KC Light Rail

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Council to vote on repealing light rail plan

November 08th, 2007 | Category: Legal, Election

The City Council's docket for today includes voting on repealing the voter-approved light rail plan from November 2006. The Council could also vote on a back-up of sorts, by voting whether to place the petition initiative on the ballot in February. This will allow voters to repeal the plan themselves if for some reason the Council's action of repealing it is hit with a lawsuit or other snafu.

Also on the docket is ordinance 071202, which reads like this (emphasis added):

Section 1. That the Mayor and City Council will honor the intent of the citizens of Kansas City who voted in November 2006 for light rail and commit to placing on the ballot no later than November 4, 2008, a transportation plan which includes a workable light rail and continued 3/8 cent funding for the bus system. The Mayor and Council will continue to work with the KCATA, MARC, and other stakeholders in the planning of a comprehensive transit system in order to provide transit mobility options for our citizens

We'll know more after the session starts at 3pm today.

Links:

  • Ordinance 071130 - Repeal of Light Rail plan
  • Ordinance 071131 - Send petition initiative to ballot
  • Ordinance 071202 - Commitment to create a transportation plan

UPDATE: The Council has repealed the plan approved in 2006, 10 - 3.

Those voting for the repeal:

  • Hermann
  • Skaggs
  • Ford
  • Johnson
  • Curls
  • Sanders Brooks
  • Gottstein Riley
  • Marcason
  • Circo
  • Funkhouser

Those voting against:

  • Riley Gottstein
  • Jolly
  • Sharp

Both of the other ordinances passed unanimously.

4 Comments so far

  1. Dave November 8th, 2007 10:41 pm

    i don’t think there will be any serious fallout from today’s decision. as long as the council keeps the ball rolling people will be generally pleased. this is just the beginning, actually, since the real heat will come when we try to get NKC to agree on their portion and exactly what new funding source KCMO will be asked to vote on.

  2. Chris Hernandez November 9th, 2007 11:40 am

    The vote you’ve posted is incorrect. I think you posted the vote on calling the question, rather than the actual repeal… which is slightly different.
    Gottstein voted against the repeal, Riley voted for it.
    CH

  3. Jeff November 9th, 2007 4:38 pm

    Thanks, Chris. I got the two mixed up.

  4. Dave-o November 9th, 2007 10:02 pm

    Just the beginning?

    The current city council and mayor have been in place for over six months, yes?

    And thus far the only progress that’s been made is to reject Chastain’s ridiculous proposal?

    At this rate, we’ll be lucky to see light rail in Kansas City before 2080.

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