This morning there was a Tide launch preview meeting held at the Courtyard by Marriott on Greenwich Road in Virginia Beach. The meeting was conducted jointly by the City of Norfolk and Hampton Roads Transit (HRT).
The primary purpose was to brief businesses along the eastern portion of the alignment about upcoming Tide service. (That's why it was held in the periphery of the Newtown Road Station.) However, there was a large contingent of advocates for the disabled present, and a few people from Light Rail Now (LRN).
While most of the material was old news for those of us who have been following The Tide, a couple points of note were covered:
1. Opponents have tried to attack the fare verification system. Not only will their be checkers onboard, but off-duty Norfolk Police Department (NPD) officers to provide security. Failure to pay can result in a fine of up to $250, while using a counterfeit or fraudulent farecard carries a minimum $500 fine.
2. There will be a number of events on opening weekend in the periphery of the stations. Not only the official events, but many businesses and groups plan to capitalize on the opportunity provided by the expected crowds. For example, the YMCA adjacent to the York Street Station will hold an open house all weekend.
Showing posts with label LRN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LRN. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Sherrod Appointment
As most of you now know, on Tuesday Prescott Sherrod was appointed to Rita Sweet Bellitto's vacant seat on the Virginia Beach City Council. The appointment has created a political firestorm and spawned conspiracy theories. I'll offer my look at it, while you can chime in under Comments.
I know Prescott Sherrod. I've served with him on Light Rail Now's Transportation Technical Advisory Committee, which he's been Chairman of. He strikes me as a nice, well-meaning guy. However, conventional wisdom is that he can't win the remaining three years on Bellitto's term in the November special election.
While Carl Wright's comment afterwards may have been coarse, it struck at a fundamental truth: the Virginia Beach City Council can't cite the Sherrod appointment as evidence that they've suddenly embraced inclusion. That would be as transparent a hoax as "Gorbachev is ill in the Crimea". Prescott Sherrod is a business community figure, not an African-American community leadership figure.
One of the theories floating in the African-American community is that Council made the appointment knowing Sherrod can't win in November, as the expected low voter turnout favors Republicans. Council pretends to be inclusive, knowing Sherrod will be replaced by a White Republican come New Year's. Conversely, Tanya Bullock wasn't appointed since, as a Republican incumbent, she could have easily won in November.
Like the Germans carelessly wheeling too vulnerably before Paris in 1914, status quoers are leaving their flank exposed. The fringe right has seemingly noticed. On Tuesday, Bill DeSteph voted against the Sherrod appointment; on Thursday, John Moss endorsed the African-American community leadership's new Council districts map and their position on a ward system. With Barack Obama at the top of the ballot that will have the 2012 City Council election, and thus a high minority turnout anticipated, this could have huge ramifications for the 2012 regular Council election.
Virginia Beach was 21.2% minority at the 1990 Census, 30.5% minority at the 2000 Census, and 35.5% minority at the 2010 Census. There were fewer Whites living in Virginia Beach in 2010 than in 1990. A look at the 2010 Census numbers will show you that Virginia Beach will easily surpass 40% minority by the 2020 Census. The status quoers who think they can continue to reject inclusion are whistling in the graveyard. Fundamental structural change in how Virginia Beach is governed is coming, one way or another, whether you like it or not.
I know Prescott Sherrod. I've served with him on Light Rail Now's Transportation Technical Advisory Committee, which he's been Chairman of. He strikes me as a nice, well-meaning guy. However, conventional wisdom is that he can't win the remaining three years on Bellitto's term in the November special election.
While Carl Wright's comment afterwards may have been coarse, it struck at a fundamental truth: the Virginia Beach City Council can't cite the Sherrod appointment as evidence that they've suddenly embraced inclusion. That would be as transparent a hoax as "Gorbachev is ill in the Crimea". Prescott Sherrod is a business community figure, not an African-American community leadership figure.
One of the theories floating in the African-American community is that Council made the appointment knowing Sherrod can't win in November, as the expected low voter turnout favors Republicans. Council pretends to be inclusive, knowing Sherrod will be replaced by a White Republican come New Year's. Conversely, Tanya Bullock wasn't appointed since, as a Republican incumbent, she could have easily won in November.
Like the Germans carelessly wheeling too vulnerably before Paris in 1914, status quoers are leaving their flank exposed. The fringe right has seemingly noticed. On Tuesday, Bill DeSteph voted against the Sherrod appointment; on Thursday, John Moss endorsed the African-American community leadership's new Council districts map and their position on a ward system. With Barack Obama at the top of the ballot that will have the 2012 City Council election, and thus a high minority turnout anticipated, this could have huge ramifications for the 2012 regular Council election.
Virginia Beach was 21.2% minority at the 1990 Census, 30.5% minority at the 2000 Census, and 35.5% minority at the 2010 Census. There were fewer Whites living in Virginia Beach in 2010 than in 1990. A look at the 2010 Census numbers will show you that Virginia Beach will easily surpass 40% minority by the 2020 Census. The status quoers who think they can continue to reject inclusion are whistling in the graveyard. Fundamental structural change in how Virginia Beach is governed is coming, one way or another, whether you like it or not.
Friday, February 11, 2011
HRPTA Light Rail Forum
On Wednesday morning there was a light rail forum at the MacArthur Memorial Auditorium in downtown Norfolk. The event was presented by the Hampton Roads Public Transportation Alliance (HRPTA). Randy Wright is the current HRPTA President. Speaking were Councilperson Pat Woodbury of Newport News, Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) President Phillip Shucet, and Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim.
Also there were Mayor Kenny Wright of Portsmouth and Jeanne Evans. While Evans was there as representative of Senator Jim Webb's office, later in the week she was named Executive Director of Virginia Beach's Central Business District Association (CBDA).
In addition, five came from the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA): Robert Dean, Reid Greenmun, Ben Krause, and two Kool-Aid chuggers I couldn't identify. Always self-important, they sat in the front row by the speaker's podium. The best part: Reid Greenmun bought a Light Rail Now t-shirt. Next time LRT opponents whine about who is financing LRN, simply point out Greenmun is, too.
Shucet covered two central themes. First, what is going on with construction of The Tide. Second, to be a mass transit advocate means advocating for much more than light rail.
Fraim stated that the two primary lessons from Starter Line construction were the need to better monitor spending, and better coordination with state and Federal governments.
Since Ben Krause has already tried to misconstrue Fraim's comments on Norfolk's rationale for light rail, I'll devote more time to them than I originally planned. Norfolk has an economy of $13.9 billion, even larger than Virginia Beach's $10.4 billion. 91k commute to jobs in Norfolk from elsewhere in the region, 82% by Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV). 60k of those commuters are from Virginia Beach. (30k from Norfolk commute to work elsewhere in the region.) Especially with Norfolk a relatively small land mass, moving those workers is a major concern for Norfolk economically. Some of those jobs could go elsewhere if the transportation issues aren't tackled. That's why light rail is paramount, and the Virginia Beach extension (given the number of workers) is huge.
The jaw-dropper of the morning: Reid Greenmun has joined the Hampton Roads Public Transportation Alliance (HRPTA)! Greenmun joining the HRPTA is one of the most shamelessly brazen things I've heard of in my life! What part of "Public Transportation" doesn't he understand? He's on record repeatedly calling for it's abolition.
(Memo to the Virginia Beach City Council: you actually want to put light rail to referendum and give people like that center stage for such antics? You can't be serious!)
HRT Staff taped the forum, planning to later put it on their YouTube channel. (Two hours ago it still hadn't been posted.)
Also there were Mayor Kenny Wright of Portsmouth and Jeanne Evans. While Evans was there as representative of Senator Jim Webb's office, later in the week she was named Executive Director of Virginia Beach's Central Business District Association (CBDA).
In addition, five came from the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA): Robert Dean, Reid Greenmun, Ben Krause, and two Kool-Aid chuggers I couldn't identify. Always self-important, they sat in the front row by the speaker's podium. The best part: Reid Greenmun bought a Light Rail Now t-shirt. Next time LRT opponents whine about who is financing LRN, simply point out Greenmun is, too.
Shucet covered two central themes. First, what is going on with construction of The Tide. Second, to be a mass transit advocate means advocating for much more than light rail.
Fraim stated that the two primary lessons from Starter Line construction were the need to better monitor spending, and better coordination with state and Federal governments.
Since Ben Krause has already tried to misconstrue Fraim's comments on Norfolk's rationale for light rail, I'll devote more time to them than I originally planned. Norfolk has an economy of $13.9 billion, even larger than Virginia Beach's $10.4 billion. 91k commute to jobs in Norfolk from elsewhere in the region, 82% by Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV). 60k of those commuters are from Virginia Beach. (30k from Norfolk commute to work elsewhere in the region.) Especially with Norfolk a relatively small land mass, moving those workers is a major concern for Norfolk economically. Some of those jobs could go elsewhere if the transportation issues aren't tackled. That's why light rail is paramount, and the Virginia Beach extension (given the number of workers) is huge.
The jaw-dropper of the morning: Reid Greenmun has joined the Hampton Roads Public Transportation Alliance (HRPTA)! Greenmun joining the HRPTA is one of the most shamelessly brazen things I've heard of in my life! What part of "Public Transportation" doesn't he understand? He's on record repeatedly calling for it's abolition.
(Memo to the Virginia Beach City Council: you actually want to put light rail to referendum and give people like that center stage for such antics? You can't be serious!)
HRT Staff taped the forum, planning to later put it on their YouTube channel. (Two hours ago it still hadn't been posted.)
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Playing 47 Questions
On Wednesday evening there was the first public meeting on the region's 2034 Long Range Plan (LRP) for transportation. The meeting was held at the Regional Building in Chesapeake.
The LRP is a Federally-mandated plan that looks at our region's transportation needs at a 20 year horizon, with the Plan having to be updated every 4 years. Projects must be in the LRP to be eligible for Federal funding.
Things began with an open forum, where citizens could read documents, view charts, and ask questions of staff. (It was the first time I had seen the full list of projects from the prioritization tool.) There then was a Presentation on the LRP. That was followed by a question and answer session. It was a robust portion, with 47 questions asked. (Staff noted all 47 questions.) Finally, things ended with another open forum.
While there was a nice contingent from Light Rail Now, zero members of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance showed up. (They either were asleep at the wheel again or don't give a damn about our transportation network. Maybe both.) The heartening thing was the number of citizens who showed up who normally don't attend such meetings. They simply are fed up with our transportation problems not being tackled, and want to get involved.
Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) Executive Director Dwight Farmer stated that the 2034 LRP will be the focal point of the TPO's February 17 Retreat.
The LRP is a Federally-mandated plan that looks at our region's transportation needs at a 20 year horizon, with the Plan having to be updated every 4 years. Projects must be in the LRP to be eligible for Federal funding.
Things began with an open forum, where citizens could read documents, view charts, and ask questions of staff. (It was the first time I had seen the full list of projects from the prioritization tool.) There then was a Presentation on the LRP. That was followed by a question and answer session. It was a robust portion, with 47 questions asked. (Staff noted all 47 questions.) Finally, things ended with another open forum.
While there was a nice contingent from Light Rail Now, zero members of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance showed up. (They either were asleep at the wheel again or don't give a damn about our transportation network. Maybe both.) The heartening thing was the number of citizens who showed up who normally don't attend such meetings. They simply are fed up with our transportation problems not being tackled, and want to get involved.
Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) Executive Director Dwight Farmer stated that the 2034 LRP will be the focal point of the TPO's February 17 Retreat.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Jobs, Transportation, and Housing Symposium
On Thursday morning there was a Jobs, Transportation, and Housing Symposium. About 100 people came to the Regional Building in Chesapeake, with the group roughly evenly split between housing and transportation advocates.
Being from Virginia Beach, I'm well-aware that we often get portrayed as the brake on regional efforts. Therefore, I was happy to see Virginia Beach dominate a regional forum in Chesapeake.
Mary Kay Horoszewski, Executive Director of the Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation (VBCDC), gave the opening remarks and served as Moderator. Dwight Farmer, Executive Director of the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) and Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC), made brief remarks. Following that, Andy Friedman, Director of Virginia Beach's Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation (DHNP) spoke. He noted that traditionally housing was assumed to take care of itself, while transportation was looked at almost solely based on the automobile. Both attitudes are outdated, and we need to note the interrelation between the three.
The first speaker was Trip Pollard of the Southern Environmental Law Center, who made a Presentation on his White Paper Jobs, Transportation, and Housing: Connecting Home And Work. He gave us a few nuggets. First, the vast majority of Hampton Roads' households spend over 45% of household income on housing and transportation combined, a percentage with serious long-term negative ramifications. Second, Virginia leads the nation in largest percentage of people commuting to jobs outside their county of residence. (That helps explain our transportation problems....) Third, when doing a long-term roads plan, the Charlottesville region looked at an alternative featuring a robust mass transit system. The alternative would cut the need for building new roads in half. Fourth, often we have mass transit in the wrong place for it to get people to quality jobs. Pollard used a map that placed the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) route system against where the jobs were. The mismatch was stark. (Having studied GRTC's route system somewhat, I knew it was worse than the graphic portrayed it.)
Next was Dr. Camelia Ravanbakht, Deputy Executive Director of the TPO. She covered existing transportation in Hampton Roads. First, our Vehicle Miles Travelled has grown at nearly twice the rate of population growth and new roads construction. Second, our number of registered vehicles has grown at more than three times the rate of population growth. Third, Senior Citizens will nearly double as a population percentage regionally by 2030, with 25% of them currently non-drivers. Fourth, the nuke fell under the 2034 Long Range Transportation Plan for the region, which planning is just starting on: the number of candidate transportation projects in Hampton Roads is about 15 times the ability to pay for them with current funds! (Hampton Roads, we have one hell of a problem!)
Andrew Heatwole then spoke. First, he noted parking was going to be a huge problem in doing redevelopment. There may be a need for a Parking Authority. Second, single car households can afford a mortgage $100-120k larger, as the reduced transportation costs can be placed towards housing in the family budget. Third, car trips per day by those living in Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) areas is 3.55, versus 10 in suburbia. Fourth, he gave figures from a study on transit usage for commuting. 35% will use transit if there is a stop at the office, 23% if a stop within a quarter mile, and 10% with a half mile walk. Fifth, Form-Based Zoning would help redevelopment in Virginia Beach.
We then heard from Barry Frankenfield, Manager of Virginia Beach's Strategic Growth Area (SGA) Office. (For all I've dealt with Barry, I didn't previously know he was a landscape architect by training.) Frankenfield spoke of Form-Based Zoning in the works for the Resort Area, while overlay districts are being looked at elsewhere. There are two key things Virginia Beach is looking for in SGA redevelopment proposals: good design, and it makes economic sense.
Next speaker was Frank Spadea, CEO of Franciscus Company, which specializes in building affordable housing. He addressed obstacles Franciscus has faced in constructing such units.
Finally, there was Cynthia Whitbred-Spanoulis from Virginia Beach's Department of Economic Development (DED), pinch-hitting for DED Director Warren Harris. The breakdown for jobs creation in Virginia Beach is existing companies expanding (80%), new startups (18%), and relocations here (2%). The number one thing companies are looking for is workforce development: not only existing workforce here, but the ability to attract applicants to move here to work.
Things wrapped up with a Question and Answer Session.
I spotted the camera out that HRPDC staff normally uses for taping HRPDC and TPO meetings for YouTube, so the program might be online later.
The forum was sponsored by Housing Virginia, Hampton Roads Housing Consortium, Hampton Roads ULI, Tidewater Builders Association, Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation, The Housing Roundtable, and Light Rail Now. In addition, the forum was supported by BB&T.
Being from Virginia Beach, I'm well-aware that we often get portrayed as the brake on regional efforts. Therefore, I was happy to see Virginia Beach dominate a regional forum in Chesapeake.
Mary Kay Horoszewski, Executive Director of the Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation (VBCDC), gave the opening remarks and served as Moderator. Dwight Farmer, Executive Director of the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) and Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC), made brief remarks. Following that, Andy Friedman, Director of Virginia Beach's Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation (DHNP) spoke. He noted that traditionally housing was assumed to take care of itself, while transportation was looked at almost solely based on the automobile. Both attitudes are outdated, and we need to note the interrelation between the three.
The first speaker was Trip Pollard of the Southern Environmental Law Center, who made a Presentation on his White Paper Jobs, Transportation, and Housing: Connecting Home And Work. He gave us a few nuggets. First, the vast majority of Hampton Roads' households spend over 45% of household income on housing and transportation combined, a percentage with serious long-term negative ramifications. Second, Virginia leads the nation in largest percentage of people commuting to jobs outside their county of residence. (That helps explain our transportation problems....) Third, when doing a long-term roads plan, the Charlottesville region looked at an alternative featuring a robust mass transit system. The alternative would cut the need for building new roads in half. Fourth, often we have mass transit in the wrong place for it to get people to quality jobs. Pollard used a map that placed the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) route system against where the jobs were. The mismatch was stark. (Having studied GRTC's route system somewhat, I knew it was worse than the graphic portrayed it.)
Next was Dr. Camelia Ravanbakht, Deputy Executive Director of the TPO. She covered existing transportation in Hampton Roads. First, our Vehicle Miles Travelled has grown at nearly twice the rate of population growth and new roads construction. Second, our number of registered vehicles has grown at more than three times the rate of population growth. Third, Senior Citizens will nearly double as a population percentage regionally by 2030, with 25% of them currently non-drivers. Fourth, the nuke fell under the 2034 Long Range Transportation Plan for the region, which planning is just starting on: the number of candidate transportation projects in Hampton Roads is about 15 times the ability to pay for them with current funds! (Hampton Roads, we have one hell of a problem!)
Andrew Heatwole then spoke. First, he noted parking was going to be a huge problem in doing redevelopment. There may be a need for a Parking Authority. Second, single car households can afford a mortgage $100-120k larger, as the reduced transportation costs can be placed towards housing in the family budget. Third, car trips per day by those living in Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) areas is 3.55, versus 10 in suburbia. Fourth, he gave figures from a study on transit usage for commuting. 35% will use transit if there is a stop at the office, 23% if a stop within a quarter mile, and 10% with a half mile walk. Fifth, Form-Based Zoning would help redevelopment in Virginia Beach.
We then heard from Barry Frankenfield, Manager of Virginia Beach's Strategic Growth Area (SGA) Office. (For all I've dealt with Barry, I didn't previously know he was a landscape architect by training.) Frankenfield spoke of Form-Based Zoning in the works for the Resort Area, while overlay districts are being looked at elsewhere. There are two key things Virginia Beach is looking for in SGA redevelopment proposals: good design, and it makes economic sense.
Next speaker was Frank Spadea, CEO of Franciscus Company, which specializes in building affordable housing. He addressed obstacles Franciscus has faced in constructing such units.
Finally, there was Cynthia Whitbred-Spanoulis from Virginia Beach's Department of Economic Development (DED), pinch-hitting for DED Director Warren Harris. The breakdown for jobs creation in Virginia Beach is existing companies expanding (80%), new startups (18%), and relocations here (2%). The number one thing companies are looking for is workforce development: not only existing workforce here, but the ability to attract applicants to move here to work.
Things wrapped up with a Question and Answer Session.
I spotted the camera out that HRPDC staff normally uses for taping HRPDC and TPO meetings for YouTube, so the program might be online later.
The forum was sponsored by Housing Virginia, Hampton Roads Housing Consortium, Hampton Roads ULI, Tidewater Builders Association, Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation, The Housing Roundtable, and Light Rail Now. In addition, the forum was supported by BB&T.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Norfolk Southern ROW Deal Passes 10-0!
This evening the Virginia Beach City Council voted 10-0 to purchase the Norfolk Southern Right-Of-Way, a potential mass transit corridor that runs in a straight east-west line across our city. Rosemary Wilson was absent.
It was the first public show of strength by Light Rail Now (LRN), with supporters wearing Light Rail Now lapel stickers. Online threats by the opposition prompted LRN to mobilize.
Speaking of the opposition, Robert Dean was the only major VBTAer front and center. (Afterwards I saw John Moss outside the Council Chambers.) Mostly a cast of characters no one had ever heard of. Not only did they overstate what was on the line tonight, but made some ridiculous statements during their remarks. As I said later, "They threw their third stringers at us and we chewed them up."
Three television cameras were there: WAVY, WVEC, and one I couldn't identify. Andy Fox came over after I spoke, got the spelling of my name right, and looked at the written text of my remarks. Hey, I may be on Channel 10 later.
Shortly after my remarks to Council, a VBTAer came over and called me a "no damn good bus rider." I'm tempted to use that quote on the blog banner.
It was the first public show of strength by Light Rail Now (LRN), with supporters wearing Light Rail Now lapel stickers. Online threats by the opposition prompted LRN to mobilize.
Speaking of the opposition, Robert Dean was the only major VBTAer front and center. (Afterwards I saw John Moss outside the Council Chambers.) Mostly a cast of characters no one had ever heard of. Not only did they overstate what was on the line tonight, but made some ridiculous statements during their remarks. As I said later, "They threw their third stringers at us and we chewed them up."
Three television cameras were there: WAVY, WVEC, and one I couldn't identify. Andy Fox came over after I spoke, got the spelling of my name right, and looked at the written text of my remarks. Hey, I may be on Channel 10 later.
Shortly after my remarks to Council, a VBTAer came over and called me a "no damn good bus rider." I'm tempted to use that quote on the blog banner.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
The Deanlusional Deantator Doesn't Get It
Among those who attended last night's CCO meeting was Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) Maximum Leader Robert Dean. He arrived late, and sat in the rear. Towards the end, he rose to give a farcical speech.
1. He began with his usual anti-tax gig, going on how taxation was slashing our disposable incomes.
Nothing new. Any anti-taxer could have given it.
2. He then attacked light rail. He went on how a few times this year the VBTA had contacted the CCO Board of Directors about opposing it, only to be rebuffed.
What was Dean expecting? The Board to be shamed and come out against it now? The civic league representatives to be appalled by the Board's actions and rise up against them? If Dean hasn't noticed, the CCO has a representative on the Light Rail Now (LRN) Board of Directors. Also, two other CCO personalities sit on the LRN Board. It's far more savvy to be sitting at the table helping craft a proposal, than to be on the outside screaming like raging lunatics.
The telling thing: Dean's rant was met with a yawn. Everyone in the room was civicly active. If they embraced the VBTA's beyond the pale extremism, they'd join the tiny breakfast cult. They don't join because they recognize the VBTA as a collection of racist kooks.
The bigger issue is that while the VBTA claims "We are the people", the CCO isn't even singing the same gendre of music. The lays the lie to the VBTA's claim to be the real representatives of the residents. The VBTA has looked upon the CCO as a threat, trying to plant VBTAers on the CCO Board.
1. He began with his usual anti-tax gig, going on how taxation was slashing our disposable incomes.
Nothing new. Any anti-taxer could have given it.
2. He then attacked light rail. He went on how a few times this year the VBTA had contacted the CCO Board of Directors about opposing it, only to be rebuffed.
What was Dean expecting? The Board to be shamed and come out against it now? The civic league representatives to be appalled by the Board's actions and rise up against them? If Dean hasn't noticed, the CCO has a representative on the Light Rail Now (LRN) Board of Directors. Also, two other CCO personalities sit on the LRN Board. It's far more savvy to be sitting at the table helping craft a proposal, than to be on the outside screaming like raging lunatics.
The telling thing: Dean's rant was met with a yawn. Everyone in the room was civicly active. If they embraced the VBTA's beyond the pale extremism, they'd join the tiny breakfast cult. They don't join because they recognize the VBTA as a collection of racist kooks.
The bigger issue is that while the VBTA claims "We are the people", the CCO isn't even singing the same gendre of music. The lays the lie to the VBTA's claim to be the real representatives of the residents. The VBTA has looked upon the CCO as a threat, trying to plant VBTAers on the CCO Board.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Keep The Tent Up
Yesterday's Virginian-Pravda brought us an article on Light Rail Now (LRN), the advocacy group that has been launched in Virginia Beach. http://hamptonroads.com/2010/08/va-beach-businesses-raise-cash-light-rail-now It's been awhile since I've used this blog to comment at length based on one of their stories, but I will this morning. A flawed assumption in the formation of LRN is that the group will only have to stand a couple years and can then fold, once the threat of the issue getting punted to refernedum has passed. I adamantly disagree on a couple levels.
First is quite specific to light rail. Two years would probably get LRN to the decision to begin preliminary engineering on a Virginia Beach line, but a Final Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) won't probably be until late 2014 or 2015. LRN needs to remain in tact until the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has signed our FFGA! The Virginia Beach proposal could still potentially fall apart in that two-three year window if we're not vigilante.
The second is more generally political. Not in my memory has Virginia Beach seen a political coalition as broad as this one put together. The personalities now brought together by LRN could be the basis of a political coalition to move Virginia Beach forward on many other issues, too. Given such, you want to keep them in the same room together as long as possible.
In the Summer of 1914, the Royal Navy had been on maneuvers in the North Sea. When Winston Churchill received the news at the Admiralty that Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary) had been assassinated in Sarajevo, he gave the order for the fleet to not disperse. They held at Scapa Flow and were ready for combat when war broke out days later.
In the same vein, LRN should not be dispersed. While the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) is clinically dead and royally botched it's dance card for November's election, another regressive force could always come along in the wake of the VBTA. You want to have the forward-looking factions in Virginia Beach politics used to working together so they can do so well into the future.
First is quite specific to light rail. Two years would probably get LRN to the decision to begin preliminary engineering on a Virginia Beach line, but a Final Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) won't probably be until late 2014 or 2015. LRN needs to remain in tact until the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has signed our FFGA! The Virginia Beach proposal could still potentially fall apart in that two-three year window if we're not vigilante.
The second is more generally political. Not in my memory has Virginia Beach seen a political coalition as broad as this one put together. The personalities now brought together by LRN could be the basis of a political coalition to move Virginia Beach forward on many other issues, too. Given such, you want to keep them in the same room together as long as possible.
In the Summer of 1914, the Royal Navy had been on maneuvers in the North Sea. When Winston Churchill received the news at the Admiralty that Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary) had been assassinated in Sarajevo, he gave the order for the fleet to not disperse. They held at Scapa Flow and were ready for combat when war broke out days later.
In the same vein, LRN should not be dispersed. While the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) is clinically dead and royally botched it's dance card for November's election, another regressive force could always come along in the wake of the VBTA. You want to have the forward-looking factions in Virginia Beach politics used to working together so they can do so well into the future.
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