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  #7041  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 1:41 PM
freerover freerover is offline
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Originally Posted by electricron View Post
Is there any requirements in Proposition A on what the revenues it collects must be spent upon?

Take the existing penny sales tax going to CapMetro, for years 25% of the transit revenues was transferred to the city to spend on road path improvements. Was any bus only lanes "added" to any of the city streets? Or were existing lanes "striped" using paint into bus only lanes? Where or where did that 25% go?

Is Proposition A funds going to be spent on transit only projects, or is it just another tax grab for the city? All those years the city misappropriated 25% of CapMetro's funds, CapMetro could have been just charging 3/4 of a cent sales tax.

Vote for or against as you feel inclined, just be aware of what the city did the last time a tax for increased transit occurred.
Are you talking about when cap metro was only collecting 75 cents? That's not the same thing as collecting 1 dollar and transferring to the city. It was very clear who was getting what money. These funds will be managed by an apolitical board and legally tied to what is in Prop A.
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  #7042  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 1:47 PM
Novacek Novacek is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by freerover View Post
Are you talking about when cap metro was only collecting 75 cents? That's not the same thing as collecting 1 dollar and transferring to the city. It was very clear who was getting what money. These funds will be managed by an apolitical board and legally tied to what is in Prop A.
That's referencing the give-backs of 2001-2004. Which was supposed to be spent on "transit-supportive" projects, but a bunch went just to roads.

"By dollar amount, the single largest budget item on the city's Quarter Cent Program spreadsheet is roadway improvements. More than $20.76 million was devoted to eight major projects around Austin. "


https://www.austinchronicle.com/news...04-16/1016842/

Or possibly referencing the "Build Greater Austin" program before that, but that was always explicitly roads.


But yes, for Prop A there's both a "Contract with the Voters" and a binding interlocal agreement between the city and CapMetro.


Edit/Add: I'll be the first to claim that historically the city has not been supportive of transit. But I don't think you necessarily can compare the old council make-up to the new districted council.

Also, I can dig up both of those documents (contract and ILA) if someone really wants, they were posted for the meetings, but it's too early right now.
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  #7043  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 1:51 PM
Novacek Novacek is offline
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Originally Posted by electricron View Post
Vote for or against as you feel inclined, just be aware of what the city did the last time a tax for increased transit occurred.
See my previous post for Prop A relevance, but if you want to be technical about it (this is an internet board after all) the tax increase happened in '85 when Capmetro was authorized to collect a full cent (they just chose not to for some of those years, '88-'95).
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  #7044  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 2:28 PM
atxsnail atxsnail is offline
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Originally Posted by Myomi View Post
First I am 100 percent for Prop A and B. But really? Pot calling the kettle black here?

Literally 90 percent of this forum is us commenting and complaining about what other people do with their property...

LOL. Point taken, but I think technically most of what we do is complain about other people's complaints about what others do with their property.

In other less controversial news, the city got approval from TXDOT for their planned changes to the Burnet and South Lamar corridors. This was according to the corridor program newsletter (related to the 2016 mobility bond):

Quote:
The City of Austin Corridor Program Office (CPO) in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is excited to announce that the South Lamar Boulevard and Burnet Road (between US 183 and the MoPac frontage road) corridors have been cleared for construction following completion of the environmental process.



SOUTH LAMAR: The first improvements coming to the corridor will be constructed between Riverside Drive and Barton Springs Road. The improvements planned for this segment reflect the City’s ultimate vision for urban corridors and include continuous ADA-compliant sidewalks and two-way bicycle lanes on both sides of the roadway, intersection improvements and enhanced landscaping. Utility relocations are expected to begin on this segment before the end of the year, with construction anticipated early next year.



BURNET: The first project to go to construction is the Burnet Road/Braker Lane intersection, beginning with drainage work later this year followed by roadway and sidewalk improvements. These improvements will bring much needed safety and mobility changes to this area of the corridor.
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  #7045  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 3:29 PM
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Originally Posted by StoOgE View Post
100% this.

They are also the same people who have a "in this house we believe" sign right next to their "code-next wrecks Austin" and "no new taxes during a pandemic" or whatever other NIMBY nonsense they spout.
The in this house sign is nothing more than a Hate sign. Surprised it is allowed to be put up.
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  #7046  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 3:36 PM
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Originally Posted by chinchaaa View Post
The frustrating thing is these are the same people who go to New York or Europe, and come back talking about how amazing the train systems are there and how they wished we had something similar here. This is it. This is the time. This is the proposal. We CAN have those things here. What else do they want? We have to start somewhere and we should have started years ago.
huh? NY, amazing train? I don't think so. Pile of dung. We gave up on it last time were were there and just used Uber about 80% of the time.
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  #7047  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 3:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by electricron View Post
Is there any requirements in Proposition A on what the revenues it collects must be spent upon?

Take the existing penny sales tax going to CapMetro, for years 25% of the transit revenues was transferred to the city to spend on road path improvements. Was any bus only lanes "added" to any of the city streets? Or were existing lanes "striped" using paint into bus only lanes? Where or where did that 25% go?

Is Proposition A funds going to be spent on transit only projects, or is it just another tax grab for the city? All those years the city misappropriated 25% of CapMetro's funds, CapMetro could have been just charging 3/4 of a cent sales tax.

Vote for or against as you feel inclined, just be aware of what the city did the last time a tax for increased transit occurred.
I would like to know the answer to that question. Lets get it in stone and see what happens. Did you see what city council did with their Federal Gov Covid Grants, they just do what they want. They can't seem to manage a budget. keep having to raise taxes to the max. real-estate taxes have almost tripled since I joined this board. what are they doing with the money?

A guy once told me, "I just want a budget". He was referring to his job at work. Left it because he didn't get a big enough budget. That is how people in gov think. they want a budget. they don't want to save tax payers money. to use the funds efficiently, they want a budget. and so, Prop A comes out. Best Budget Ever!
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  #7048  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 3:57 PM
chinchaaa chinchaaa is offline
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Originally Posted by JAM View Post
huh? NY, amazing train? I don't think so. Pile of dung. We gave up on it last time were were there and just used Uber about 80% of the time.
lmao pile of dung? it moves over 5 million people every single day. i'm done engaging with you. you have no idea what you're talking about.
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  #7049  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 4:20 PM
freerover freerover is offline
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Originally Posted by JAM View Post
I would like to know the answer to that question. Lets get it in stone and see what happens. Did you see what city council did with their Federal Gov Covid Grants, they just do what they want. They can't seem to manage a budget. keep having to raise taxes to the max. real-estate taxes have almost tripled since I joined this board. what are they doing with the money?

A guy once told me, "I just want a budget". He was referring to his job at work. Left it because he didn't get a big enough budget. That is how people in gov think. they want a budget. they don't want to save tax payers money. to use the funds efficiently, they want a budget. and so, Prop A comes out. Best Budget Ever!
Have you been kicked in the head by a horse?
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  #7050  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 4:43 PM
freerover freerover is offline
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Cool News Via Sam Mintz. I assume this would be high speed rail:
"With Biden's campaign talking about big plans for rail, here's a map that Amtrak is circulating with ambitious but realistic expansions over the next 15 years. The railroad says this would cost $25 billion

Existing network in black, new corridors in colors"

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  #7051  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 5:15 PM
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I voted for Prop A and most people I know have and/or are voting for Prop A.
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  #7052  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 5:18 PM
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Originally Posted by chinchaaa View Post
lmao pile of dung? it moves over 5 million people every single day. i'm done engaging with you. you have no idea what you're talking about.
Gawd, do I have to spoon feed you kids.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...stem-mta-metro
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  #7053  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 5:24 PM
freerover freerover is offline
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Originally Posted by Jdawgboy View Post
I voted for Prop A and most people I know have and/or are voting for Prop A.
That makes me feel better. Thank you.
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  #7054  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 5:46 PM
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Gawd, do I have to spoon feed you kids.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...stem-mta-metro
You post this which shows the lack of funding on a national level for infrastructure and transportation yet your desire is for less funding.....Ok, got it. Can you point to one, just one, country run in the libertarian dream world with unchecked capitalism allowing businesses to step in and provide everything a person/community needs?
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  #7055  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 6:58 PM
StoOgE StoOgE is offline
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The in this house sign is nothing more than a Hate sign. Surprised it is allowed to be put up.
The fuck?
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  #7056  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 7:02 PM
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Can we get this troll out of here?
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  #7057  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 7:15 PM
StoOgE StoOgE is offline
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Originally Posted by atxsnail View Post
In other less controversial news, the city got approval from TXDOT for their planned changes to the Burnet and South Lamar corridors. This was according to the corridor program newsletter (related to the 2016 mobility bond):
Outside of Prop A this is far and away my most wanted thing coming our way. Living in Zilker and biking I would LOOOVE to be able to get on Lamar and go faster than I can through the hood. My dream is to bike downtown and take the train to Austin FC games in 5 years

I hope they put in a barrier preventing a left turn into the Bell South apartments from Southbound Lamar. It's starting to cause really dangerous traffic issues especially from pedestrians as cars are doing dumb shit to try and either get into that complex or around cars blocking the left turn lane who can't turn into the complex.

Also, they need to do something about the traffic flow there. Cars make dangerous left turns onto Menchaca with a yellow left arrow and the double right-turn arrows are becoming a massive safety concern for pedestrians and cyclists. Cars are trying to beat traffic there far too aggressively and I've almost been hit on crossing the road there a few times.

Also, unrelated to this mobility bond at all, the city needs to fix whatever the hell is going on at Menchaca and Ben White. Between people doing insane shit to get into Dans from northbound Menchaca to cars blocking traffic to go to Radio/End of an Ear its turning into anarchy and again as a pedestrian who walks between End of an Ear/Radio (pre-covid) it's gotten honestly really dangerous and with the increased homeless population in the area there are a LOT more pedestrians than there used to be.
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  #7058  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 7:19 PM
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Originally Posted by freerover View Post
That makes me feel better. Thank you.


One thing I've noticed over the years is that usually my neighborhood is a good indicator of props passing or failing depending on the signs that I see around the hood. There are vote for Prop A signs, so far have not seen any for against. Overall I'm pretty optimistic with this transportation prop. Hopefully my hood will continue to be the bellwether indicator that it's been.
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  #7059  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 7:19 PM
lonewolf lonewolf is offline
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this thread is a lot more fun to read when you're not engaged in an argument over mass transit

mods request to retitle thread "Transportation Thunderdome"
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  #7060  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2020, 7:47 PM
drummer drummer is offline
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Originally Posted by lonewolf View Post
mods request to retitle thread "Transportation Thunderdome"


To piggyback on Jdawgboy's anecdote for PropA votes, I would say that all or most of my contacts are also voting for both A and B.
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