San Jose Vice Mayor Dave Cortese recently fired off a guest column in the Evergreen Times, hammering the Valley Transportation Authority (he sits on the board) for suspending progress on the Eastridge light rail extension in his district. Cortese says the $334 million project was promised to voters when they approved Measure A, the sales tax measure for a variety of transportation projects, in 2000. Along with the 2.6-mile extension through District 8, the plan included three light rail stations and an expanded Eastridge transit center. “The VTA wants to cut one of the most highly anticipated projects in our county in order to balance the books,” Cortese wrote in the Evergreen Times. “Most outrageous has been the quiet suggestion that if you cut this extension you can build BART to San Jose. That is false.” But the costly project, which by one estimate could carry 1,100 people each day—2,200 boardings—by the year 2030, is just one of many in the Measure A proposal that’s being reconsidered. Basically, Measure A just didn’t raise as much money as projected and now the VTA board will review each project over the next few months. Cortese says the rail extension to Eastridge should get priority and that cutting it out at this point would be an outrage. But the histrionics don’t seem to have impressed Michael Burns, general manager for the VTA, who says each proposal will get its due. “No decisions have been made to cancel any projects, including the Eastridge Light Rail Extension,” Burns said.
San Jose Inside
San Jose Inside (https://www.sanjoseinside.com)
It doesn’t matter whether VTA votes to prioritize this project or not, it is dead if the 1/8 cent tax increase passes. VTA has not presented any expediture plans based on the 1/8 cent and VTA’s own audit admitted that even a new 1/4 cent tax isn’t even enough.
Cortese may be too chickened to go head to head against Guardino, but for everyone else who cares about Caltrain, buses and light rail, the choice on the 1/8 cent tax is very clear.
Cortese is all over the place. He wants both Eastridge LRT and BART, yet admits there’s not enough money [He concedes that for BART, “we only have about 75 percent of the funding.”]
If we don’t have enough money for the program of projects from Measure A, the choice is get more money, perhaps by raising taxes, or go back to the drawing board and design/build projects that stay within the budget. This is what private citizens must do all of the time. Private citizens, however, cannot raise taxes, so they must live within their means.
I’d like to see Cortese oppose BART if Eastside light rail is canceled, though.
If the BART project could be replaced with a much less expensive alternative, say, Caltrain Metro East,
http://www.bayrailalliance.org/caltrain_metro_east
the savings could be used for the LRT that Cortese wants for his district. Getting rid of that stupid airport “people mover” would free up additional funds.
Cortese is a big fan of Reid-Hillview. So, why is Light Rail needed when those residents can walk to their airplanes and fly wherever they need to go.
East San Jose residents can buy helicopters for local trips.
Shame on anyone who believes that VTA promises will be kept. At some point, most folks discover that there really is no Tooth Fairy after all.
How much are we taxpayers expected to pay for a line that will serve a mere 1100 people per day BY 2030???!! And you know the official number for construction is low by half and the ridership projection is high by half. I’d bet that you could give 1100 people per day an Outreach van from point to point for less than this boondoggle would cost.
#5 JMO- Outreach VANS? You are SO 2008. Havent’t you seen the 2009 fleet of Prii?
Just you wait!
Next year it’ll be solar & wind powered, transfat free MOMs (mobile eco-modules).
(@ $255,000 a pop).
Vote NO on this BART 1/8 cent turkey.
BART is an outdated system. Europe already has a solar powered light rail.