Overpriced Art Center Pet Project: Check. Next local politicians’ pet project with your money: the erstwhile nixed streetcar project. In 2010, I warned that the issue could raise it’s head again, especially as we view how politicians and special interests pushed the RAP tax over and over again ultimately employing a divide and conquer strategy to get it passed. Looks like they going to keep pushing on this one too. From the Salt Lake Tribune article:
Those communities and the Utah Transit Authority are taking a step toward making that a reality — but probably far in the future, and after conversion from an initial, cheaper-to-build “bus rapid transit” (BRT) line, sort of a TRAX on rubber wheels.
Officials are working out details to join in a $450,000 study on whether to build such a line, where the alignment should be, whether it should be a streetcar, TRAX or BRT — and what kind of economic impacts it could have. That “alternatives analysis,” assisted by a $360,000 grant from the Federal Transit Administration, is expected to be completed next year.
Now they can dump $450K of pork (your money) into a study plus the future potential cost of their project. However, this politicians trough comes with a cherry on top…a tax increase:
What could delay a streetcar or TRAX — and force longer use of the cheaper BRT — is that Davis County has a lower sales tax rate for transit than does Salt Lake County, so less money is available for such projects…
…”In order for Davis County to be a player,” Millburn said, increasing the transit sales tax likely will likely have to be addressed “some time.”
I suppose Commissioners Millburn and Downs forgot they were elected due to a tax revolt or figure increasing by drips and drabs will go unnoticed. The end result is the same: more tax burdens on families.
Utah Rattler 