Petition filed to repeal light rail plan
A petition was submitted to the Kansas City City Clerk's office today to force action to repeal the Chastain Light Rail Plan:
Section 1. That Ordinance 060931, As Amended, passed by the Council of Kansas City on August 24, 2006, and approved by the voters on November 7, 2006, is repealed.
If enough signatures are valid (5% of the total who voted for mayor in the last election are required, or 4,238
Section 1. That Ordinance 060931, As Amended, passed by the Council of Kansas City on August 24, 2006, and approved by the voters on November 7, 2006, is repealed. If enough signatures are valid (5% of the total who voted for mayor in the last election are required, or 4,238[petition was submitted to the Kansas City City Clerk's office today to force action to repeal the Chastain Light Rail Plan: Section 1. That Ordinance 060931, As Amended, passed by the Council of Kansas City on August 24, 2006, and approved by the voters on November 7, 2006, is repealed. If enough signatures are valid (5% of the total who voted for mayor in the last election are required, or 4,238? And finally, does anyone think the Council will actually vote on this? I suspect quotes in the coming days such as, "we need to let the people tell us what they want to do" and more strongly-worded versions of things said before, like "this plan is flawed." The petition states for the Mayor and Council to develop their own plan to present to voters. We'll have to keep waiting to see what that is. Links
Notes
The Kansas City Star says the petition group was organized in part by James Nutter, who is quoted as saying, "I’m not against light rail per se." Greg Patterson, also an organizer of the petition, is quoted saying "We can’t chip away at the edges of this thing. … We need to start over."
The attitude of the petition organizers begs the question of why they would repeal rather then amend the current plan.
Also, if the light rail plan is repealed, what happens to the $2.5 million that Senator Bond secured to study light rail
And finally, does anyone think the Council will actually vote on this? I suspect quotes in the coming days such as, "we need to let the people tell us what they want to do" and more strongly-worded versions of things said before, like "this plan is flawed."
The petition states for [back]
Section 1. That Ordinance 060931, As Amended, passed by the Council of Kansas City on August 24, 2006, and approved by the voters on November 7, 2006, is repealed.
If enough signatures are valid (5% of the total who voted for mayor in the last election are required, or 4,238
The group behind the petition insists the goal is "to allow the Mayor and City Council to develop a rational light rail plan unencumbered by the unworkable dictates of Ordinance 060931 [Chastain's Light Rail plan], as Amended, tobe presented to the voters." However, the petition only asks the Council to repeal the Chastain plan and makes no mention of the Council creating a new plan.
The Kansas City Star says the petition group was organized in part by James Nutter, who is quoted as saying, "I’m not against light rail per se." Greg Patterson, also an organizer of the petition, is quoted saying "We can’t chip away at the edges of this thing. … We need to start over."
The attitude of the petition organizers begs the question of why they would repeal rather then amend the current plan.
Also, if the light rail plan is repealed, what happens to the $2.5 million that Senator Bond secured to study light rail
8 Comments so far
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It’s pretty amazing to me that we’re actually 1 year out of having Clay Chastain’s plan approved for light rail and we’re exactly zero closer to having a light rail plan than we were 13 months ago…in fact, some days it seems like we’re further away, because we’re setting the precedent that what the people want doesn’t matter…
I think that the big danger here is that the petition does not replace the Chastain plan with a better approach, it simply kills it. That’s dangerous because a ballot measure killing it may be defeated, but a ballot measure making the apporach better will pass.
So what happens if the ballot measure that just kills it doesn’t pass? Are we stuck with the Chastain plan?
Nutter’s approach is flawed.
Does the City Council have the ability to modify the ballot language into something we’re sure will pass and improve our approach to light rail? I suspect not.
This is bad poltics, bad public policy and it’s going to mess things up.
I feel like I should not have been so suprised that this happened. Contemporary activists always say no to things, but rarely offer alternatives.
i think we can in good conscience vote no on repealing the plan since the city was expecting to do that anyway with a november 2008 replacement plan. maybe i’m wrong…
you’re right, i don’t want to hear it and neither does anyone else.
Streetcars downtown could still come in money wise with private investment.
Light Rail to Airport would come after more population in northland. would be about 20-25 years for northland.
Will bonds go out for bid or handed over to a in town firm?? We need to go for the best deal for the starter line.
[...] Repeal the Chastain Plan on it’s own, without going to voters. 2. Place the Nutter repeal initiative petition on the February ballot. 3. Place a new, alternative plan on the February ballot [...]