I concluded yesterday’s post by saying “We have spoiled toddlers running state and federal offices, but at least adults run the cities.” Evidently, some of those adults are less praiseworthy than I suggested.
Indianapolis recently held a referendum on transportation. It wasn’t easy convincing the General Assembly that residents of the city should be allowed to decide for ourselves whether to impose a modest tax increase dedicated to the expansion of the city’s painfully inadequate bus service. It took a couple of years, but we finally did.
The vote was advisory, meaning that it will inform members of the City-County Council, whose votes will be dispositive. I think it is fair to say that voters expect the Councilors’ votes to reflect the clear results of the popular will.
The referendum won handily. But some Councilors– in districts where constituents voted decisively for the transit expansion– are vacillating. According to several people who have talked to them, the reluctant Council members are ambitious politicians who plan to run for higher office; they have been telling transit proponents that they don’t want a future opponent to be able to accuse them of raising taxes.
Think about that for a minute. This isn’t about legitimate disagreement about the merits of the proposal; this is about personal political calculation– a conflict of interest between the public good and personal advantage.
These City-County Counselors were elected to serve the constituents in their districts. Those constituents have signaled their belief that improved transit is sufficiently important to them to justify the (relatively minor) tax increase required. Rather than considering the wishes of those constituents, rather than considering the needs of the disabled and elderly people who depend upon transit, or the needs of workers to get to their places of employment without changing buses and enduring lengthy commutes (when they can get there at all–see yesterday’s post), these Councilors are viewing their votes only from the perspective of their personal self-interest.
Why, they might have to defend voting for the public good in a future political campaign!
I can understand why someone representing a district that voted against the referendum would decide to ignore the interests and expressed preferences of the overall community, but when elected officials disregard the wishes and needs of both the overall community and their own constituents in order to protect themselves from potential criticism in a potential future campaign, I find that contemptible.
I think it was Maya Angelou who said “When someone tells you who they are, believe them.”
And remember them.
Because if those who are threatening to vote no simply to protect themselves from criticism in a future campaign actually follow through with that threat, and if and when they do run for higher office, those of us with a different understanding of “representation” and “integrity” need to make a very public issue of their self-serving behavior.
Whatever happened to integrity?
Its been kidnapped by the Religious Right/Far Right.
It’s all about me! There is no such thing as the common good.
In the recent election a democratic candidate in southern Indiana was “smeared” with the news that she had voted numerous times for tax increases when she was a city councilor. Instead of blasting back with, “Damn right I did, and the people got better public transportation, cleaner water, better law enforcement…” she rolled over. Typical Indiana Democrat behavior, and look what it gets them: one lost election after another.
I agree with Jane Montgomery and believe self-service has always been a part of politics, even at the local levels. It just hasn’t been this visible in the past.
Sheila mentioned making a this self-serving a public issue in the future……Why not make it a public issue right now so that their constituents are aware of this and can pressure them to vote in line with the desires of the people that voted them into office.
Is there some reason not to name them at this time? Or, could a public forum be organized in which they must all speak of their personal views and how they intend to vote? This really needs to be made public now!
School consolidation became a very hot issue locally over the summer and it became clear that not only did the local school board violate the open door law, but there were a few board members who were against consolidation for personal reasons. The general public and vast majority of parents recognized that it is time to face consolidation due to finance issues.
Those board members were voted out of office in the recent election. Once the public becomes aware of what is going on those self-serving people don’t stay in office long. Their motives must be exposed.
My last comments on yesterday’s blog could also fit here. The proposed “improvements” for public transportation would also benefit the areas in need of public assistance regarding abandoned buildings and homes. They continue to escalate due to ONE ridiculous tax law which this state refuses to change; if you pay the tax lien on an abandoned building or home, you do NOT own the property, you only own the tax lien. The vast majority of these neighborhoods have little or no public transportation to get them to jobs or necessary shopping. Many of these neighborhoods also do not have food markets available.
All of these issues fall under the heading of “lack of integrity” in our local governments. They also fall under the problem of gerrymandering where there is an obvious lack of integrity. I could go on but will let you fill in any blanks I left to state your personal knowledge of areas of concern.
What happened to Integrity? The Voters (or lack thereof) happened. In most election cycles people tell poll takers that they care about these sorts of things, that dislike and distrust Congress, yet repeatedly these people are re-elected or elected for the first time even though objectively speaking they are the lesser choice. We need to stop blaming politicians and big business and take responsibility as citizens for not doing our duty.
Theresa,
“Instead of blasting back with, “Damn right I did, and the people got better public transportation, cleaner water, better law enforcement…” she rolled over. Typical Indiana Democrat behavior, and look what it gets them: one lost election after another.”
She’s a CREEPER. Almost all the Democrats are CREEPERS. They are the ultimate losers as we have just seen. They don’t “blast back,” they CREEP.
They CREEP toward the target, they’re afraid to hit it. Artillery theorists learned over a hundred years ago that you cannot CREEP toward the target. In order to reach it, the orientation artillery piece must first fire over the target and preferably drop below the target on the second round, whereby the forward observer can now calibrate between the two in order to hit the target.
In this regard, it not just the Democrats who are CREEPERS, it includes all the so-called pro-democracy NGO’s like the SPLC/ADL, Planned Parenthood, etc, etc. No wonder we are all now “Up Shit’s Creek Without a Paddle.”
creep (krep) vi. crept, creep’ing [OE creopan] 1. to move with the body close to the ground 2. to move slowly or stealthily 3. to grow along the ground or a wall, as ivy—n. 1. the act of creeping 2. [slang] an annoying or disgusting person—make one’s flesh creep, to give one a feeling of fear, disgust, etc.—creep’er n.
~Webster’s New World Dictionary and Thesaurus
I appreciate the column…and agree…
But what’s to be done then?
No Names… No Links to where others name names… No way forward…
No way for me to DO anything except become an investigative sleuth myself in order to get crucial information on which to act…
Perhaps this is correct and responsible on your part… I’ll have to think it through…
However, I’m busy hoeing my own rows, teaching first year college students about owning their Literacy… I’m busy… I’m not sure I can take on another job…
I mention your blog numerous times during the semester…and I will continue to do so…
But help me understand… Do you refrain from including links that I/we could pursue in order to avoid “demagoguery”?
No integrity. Win at any cost. Follow the money. Accept money from any source. Let ALEC do your job. Let the NRA do your job. Let big money write your job description. Attack your opponent relentlessly. Never take a position on any issue. Never answer a question – always revert to the talking points.
Sadly, it works -over and over.
If you can say and do things that are as outrageous as the things Mr. Trump and his friends have said and done, you ought to be able to raise taxes. When asked if you voted to raise taxes, just say I voted to improve transportation for thousand of our citizens. Take a page from their playbook and answer their questions without speaking directly to the question.
Being led by a bunch of FOOLS and CREEPS, why shouldn’t I have trouble falling asleep?
There’s an old quote from JR Ewing I like to bring up when speaking on the subject of integrity.
“Once you give up your integrity, the rest is a piece of cake. “
What J Nelson said. Names please, so that at least we can have conversations about them with colleagues, acquaintances, strangers etc. That will increase the pressure on them to do the right thing.
We have allowed Fox News and the right to frame taxes as always bad when we should, as one commentator suggests, reframe the issue to “Yes, I voted to facilitate the transportation of the infirm and workers to get to work and am proud of it.” A tax increase is a neutral term, a mere means of effecting good policy, not the end, and we should grab the framing bull by the horns to make this clear, and from a political point of view, what have we lost when we are the framing aggressor since we are destined to lose anyway with our wishy-washy (per Marv) creep to the debate podium? Reframe! Attack!
Yes, please name these people. The citizens of this city have a right to know who these jackasses are.
If you want to change it, perhaps it should start at IUPUI. When I was serving on the Liberal Arts student council I attended several meetings concerning the smoking ban before it was implemented. The student government worked hard to actually find out what students wanted, and most of them voted to represent our students not what they thought was best for them. All this was for nothing, because the chancellor had already decided to ban smoking to attain a seat on Mitch Daniels health committee.
Another time, I received an A+ in a course that I did not attend even once. There was all kinds of chatter that this was a threat to academic integrity until I was asked who the professor was. I could hardly control my laughter when they said they were going to look into the matter. When I told them who taught the class, the issues was dropped.
Integrity only applies to those who have no power or authority, all while being held to high standard than those who actually have the power.
Alphons,
“What J Nelson said. Names please, so that at least we can have conversations about them with colleagues, acquaintances, strangers etc. That will increase the pressure on them to do the right thing.”
Start with #l, Morris Dees Co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center and find out why he won’t deal with the DEEP racial system and, in addition at the same time, find out why he has been preventing others from doing so.
Make sure you don’t creep toward your target.
Of course, Sheila, you’re completely ignoring the pay-to-play world that is local Indianapolis politics. We twice raised the public safety tax to get more police officers, and ended up with less. Indianapolis/Marion County has the highest local tax burden in the state and the do gooders always say the public can afford to pay yet more for better services. And that extra tax money inevitably goes into the pocket of lobbyists, attorneys, architectural firms, engineering firms, and other politically-connected contractors.
Jane Montgomery summed it all up quite well. Short and not so sweet! Thanks Jane! It’s like one big free-for-all with everyone thinking only of themselves and what benefits them as they try to get to what they perceive as being the top of the heap. Our whole society is rotting from the inside out as a result where courtesy, charity, and kindness are often calculated as to how they fit into that quest, not as just being the right things to do. Extremely disturbing and also extreme sad.
Marv – I completely agree with you. The Dems – in general – are spineless because they have to SAY the right thing while still taking money from their corporate donors (overlords) which renders them hopelessly ineffective. Nevertheless, it is important for us, the people on the local level, to do what we can to effect change by interacting and by supporting the ones who truly represent us.
Paul K. Ogden; how much of this city’s tax burden is connected to the CIB, the Ballard inspired additional pro-sports teams in addition to the Colts burden, Pacer’s needs (I don’t see the same hands-out-for-public-assistance from the Indianapolis Indians or Fever), the arenas and fields where they “play”. Don’t forget the maintenance and security. Changing that tax lien law on abandoned buildings and homes would unburden the tax load by allowing purchase of the property so the owners can maintain, protect and repair them; no one seems to be responsible for these properties once someone purchases the tax lien. These are also the areas where infrastructure is in most deplorable condition and more public safety officers are needed to deal with crimes.
The top-of-the-line sports facilities covers up the poverty ridden neighborhoods so tourists don’t see the underside of the city. Remember Mom’s rule to, “Always wear clean underwear in case you have an accident.” Indy’s dirty, raggedy underwear shows our lack of integrity and a need to restructure our local tax system. It also brings gerrymandering into the equation…can’t seem to get away from that issue.
Make sure every voter in their districts knows about their self-serving mindset. Myabe next election they will get fired.
Gerald has razed the magic word: it’s RE-FRAMING. There’s been a fundamental change politically in the election of Trump/Pence. Technical changes will have little or no effect. The sooner we ALL admit to this disturbing fact, the better off we will be.
Yes Joanne. I believe Lucas Oil Stadium accounts for a 30% increase in local taxes and that 1% of the 2% meal tax is was imposed to pay for the parking lot that was once Market Square Arena but never repealed. These are all regressive taxes that benefit the wealthier folks who own businesses that benefit from sports franchises. But poor folk ‘benefit’ from the trickle down poverty wages of the service jobs that support these businesses. So, why is it that we can only afford new taxes that benefit the better off and can never afford to support those who see to earn living wages?
Paul, so what are you doing to expose this corruption? It seems that Ballard was the R in charge of the city, so did you let him know about this corruption and how you objected? Or because he was an R, you let it slide? Why not call them all out no matter what party they belong to, eh?
I’m so sick of spineless Dems that don’t have any backbone at all. I hope this loss of 2016 is enough to get several people motivated and hopefully, they have liberal spines for a change.
Just to clarify, I was referring to Paul Ogden and am not sure if the other poster ‘Paul’ is the same.
Alphons,
“Marv – I completely agree with you. The Dems – in general – are spineless because they have to SAY the right thing while still taking money from their corporate donors (overlords) which renders them hopelessly ineffective.”
Morris Dees is also SPINELESS as well as a CREEPER for the same reasons. He has to please his donors. His bank account, now reaching close to $200 million, is more important than his effectiveness. Don’t be fooled by his success in suing a few second-rate white power organizations with the full protection of the F.B.I.
I think it’s time to name names. Tell us who these people are, voting against us now, so we can vote them out now rather than later. If they’re not working for us now, how do we expect them to work for us later…in a higher office…farther away from our concerns?
Name names, Sheila. Otherwise your post is just more noise in the political continuum.
Cheryl,
“I think it’s time to name names. Tell us who these people are, voting against us now, so we can vote them out now rather than later.”
The problem is much deeper than the politicians. They are just the “tip of the iceberg.”
John w.
“Name names, Sheila. Otherwise your post is just more noise in the political continuum.”
Sheila is an unimpeachable professor. Who are you kidding? Her unbelievable public service is not about naming names. It is about free speech. And I’ll bet there is not another blog in the U.S. with as much freedom. Why don’t you throw your bait out somewhere else?
It is interesting to see all the blaming and shaming going at Democrats when, in truth, the voters had all the information they needed to make a choice. They just ignored those pesky details and heard one over-riding message, drummed into their ears by big money’s media mantra of jobs, jobs, jobs are more important than any other consideration.
The voters chose jobs over education, transportation, health, safety and integrity on all issues. No thought as to the long term impacts for the communities they live in.
When a community sells its soul for jobs, it puts itself in peril when the job-creator is lured to an even more profitable location. Look at any number of cities and towns in this state where a big plant is closed and/or moved offshore even after being given free infrastructure, tax abatements, environmental regulation exceptions along with promised educational supports for training their workers.
Blaming the victims is an old diversional tactic. We have a man as a Congressional Representative for our state who has never lived here before this election cycle, who used his inherited wealth and his father’s even greater wealth to personally buy a seat at the federal trough who promised jobs and family values (conservative white religious values). The voters knew where he came from and what his promises meant for them personally. They didn’t care if he was lying and cheating.
I take extreme exception to characterizing Shelly Yoder’s campaign as “rolling over”.
The old arguments are: “If I don’t get elected I won’t be able to do my constituents any good. Reelection is more important than policy. Major issues such as increasing taxes grabs the attention of voters more than a bus service that only benefits a few.”
OK, we can blame short sighted and fearful politicians, but the major blame goes to uncaring voters who are more interested in Colts and Pacers scores than they are in the city’s infrastructure and the well-fare of of those who cannot afford autos and parking costs. Nothing new here, just people who care for their immediate satisfaction rather than long term benefits.
I agree with everyone here.
* We need honest discussions about needs and costs. People pay for things whenever they buy and are willing to do so for things they want and need and/or view as having value.
* The sports facilities and teams were supposed to bring economic benefits, but they have continued to cost taxpayers more than the economic benefits they’ve spread throughout the community.
* Let us know who needs contacting. The squeaky wheels usually get greased.
I’m sorry about reporting that Morris Dees’ (SPLC) bank account was reaching $200 million. After researching for a current figure, it would be much more accurate to say that the statement should have been: REACHING $400 MILLION and still growing by leaps and bounds.
When Congressional Republicans declared, it’s more important for Obama to fail than the country to succeed, many of us were dismayed but thought, we will fix that nonsense next election.
We were completely wrong. That was the end of Democracy and American politics as a profession.
Remember “professions”? When I was growing up they were defined as positions where people could use their knowledge to take advantage of people but instead took an oath to put their client’s best interests first.
I took such an oath as a Professional (licensed I might add) Engineer. Sheila did as a Professional Lawyer. Others did as MDs or public accountants. Public servants including military still do upon taking office.
When Republicans broke their oath of office and there were only positive consequences for them our system of government broke forever.
Now the Constitution is a meaningless piece of paper to those who swore and more importantly will swear to uphold it.
The great experiment in democracy just concluded that about 250 years (10 generations give or take) is all that can be expected from people ruling themselves.
first, Paul Ogden publishes a professional pro bono blog that routinely publishes information that is not popular with local government. He is not a wealthy man and stomping on toes does not endear him to potential funding sources. Secondly, I am not a transportation guru (although my late uncle – Vane Jones – was) but when I talk to people who are actively involved with local transportation they seem to be opposed to the tax and the planning, especially on negative effects on college and meridian lines, the Carmel to Greenwood runs, and the adverse impact on low income and elderly. Having more busses especially at odd hours, adding inexpensive bus shelters, etc. conflict with tearing up streets, having pseudo trolleys, and similar. And, of course, nationally, we can’t fund repairs on “mass transit” as Metro North, DC Metro, etc. so we certainly don’t need NEW systems started that will lack repairs shortly.
I really do not understand why this so-called Red Line a trolley or street car needs to be built on College Avenue. The cost to tear up and resurface College Ave with rail lines and stations must be “YUGE” plus the cars themselves, the money for this would be better spent on on more buses and personnel to expand the existing system. Some how with very little imagination on my part of the motives, I suspect a large dose pork barrel. Perhaps they should name the Red Line, A Street Car Named Pork Barrel.
Theresa and Marv, I just read this: A defiant — and possibly delusional — Nancy Pelosi stood firm about her party’s future when pressed on what she’ll do differently to deal with Democratic discontent. “I don’t think people want a new direction,” Pelosi told CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “Our values unify us and our values are about supporting America’s working families.”
Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, who argued Dems must do more to speak to working-class voters in the Rust Belt and not just coastal liberal elites. Pelosi batted back the threat to her reign with a 134-63 win. Pelosi has led the Democratic caucus for 14 years. “I’m rooting for Nancy!,” GOP Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said last week. “She may have more support in our conference than her own conference.”
The Democrats remind me of Union General Burnside, he kept ordering one division after another up the hill at the Battle of Fredericksburg. A visitor to the battlefield described the battle to U.S. President Abraham Lincoln as a “butchery.” Burnside was relieved of command a month later.
Pelosi should have been voted out, but she is a Vichy Democrat and as long as Pelosi has a safe seat and can kick some fund raising around, the Democratic Establishment will remain loyal to her.
The Southern Poverty Law Center is a Trojan Horse, but like Cassandra’s at Troy, my warnings about the SPLC and its partner, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have gone unheeded for many years. Like the disaster at Pearl Harbor, we’re about to pay a very high price in the month to come.
Things to do:
http://www.attn.com/stories/13297/evan-mcmullin-tweets-simple-advice-for-life-under-trump
Louie,
Thanks a lot. Weren’t things bad enough before telling us about Pelosi?
If one person is to blame for this stinking mess we’re in, I would point the finger at Morris Dees. He’s presented the SPLC as a countervailing force, but in fact, he’s been protecting the deep forces of the Religious Right/Far Right full-time either knowingly or unknowingly for his partner, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), since the early 90’s.
No doubt there are many reasons why the Republican Party candidate won the election. But could someone explain to me how a “Real Life Monster” like Donald Trump could have been the successful candidate if there had been an actual countervailing force in existence?
I’m aware that no one likes to admit to having been a FOOL. But how can you ever defend yourself, if your hands are tied?
j. england; I had to work my way through and around that ridiculous Red Line route through a useless area of College Avenue while bypassing where it is needed but I did vote for the tax for public transportation. There IS much more to consider than that one line; when I lived withing three blocks of a bus line, I had a monthly pass and used the service, drove on the rare occasion I had plans after work. Thousands of workers and residents needing access to transportation do not have the option between public and private modes of travel.
About the change in leadership of House Dems; I had and have mixed views…only on the issue of “switching horses in mid-stream” while all of this government is in chaos. Maybe change is needed but…is this the best time? The House Dems need to lead Nancy in the right direction and refuse to go where she points the way when it is wrong. They have that right and they do outnumber her.
Ellison appears to be the leading choice to replace Harry Reid who is retiring. Reid appeared to me, to be somewhat ineffectual in his vital position.
I’m keeping my eyes on Cory Booker as a future leader in the Democratic Party. I would like to see he and Bernie working together to strengthen, if not rebuild, the party to what is needed to do battle against the Alt-Right Republicans who have taken over the government and will turn it into their own private business corporation. Trump’s “appointees” are not in position yet, nor is Trump, they are pseudo, in-name-only, designees who are laughing their butts off as we founder, trying to regain our foothold in this post-election mess. Where do we put our greatest efforts; at state level or continue the battle with off-and-on recounts and the Electoral College? We are sorely needed everywhere right now; but must pick our battles carefully so as not to waste ammunition – IF we even have any ammunition left.
Sheila: some of the Councilors know more about this than you think. They know, for instance, that the questions of general improvements to public transportation and support for the controversial and unnecessary Red Line were lumped together on the referendum. Thus, those who favored improvements to the bus system city-wide were also forced to support Red Line. That was by design. The Chamber enlisted the support of churches and civic organizations to push in favor of the referendum by labeling it “social justice”. They told compelling stories of people who are bus-dependent waiting hours for a bus to get to work or the grocery. General bus service improvements was only part of the issue for the referendum.
Those of us who opposed the referendum were actually called “racists” by Rabbi Scott Fox. Clearly, he was fed information that was misleading and incomplete. Some Councilors know that the Chamber and ICAN spent about $750,000 pushing for the referendum, way more than ordinary citizens could afford to fight back. Some Councilors know that management of most the local news media are involved with the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, which pushed for the referendum, and that reporting was skewed in favor of passage. They also understand that despite being outspent and outmaneuvered by the Chamber, opponents obtained more than 40% of the vote, to the Chamber’s 59%. That is a 9-point spread. Hardly a mandate, especially on a complex question.
Some Councilors take their responsibility about raising everyone’s taxes very seriously, especially in Marion County, which has underperforming schools. Having the highest taxes in the state, along with poorly-performing schools, only makes donut counties all the more desirable for people with good-paying jobs. Your take on opposition to raising taxes assumes a self-serving motivation based on aspiration for higher office. I know for a fact that some of the Councilors have a very deep understanding of this issue, deeper than the superficial story put out by the Chamber and IndyGo. Deeper than most citizens would know unless they independently researched the issue and read the reams of documents about this. Some Councilors have been involved in transportation issues for many years.
It is arguably social justice to improve public transportation generally, but only if the focus is on those areas of the City where the greatest need exists. That area isn’t Broad Ripple or Meridian-Kessler. Those of us who opposed the referendum repeatedly made clear that we supported general improvements to bus service, and that if there was to be a BRT, it should go where people actually stand in line to catch a bus and who depend on bus service to live and work. That is not Meridian Kessler or Broad Ripple.
The original north-south route was to be Keystone, home to many discount stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants and other places where people work and shop. The line got moved to College, which has few to no employment or shopping destinations. Red Line would start at 66th and College, go south, bypass most of the current College Avenue bus riders who live south of 38th Street, turn west on 38th, then south on Meridian, and so forth. 75% of existing bus stops would be eliminated, and the College A and B lines, which turned east on Kessler and BR Avenue, respectively, would be eliminated. Also, College and Meridian would be torn up so that a median could be installed and little bus stations stuck in the middle of the street, instead of curbside pickup. Red Line wouldn’t even improve service for current College Avenue bus riders, and would bypass many minority riders who live south of 38th Street. The median, which prevents left turns and cross traffic, except at signalized intersections, and which eliminates a full lane of traffic on both Meridian and College will cause massive traffic problems. Why waste the money to build a median and put stations in the middle of the street? Why not curbside pick up?
When a prominent member of the CC Council asked these questions, she was informed that it was to protect the investments of developers who own parcels along College. See, if there is a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line on College, the developers would qualify for “transit oriented development” (TOD) federal grants to pay the cost of constructing tall, dense apartments. If there is curbside pickup, and if IndyGo can’t deliver the promised 51% increase in ridership, then it would only be reasonable for IndyGo to divert the huge BRT buses to routes where the need is greatest. No BRT, no TOD handouts, so the median and bus stations in the middle of the street are insurance to prevent IndyGo from abandoning College Avenue as a BRT route. That’s where a huge part of the $100 million grant will go-to construct the median and bus stations in the middle of the street–insurance to protect investors, not to help those who rely on public transportation. That’s why the line was moved from Keystone to College. That’s why we have been screaming bloody murder about this waste of transportation dollars. We’ve never had the money or platform to get out the message on the same scale as the Chamber.
The relationship between Red Line and real estate development is spelled out in a document called “Red Line Transit Oriented Development Strategic Plan”. Red Line is a real estate development scheme. If you’ve lived in Indianapolis for any substantial period of time, this shouldn’t shock you.
Those of us opposed to Red Line are aware that IndyGo is pushing ahead with Red Line as a first priority. A few days ago, IndyGo put out a public request for bids for the buses. They are already planning on when and how to start tearing up the streets, even though the federal grant hasn’t been funded, and the Council hasn’t voted on the tax increase. Why Red Line as a first priority? It isn’t about improving public transportation. The Chamber’s minions are hammering the Councilors to approve the tax increase.
We suggest that readers contact the CC Council and request the following: that the CC Council require IndyGo to prioritize improving bus service system-wide, beginning with the areas of greatest need–those routes east and west on Washington Street and 38th Street. Also, before tearing up Meridian or College, that IndyGo do a substantial trial run of proposed Red Line service–buses every 10 minutes, eliminating the stops it plans to, and then gauge the interest. That is only reasonable before spending millions of transportation dollars to tear up two busy streets based on IndyGo’s word for it that 51% more riders will come, a number we believe was made up. If ridership numbers don’t happen, then no Red Line, no median, and curbside service only.
Natacha; what the hell happened to people just getting on buses in their neighborhoods to get where they needed to go before everyone had 2 or 3 cars in their driveways?