector included on the first phase.  I could be wrong though..John any thoughts on whether thats a feasible option or if there'd be any problems getting that approved?

They could still build it to Findlay Market.  The problem is that the extension couldn't receive state funding for as long as Kasich is in office, which could be until 2018.

 

Then they need to make sure this happens.  It's pretty clear that the new reality is when the Republicans take power they are going to take money from cities.  So we need to make sure we keep our options open given that new reality.

 

This is the most important project the City is undertaking.  It needs to begin as soon as possible.  If it is slightly attenuated, if it takes longer to build out, so be it.  When the choice is between doing the best you can and doing nothing, let's choose to do the best we can.

 

Calling Kasich's office is about as good as signing online petitions to keep the streetcar from being defunded.

 

That is about the worst attitude you can have.

But given the fact that we are dealing with John Kasich rather than Sherrod Brown, it may be the most reasonable attitude to have.

Tom Luken claims that the city has ALREADY spent $100 million on the streetcar:

 

http://www.700wlw.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.ht

ml?feed=119585&article=8273640

Tom needs to spend $100 million on his assisted living.

What is he smoking?

Tom Luken claims that the city has ALREADY spent $100 million on the streetcar:

 

http://www.700wlw.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=119585&article=8273640

 

Didn't he also once say it'd cost $3 Billion? So $100 Million spent to date ain't nothing!  :drunk:

^Ditto.

 

Calling Kasich's office is about as good as signing online petitions to keep the streetcar from being defunded.

 

That is about the worst attitude you can have.

 

Because e-mails, phone calls to his office, letter writing campaigns, and online petitions have done nothing to stop SB-5. Or any of his other initiatives. It's just thinking reasonably. I've penned a letter once to Governor Steven Beshear (D-KY) and actually got a written response back from him, but you don't expect the same of someone who frequently belittles anyone outside of his mentality.

Here we go: http://www.wlwt.com/r/27135449/detail.html

 

I hope they will start building with the $100 million or so they have together now and will apply for more Fed funds to keep building it as planned. That should be enough to build four track miles, more than either Portland, Tacoma or Seattle built in their initial phases. I don't know what part, if any, I would cut -- probably the section from Fountain Square to the Banks if we had to.

 

My guess is they will determine where the ridership looks to be the highest and the economic development potential the greatest and start building there.

 

Dunno how the Feds would regard such a change, or how the state would, for that matter.

 

You know, things like this happen with just about every city that builds rail the first time. Here and now, it's amplified by a lousy economy. If the economy were booming, we'd probably be spending all our time right now worrying about cost escalation.

 

Remember, this is a marathon and not a sprint. We're now at, say, Mile 20.

In marathon running, the part right around mile twenty is call "the wall." Its when your body's initial glycogen stores have been exhausted, but  if you push through that, you'll finish if you want to.

^I thought state funding was already approved??

I hope they will start building with the $100 million or so they have together now and will apply for more Fed funds to keep building it as planned. That should be enough to build four track miles, more than either Portland, Tacoma or Seattle built in their initial phases. I don't know what part, if any, I would cut -- probably the section from Fountain Square to the Banks if we had to.

Then do that.  A back up decision should be made that doesn't alter the time line for starting.  It's going to be better to have to respond with, "Ask the Governor," when someone wonders why the streetcar doesn't go to he Riverfront Park than to not have that question at all.

 

It's clearly going to be easier to work with the feds on making sure the funding goes through than relying at all on the state while Kasich is in charge.

 

In marathon running, the part right around mile twenty is call "the wall." Its when your body's initial glycogen stores have been exhausted, but  if you push through that, you'll finish if you want to.

If you want to is right.  It is vitally important that the folks running the City do not use this as an excuse not to finish.

What that wlwt article fails to mention is that, from what I understand, the $50m in streetcar grants from the state do not effect the $8b budget gap.

So the state is too poor to afford funding an electrically powered streetcar, but not too poor to award millions in tax breaks to already wealthy petroleum companies? ? ? ? The balls on these people....

 

ODOT budget update: tax break for petroleum industry, cuts to already pathetic public transit funding

 

The House Finance Committee passed a substitute version of HB114, the transportation budget bill, on Monday. Included among the many amendments was a provision “clarifying” that when the Commercial Activity Tax was created in HB66 back in 2005, it had not been the intent of the General Assembly to apply the tax to exchanges of motor fuel between petroleum companies. In other words, the state has been collecting revenue on this activity for four years, but with this amendment, that will now cease. The benefit to the industry is estimated at up to $10 million per year.

 

 

By way of comparison, the bill reduces funding for public transit by $30 million per year compared to what the Strickland administration proposed. Everyone understands that funds are limited, but in this case, it was determined that a tax break for the petroleum industry was more important than limiting the magnitude of cuts to public transit.

 

http://ohiobudgetwatch.com/2011/03/petroleum/

What that wlwt article fails to mention is that, from what I understand, the $50m in streetcar grants from the state do not effect the $8b budget gap.

 

That is correct. The funding would come from ODOT's budget which is legally firewalled from the general fund where the $8 billion deficit is. The operating funding for 3C was to also come from the ODOT's budget, but that didn't stop the opponents from successfully and falsely arguing against 3C.

I would disagree with not connecting to the banks-  Yes, there is less development potential there, but you need it to connect to the rest of the undeveloped areas. Parking at the banks and hopping on the streetcar has always been a major goal.  How much is saved by leaving off vine street-

Is there someway we could get some regional/national media to report on this?  Bring some much needed outside attention to the story?  So far Kasich is making Walker look like he's in slow motion

How about civic donation? I dont know anything about the level of philathropy in Cincy, but in Indy, we have been somewhat successful in getting private donations to help shore up projects. The cultural trail up here, $62 million total, raised 2/3 of that in private donations.

 

I wonder if there are old railroad nuts with more money than they can spend, that would be interested in contributing to such a cause.

 

It is a travesty that these things are happening. I havent seen any mention of highway plans being shelved, but that is par for the course with these people

Indeed!  P&G, Kroger, Macy's, and all the banks and insurance companies are always whining that they can't attract good talent to come here.  They should be falling over themselves to help fund a project like this. 

Still Hope

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2011/02/transportation-officials-readying.html

 

Even it lines up against streetcar funding, Cincinnati's streetcar project could retain state funding. Murphy said the panel voted 8-0 in favor of the Cincinnati project in December, with one member absent. ODOT Director Jerry Wray counts as one of nine votes on the panel.

So which is it?

 

The TRAC members that voted to fund the streetcar are still in their positions, no? Per the TRAC website, William Brennan, Robert Clarke Brown, Patrick Darrow, Bill Dingus, Raymond E. DiRossi, Antoinette A. Selvey-Maddox, Patrick J. Ungaro are the current members with one seat vacant. Kasich has only appointed a new Director in Jerry Wray. That's still one vote versus seven.

 

Or will Kasich be appointing all new members?

 

Or does Kasich have the power to veto a TRAC vote?

 

 

 

BTW - Per their calendar, TRAC had a Working Session today at 10 AM. Is that why we have all this flurry of speculation today?

 

And where are the Business Courier's Streetcar Poll results?!?!

NOTICE!!

 

A state official called me to inform me that the state funds requested by the city for the streetcar project are not state funds at all -- they are the state's portion of federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funds that can only be spent on transportation projects that meet federal CMAQ (see-mack) criteria.

 

The streetcar project was the TRAC's highest-ranking project which are aligned with the federal CMAQ criteria, so if these federal CMAQ funds are to be used for another, lower-ranking transportation project, then the city has legal grounds to the sue the state for not following its own criteria in awarding federal transportation funds.

^ Giggity

OMG THAT IS SO AWESOME. 

^^^Boy I hope so!! The Mayor seemed pretty grim.

KJP, has that state official contacted city officials with this info? What about Cincy news agencies?

All I could find was an old article mentioning $4 million in CMAQ funding for the streetcar.

Councilwoman Amy Murry on WLW now talking trash...

It wouldn't hurt for everyone to put in a call to Gov. Kasich's office at the number listed above.  It appears they are keeping a tally

Councilwoman Amy Murry on WLW now talking trash...

Remember this when you vote this fall.

I called-

Streetcar decision looms in Columbus

Business Courier - by By Dan Monk, Senior Staff Reporter

Date: Wednesday, March 9, 2011, 6:15pm EST

 

Ohio’s Transportation Review Advisory Council held a working session in Columbus today, its second of three meetings leading up to an April 12 vote that could make or break Cincinnati’s streetcar project.

 

TRAC was created by state lawmakers in 1997 to guide all major funding decisions for capital investments in transportation. Wednesday's meeting was the first time the state advisory panel met since Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jerry Wray told the Ohio House that TRAC’s pipeline of projects would cost $1.8 billion more than the state has money to fund through 2017.

 

 

 

^ hopefully the public comment section got a lot of support for streetcars-- Everyone one this blog should have written an email or two!

 

 

NOTICE!!

 

A state official called me to inform me that the state funds requested by the city for the streetcar project are not state funds at all -- they are the state's portion of federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funds that can only be spent on transportation projects that meet federal CMAQ (see-mack) criteria.

 

The streetcar project was the TRAC's highest-ranking project which are aligned with the federal CMAQ criteria, so if these federal CMAQ funds are to be used for another, lower-ranking transportation project, then the city has legal grounds to the sue the state for not following its own criteria in awarding federal transportation funds.

 

This seems to be accurate from what I've researched.  I wonder if John can elaborate on this more.  Does the Mayor even realize this is the case? 

 

If, indeed, this is true(which it appears to be), Kasich is simply just throwing a fit and has no legal basis to reject the funds UNLESS they vote a different transportation project ASAP and give it a higher rating before the construction of the streetcar breaks ground...Which I would not put past Kasich.

 

 

^ The city has this information, and I'm content to just let things play out at this point. The streetcar project, at least most of it, is going to happen.

 

It's great if the state is a partner in the Cincinnati Streetcar. If not, we'll build what we can build. You'd think the state would favor a project that removes Ohioans from its highway network. That's a hard thing to get your head around, but going forward, "the trip not taken" will be a very important aspect of mobility-planning everywhere in America. I hope Ohio realizes this before it's too late. Our mayor and a majority of City Council have.

KJP, has that state official contacted city officials with this info? What about Cincy news agencies?

 

Not if that state official wants to keep their job.

 

I have verified that these are federal funds, not state funds. Stay tuned......

Great work kjp!

Enquirer going all out now

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110309/NEWS01/103100345/Streetcar-comments-flood-state-office?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

 

"A key Ohio transportation panel that will decide next month whether to award as much as $52 million to Cincinnati's streetcar project has been flooded with nearly 3,200 public comments about the plan, most from people opposed to it.

 

The number of e-mails and letters received by the state's Transportation Review Advisory Council, officials said Wednesday, is extraordinarily high compared to that typically seen on most projects, evidence of how passionately Greater Cincinnatians feel about the proposed $128 million Downtown-to-Uptown streetcar line."

Nice to see my support quoted in print. ;-)

^Sometimes I wish Cincinnati really wasn't in Ohio as many Ohioans believe.  The first local quote the Enquirer uses is some lady out in Mariemont.  Mariemont???  Her opinion is extremely valuable of course, seeing how she lives downtown and not in one of the wealthiest and whitest suburbs in Ohio. 

This guy going to cut the Brent Spence bridge funding  too???

^ I think the game is to move the streetcar money to the Brent Spence Bridge.