Things got a bit crazy on the 2nd Floor of Virginia Beach's City Hall yesterday. Councilman Bill DeSteph was on a rampage to try to kill the light rail AA/EIS process. (The VBTA gave him his marching orders?) He went off at City Manager Jim Spore and a couple of Spore's assistants. DeSteph claimed they couldn't do it, there was no authorization, etc.
The fact of the matter is that the AA/EIS process is being paid for by Federal funds allocated by the MPO for a contract to be issued by the TDCHR. Neither is City money being used nor is a City Council vote necessary.
Are DeSteph and the VBTAers delusional enough to think they have 6 votes on City Council to stop the process? Why are they afraid of a Study? Frightened that numbers will come back to justify light rail in Virginia Beach?
My take: the entire thing is a sham to try to get a Public Hearing on light rail. The VBTAers want face time on VBTV to angrily shout their anti-LRT propaganda at the cameras. Even they can't be stupid enough to believe they actually have the votes to stop it.
7 comments:
Henry - Can you please define all of the acronyms i.e. AA, EIS, MPO, TDCHR so that us lay people can understand what you just said?
AA/EIS - Alternatives Analysis?Environmental Impact Study.
The light rail study process.
MPO - Metropolitan Planning Organization
The region's Federally-mandated Transportation planning group
TDCHR - Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads.
The governing Board of Hampton Roads Transit (HRT).
There is no limit to what the VBTA will try.
Did you witness this or are you repeating a story you were told? If so, who told you this story?
My source for this story specfically stated their name is not to be revealed.
The citizens voted against light rail. Our elected Mayor ran on a promise to allow us to vote again, if the light rail issue was to be reconsidered. There have been major problems with basic public transportation for years. The only
"on time" buses, are tourist transits at the Oceanfront.(paid by
taxpayers)
Don't waste money on more studies. Let the people vote, and then listen to the people.
"Don't waste money on more studies. Let the people vote, and then listen to the people."
WHAT?? You don't want the studies that will tell you about ridership, construction costs and will allow federal funding?
You would rather vote based on the 10 year-old data that the VBTA is peddling??
Put down the Kool-Aid cup slowly and back away...
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