Closing arguments before the polls open
A few notes before the polls open at 6 a.m. tomorrow in Kansas City:
- The Kansas City Star has endorsed the ballot question.
- The City Council vote to put the question on the ballot was unanimous.
- The Alternatives Analysis, required for federal funding, is in progress and should complete before the sales tax takes effect in April.
- Missouri Senator Kit Bond has already provided an earmark for funding the AA and is likely to help again.
- Regional planning is underway to connect to or expand the starter line; a regional funding election will take place regardless of tomorrow's outcome.
- Demand for transit is rising all over the metro and air quality is deteriorating annually.
- Gas prices are down now, but still volatile.
- Proposition C is expected to pass, requiring Missouri utilities use renewable sources of energy.
- All polling indicates Barack Obama will win the Electoral College and popular vote, increasing the chances that federal funding for transit will increase in the next four years.
And finally… long lines are expected and there are fewer polling places in KCMO than in the 2004 election. If you're in line before 7 p.m. you have the right to cast a ballot.
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Not sure the star endorsement is your strongest lead — but yeah, I agree. We’ll see how things go tomorrow.
After all of the effort that has been put forth here, I really hope there is something to positive to talk about after tomorrow. Best wishes.
It did not pass and I am hugely disappointed. We make efforts to revitalize down town through the sprint center and the power and light district and yet we can’t pass a resolution to offer transporation to get there. I drove downtown earlier this year to the sprint center / power and light district. Parking was expensive and it was a traffic mess finding a space. I’d rather avoid driving a car. With light rail, I’d find myself downtown much more. I’d love to go to the city market and first fridays more often but parking tends to prevent more frequent trips. I don’t quite understand the opposition. I saw very little positive information on light rail. Signs opposing it littered yards. Commercial crying over costs. Back when my mom was growing up, downtown used to be the place to be. I hope we can get there again.
I read somewhere that one line of light rail has more than 8 times the capacity of one lane of freeway during peak times. A petty three-eighths-cent sales tax is more than worth it to me.