An article discussing the urgency for light rail in the Tampa Bay area, Ruth: Stop talking and build a rail line, recently came to my attention. Having briefly studied transportation in the area in an academic setting, this article brought back to my mind many ideas I had on the topic when it was fresh in my mind. Without going into too much detail or providing documentation, here are my initial thoughts as they relate to the article’s content.
I appreciate the author’s frustrations with a lack of comprehensive mass transit in the area, but this piece comes off as nothing more than upset ramblings.
First, it is very poorly researched. It is true that we have been doing lots of studies for many years about mass transit with nothing to show for it, but he seems to think that the only thing standing in the way of mass transit is stubborn politicians. He seems to forget that just a few years ago there as a measure on the ballot that would have made light rail a reality. It did not pass. I seem to recall a similar measure failing years prior to that one as well.
Second, if he wants light rail to happen in this area, then maybe the question he should be asking is why did the last ballot measure fail? I’m pretty certain it’s because you asked locals to pay a significant increase in sales tax. People don’t like voting for this in the best of times, especially in a tax-averse place like Florida with no state income tax, but they especially don’t like doing it when the economy is in bad shape and has an uncertain future. Of course that ballot measure failed, and no matter how robust the next light rail proposal, I’m sure it will also fail if the same approach is taken. Instead of just sticking a sales tax hike on the ballot, we should be looking into making the idea more palatable and making the funding more diverse.
- We need extensive public outreach so that when the public sees something similar on the ballot in the future, they have an idea of the usefulness of such a project and don’t immediately check the “No” box because of its price tag.
- We need to look into ways other than a sales tax increase to fund this massive project. While the exact method isn’t clear, we could start by discussing a combination of a comparatively minor sales tax increase, a property tax increase, a gasoline or other automobile tax, and in particular a tax that will affect tourists such as a hotel tax. Tourists look to benefit significantly from a light rail system and expanded bus service, and while they do pay sales tax when they’re here, it makes no sense to focus solely on a sales tax increase when such a tax is already regressive in nature and its increase would disproportionately affect those who can least afford it.
The Tampa Bay area certainly has a problem with transportation. Our roads are extremely congested at times, and the lack of good mass transit makes the area less appealing to tourists and businesses. This problem is no secret. Commuters know it, politicians know it, and business people know it. However, many people don’t understand how a comprehensive light rail and bus system can improve things, and they certainly don’t like the idea of paying for it through major sales tax hikes. Until we come up with new ideas that will better educate the public, get them even more involved in the decision making process, and make the funding issue easier to swallow and less of a burden for the poor, then we can expect a continued uphill battle in the fight to bring improved mass transit to the Tampa Bay area.