Downtowners are leading on streetcar election
It’s not unusual for a small group to be the catalyst for something bigger than themselves. That’s what downtown residents are about to embrace.
The voting process for the downtown streetcar is underway. This small project will trigger a transit renaissance in Kansas City, stimulating our economy and spurring private investment downtown. It’s the right project at the right time.
Downtown residents have the chance to make history in Kansas City with the election to form a Transportation Development District to fund the streetcar.
While the process might be unusual, the outcome is simple — this election will give downtown residents the opportunity to establish a Transportation Development District that will improve the quality of life for all those who live, play or work downtown.
It’s important to remember that the concept was created by the Missouri Legislature to encourage residents to fund transportation improvements on their own.
It is part of the state’s economic development toolbox — which includes Community Improvement Districts, property tax abatements, and tax increment financing — which has been used extensively to bring downtown back to life.
What’s more, a “yes” vote at this point in the process won’t cost taxpayers — or government — a dime.
It simply sets us on the right path to pursue federal funding and kick-start regional transit. A second election later in the year will determine what downtowners will pay into the district, also a simple yes or no vote. All around the country, our peer cities are investing in public transportation and reaping the benefits, from the development of underdeveloped areas to new jobs and increased tourism.
Kansas City is behind the curve but it’s not too late to right this wrong.
Downtown residents should visit www.connect-kc.com to get details on how they can cast their vote in this mail-in election.
To participate, voters must send in a ballot request application along with their voter registration by May 22nd.
The process takes just a few minutes to complete and all the information you need — mailing address and the link to attain voter registration status — is at the website.
At its peak in 1922, 136 million rides were given on Kansas City’s 319-mile streetcar network. Not a bus in sight at the time.
Population approaching 400,000 was confined to an area extending no farther south than the Plaza. Fast-forward to our new millennium — well after the demise of streetcar networks nationwide — the promises of cheap housing on the fringe and cheap gas to take you there are gone.
A new generation, hesitant to repeat the same mistakes and distracted by a need to be constantly connected instead of constantly driving, are rejecting the status quo.
But this isn’t fueled by nostalgia — since most of us don’t even remember the streetcar days.
It’s fueled by lessons history has taught us. Building cities takes a long time, repairing them takes even longer. Let downtowners lead the way, so that others may follow.
David Johnson is a downtown worker and residential property owner. He supports improved transit metro-wide and is the co-founder of Streetcar Neighbors, a grassroots organization of downtown residents in support of the streetcar project.
George Hunsucker
Northland
1 year agoearth to Mr. Johnson…. the federal govt. has no money—it merely borrows from China, or anyone else stupid enough to loan it money, so it can give it to programs like these… If the plan was soooooooooooooo good, private enterprise would fund it, It is not, so you lurch for the “free money”….. another entitelement for the rich,,,,
Tom Ryan
Crossroads, Kansas City
1 year agoNot all downtowners agree, David…
Tom Ryan
Crossroads, Kansas City
1 year agoKansas City streetcar system should connect people not things…
I will vote against the planned downtown Kansas City streetcar system because it will connect attractions, not people. The project reminds me of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts; it’s build for sound not people. Yet perhaps because of that emphasis upon things and not people, this streetcar system may become a not-so-amusing unsustainable reality.
The proposed plan runs north/south, connecting places. I propose it should run east/west to connect people.
Public transportation should serve the public not the just the predominantly Caucasian slice of an already “district’d” city.
I’ll save you the long diatribe here and merely recommend that if you have a vote in this to vote “no”. I live downtown in the taxable bubble of this proposed project and cannot fathom that we would build such an amusement park-like ride in the midst of so many other pressing challenges aching for resources in this city. Then again, there are those interested in connecting things, not people.
Kevin Carlyle
1 year agoTom Ryan, the majority of density in KC is along north-south routes. that’s the historical development of Kansas City. All the jobs are along the spine from downtown to the plaza. Every tall condo tower is along the same route. The east side is extremely empty compared to north-south. There’s thousands of empty houses between Troost and Independence.
Oh, and the Kauffman Center being built for sound is how it’s built for people. Not sure where you got the idea that you build a performing arts center and put sound quality second. Would you go to a concert if you thought you wouldn’t be able to hear the music right due to echoing?
If you can’t be bothered to understand what you’re talking about then why should people listen to you?
George Hunsucker
Northland
1 year agoNice touch Kevin…. why are people who question all these smart lib ideas automatically attacked by same??? Must be another lib thing I guess….
Kevin Carlyle
1 year agoYes, I never got libertarians being against their own ideas.
This is a small area wanting to build something for themselves. They are choosing to tax themselves. That’s the definition of a small government.
The bigger train projects they then bring up as being a better idea rightfully crashed and burned because they were too expensive for where they went.
In this case the disconnect is they forget people go to things. That’s why you connect things, so people can get to them. It’s maximizing the use of our money. If someone can go from thing to thing without needing to spend $50 million per parking garage then that’s money well spent.
If someone wants to complain about wasted money, ask why we spent $50 million on a single parking garage when we can’t fill the ones we already have. That money could have gone to more transit to go east-west across downtown with a streetcar as well as north-south
George Hunsucker
Northland
1 year ago“pursuing Federal Funding” is not “building something for themselves” Kevin, but maybe it is in lib land…..
If you people want streetcars, then by all means buy and operate them, just don’t ask all we non-users to subsidize your boondoggle…..
Tom Ryan
Crossroads, Kansas City
1 year agoIt’s early days, Kevin. My recommendation is an east/west route. Glad this stirs discussion. Write on.
Kevin Carlyle
1 year agothere’s 4x as much bus service going N-S out of downtown as there is going E-W out of downtown
Kevin Carlyle
1 year agoGeorge, the city has said they can still build without federal money, it will just take longer.
Or do you want your federal taxes going to states like Illinois?
George Hunsucker
Northland
1 year agoKevin,
i want my Federal Taxes cut and govt. to shrink, not coninuing growing like the monster it is……
KC cannot even handle its sewage and you aee talking about streetcars… Truly a hoot….
Andrew Dunkman
1 year agoI live in the downtown area (wished I worked here too—but that’s another story). I plan to vote for the streetcar simply because I would ride it, and many of the people I talk to say that they would ride it.
I find myself along the proposed route fairly often, and would love to use the streetcar for those destinations that are a little too far to bike to.
Then again, I also frequent (and frequently enjoy) the Kauffman…
JR Bob Dobbserella
1 year agoEarth to mister George. 1. China owns 8% of our debt. We own 75% of China’s GDE. 2. Our Social Security trust owns more Treasuries notes than China. 3. ‘Big’ Government is smaller by 280,000 workers than in Reagan’s admin. 4. “Big’ is the $800 bill. we waste on military and wars. 5. ‘Big’ waste is the $300 million cost to our deficit that the Bush tax ‘cuts’ cost each year.
JR Bob Dobbserella
1 year ago5 should read ‘$300 billion each year’. oops.
George Hunsucker
Northland
1 year agoJR, if you believe the bonds in the “trust fund” are worth anything, then you are beyond help…
They are mere bookkeeping entries made by the politicians so they could continue their runaway spending…