Central Corridor dead - or alive?

On the day Democrats bashed Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto of state funding for the Central Corridor light-rail line linking St.

[Jon]

Pawlenty doesn't stand by his promises. Real principled of him to back out of the agreement he had made and pretend like he was knocking down spending that only the DFL proposed.

[Disgruntled Outstater]

If this is such a good thing, why hasn't a private developer done it?

If this is such a benefit to the commuters, why not pay for it with a locally generated tax rather than tapping all of us out here in the boonies who will never need to ride it?

If this is sucha good thing, why won't people pay a fare that will support even the operating costs of the choo choo?

[Ranger47]

The DFL'ers dumped on us a $6.6 biilion tax increase, largest in the states hisotry. They wanted another $1 billion in capital projects, largest in states history.

I'm very pleased to see Pawlenty show some leadership in trying to control all the wasteful DFL spending. The DFL'ers are truly lacking in leadership skills...

[Stay Tuned]

Disgruntled Outstater wrote:

If this is such a good thing, why hasn't a private developer done it?
If this is such a benefit to the commuters, why not pay for it with a locally generated tax rather than tapping all of us out here in the boonies who will never need to ride it?
If this is sucha good thing, why won't people pay a fare that will support even the operating costs of the choo choo?

You just don't understand: This thing is so good, that someone other than those using it should be forced to pay for it...you know, like mpr...

[Jennifer]

Pawlenty is screwing Minnesota so he can look good to the the Republican party because he wants to be vice president.

This is about what is good for Pawlenty, not for Minnesota.

[William Walace]

I definately hope this is finally dead, Minnesotan's can't affort this. Spending is the problem in Minnesota. If the DFL believes this is so important, let them cut other projects costs to pay for it, as I, taxpayers can't afford to pay for the DFL's desires. As far as all the banter about loosing this funding and that funding, it is all tax money paid by the tax payers, regardless if it is paid at the county, state or federal level.

[Stay Tuned]

....and besides: even with the inflated rideship claims, and ignoring the hidden costs-such as the millions in forced utility relocations forced onto the utlity ratepayers(aka taxpayers) it still works out to about $10 a ride...for most a cab would be cheaper, not to mention more convenient

[Raise Taxes]

We need this project desperately. Taxes in this state need to be raised to a reasonable level so needy projects can get funded. I think SUVs should be subject to a 25% surtax to help fund projects like this to offset the environmental damage they cause everyday! That would capture the real cost of driving these carbon spewing dinosaurs. Perhaps we need to legislate to get people to realize their contribution to global warming. Commuters MUST use public transportation! Or live within walking or biking distance of their jobs! The auto is a relic of the past that must be killed for our children's sake!!! I hope the DFL can override this latest wrong-headed veto and fund these valuable project!

[Thomas F]

Raise Taxes wrote:

We need this project desperately. Taxes in this state need to be raised to a reasonable level so needy projects can get funded. I think SUVs should be subject to a 25% surtax to help fund projects like this to offset the environmental damage they cause everyday! That would capture the real cost of driving these carbon spewing dinosaurs. Perhaps we need to legislate to get people to realize their contribution to global warming. Commuters MUST use public transportation! Or live within walking or biking distance of their jobs! The auto is a relic of the past that must be killed for our children's sake!!! I hope the DFL can override this latest wrong-headed veto and fund these valuable project!

Global warming is a myth based on junk science.

[Ray]

If Ramsey and Hennepin counties want it, they can pay for it. But they don't want to because it will be excessively expensive and never generate any where close to what it takes to run it. I have seen what a train did to Minnehaha Ave, and there is no new economic development by the way,and it will do the same thing to University Ave. To those of you complaining about Pawlenty's veto, are you going to tell me with a straight face that the rest of the crap in the bonding bill isn't pure pork, and you don't mind it? Why is the state paying for obvious local projects in the first place? Because no one local would pay for them if asked. I saw very little in that bonding bill that one could call essential.

[swschrad]

it's part of Trouble Pawlenty's class war. if you're not a millionnaire-plus, TP doesn't want you, doesn't want to hear about you, and surely doesn't want to see you. a perfect choice for a republican veep, that's for sure. no wonder they want a 4am bar closing time for the GOP convention.

[Thomas F]

Actually, I take that back. The CAUSES of global warming are a myth based on junk science. If global warming is real, then it's the earth going through another cycle. There have been warming and freezing periods on the earth LONG before man started polluting.

In all actuality, there is another school of thought as well which is that the polar magnets which define the poles have shifted, placing the north pole right around Siberia. This would definately change the climates in the USA and other places.

[Julie from Anoka County]

Pawlenty just lost my vote, and isn't going to get it back. I am sure everyone in the Anoka County area who rides the bus to downtown Minneapolis, and there's a lot of us, will also no longer vote for Pawlenty - in any election. Obviously he doesn't realize the public benefits of the commuter rail. Does he even know how many park and rides are in Coon Rapids alone? Does he know that the Foley Park and Ride is a 2 story parking structure that is full - every day? Obviously not. His actions show he is a player and nothing more. He's playing the politic game rather than doing what's right. Who would vote for that? not me.

[Julie from Anoka County]

Stay Tuned wrote:

....and besides: even with the inflated rideship claims, and ignoring the hidden costs-such as the millions in forced utility relocations forced onto the utlity ratepayers(aka taxpayers) it still works out to about $10 a ride...for most a cab would be cheaper, not to mention more convenient

Stay Tuned is obviously out of tune! Inflated ridership? I ride the bus from Anoka to downtown daily, these buses are packed so full that people have to stand, both ways, all trips. don't speak about things you know nothing about.

[joe]

Another crime wave on rails.thank tim now we dont have to hire more cops;

[alice]

DEAD!!Hopfully!! We do not need this behemouth. St.Paul is dead anyway. Ruined by the city council..

[dilly]

Julie from Anoka County wrote:

Pawlenty just lost my vote, and isn't going to get it back. I am sure everyone in the Anoka County area who rides the bus to downtown Minneapolis, and there's a lot of us, will also no longer vote for Pawlenty - in any election. Obviously he doesn't realize the public benefits of the commuter rail. Does he even know how many park and rides are in Coon Rapids alone? Does he know that the Foley Park and Ride is a 2 story parking structure that is full - every day? Obviously not. His actions show he is a player and nothing more. He's playing the politic game rather than doing what's right. Who would vote for that? not me.

Your vote doesen't matter so shut on up.

[Dr K]

Let it be known, for whatever relevance it may have to your thinking, that here in Bemidji we received 20 million dollars for an "events center" that is nothing more than a hockey rink that consultants say cannot work economically, that is to be built on land so polluted by an old lumber treating facility that clean up costs cannot be estimated, that enjoins Bemidji State University as a tenant for Division 1 hockey which it is not even in, that requires a large financial commitment by Bemidji State when it is in such dire financial straits that its entire academic program is a potemkin village of departments that cannot offer even a ghost of decent programming to its students. Oh yes, the local populace opposes the project. But we have some good republican lapdogs up here, and Timmy rewarded them. Anyone who has even a shadow of a doubt that Timmy is anything more than a craven political hack needs to look no further than our porkbarrel boondoggle here in the north country. This man is nothing more than George Bush lite, and that's about as big an insult as anyone can merit.

[Kay]

Pawlenty has no credibility. He signed the smoking ban that ruined many businesses..He's a Dum-o-crat as far as the bar industry is concerned..OUT WITH HIM!!

[Brian]

The $6.6 billion is over 10 years damn it! Everybody trumpets the $6.6 billion like the tax increase is all this year.

If you folks against taxes for roads have a better idea for funding them you should have written your legislator. Bonding for roads just means your taxes pay for the roads later with interest.

I am sick and tired of destroying my car with potholes and am tired of sitting in traffic. The urban core is getting more and more congested as the metro area grows and people commute from Northfield, East Bethel, North Branch, River Falls, and other far flung suburbs.

I hate taxes in general, but something has to be done about roads in this state.

As far as a $10 cab ride, that poster hasn't ridden in a cab lately. No way does $10 get you from the Metrodome to downtown St. Paul. It costs me $10 just to get from Mall of America to a business half way across the city of Bloomington.