When polled, 2/3 of Cincinnatians said the streetcar is a bad idea. Fully 3/4 of Hamilton County residents hate it too, but don't get to vote on it, even though their tax dollars will be paying for it.
Ohio's Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC) recommended [lines 10 + 39] that $51.8 million of your tax dollars be given to the Cincinnati Streetcar.
The state has an $8 BILLION deficit. To fill the shortfall, drastic cuts to schools, universities, Medicaid and public safety are expected. Local levies will seek increases to makeup for state reductions. That's right, your taxes are going up to pay for a streetcar that nobody needs and few people want.
Public comments on TRAC's recommendation are being accepted until 5:00 PM today. If enough people tell them that the streetcar is a bad idea, the money can be saved.
- CLICK HERE to send your comments to TRAC. A new message will open in your email program. If asked, allow it permission.
- Fill in your name and mailing address at the bottom of the message.
- Edit the body of the message to tell them what's most important to you.
The poll also puts frequent ridership at around 30,000 & infrequent ridership at about 115,000. This is a lot better than supporters estimates of 4,000 to 7,000.
ReplyDeleteAt that rate it should pay for itself very nicely.
Of course, you're ignoring the part where voters also said your charter amendment is a bad idea. Voters are smart enough to realize that it's a bad idea to handcuff the city from building rail transportation for the next decade, when high-priced gas is right around the corner.
ReplyDeleteTravis, they're also ignorant of the fact that their own Anderson Township lawyer commissioned the survey, no wonder the results turned out in their "favor."
ReplyDeleteAlso COAST, your post seems to mislead the readers. You said they "don't get to vote on it." They don't want to. Do you remember in 2009 when you asked voters if they wanted to vote on every little rail project expenditure and by a 2:1 ration they told you: "NO!"
Find some real cause to work for you bum.
Did you people just choose to ignore the last paragraph before posting this report?! How about a different headline, "poll shows doubts about passing of charter amendment"
ReplyDelete"votes for, or
against, transit referendums often have little or nothing to
do with ridership intentions. National survey data
indicates that many Americans believe they will, in some
way, benefit from having expanded and improved public
transit systems in their communities, even if they never
personally use them for their own travel and commuting
needs"
Finney and his GOP pollster had to poll the suburbs in order to get any spin at all. The surveyed less than 300 city residents, out of a city with a population of over 300,000 people, which makes the poll invalid on it's face without even addressing issues like who commissioned the poll and what neighborhoods were polled, or the pollster's GOP ties. Well the Enquirer has buried the story, it's hard to find on their website and only 15 or so people have commented on the story (makng several multiple commenst each), which is representative of how few people ever even saw the story. And many of the conservative, anti-streetcar commenters even lambasted the validity of the poll. WLWT criticized the pollster, and WCPO & WKRC ignored it altogether. You failed again Coast.
ReplyDeleteThe poll showed that of those in the city, only 28% supported the streetcar while 66% opposed it. That's a mandate folks.
ReplyDeleteDear above Governor,
ReplyDeleteConvenient that you ignored the clear flaws, bias and misinformation posted above. This "poll" was absolute garbage.
You haven't identified any flaws that cast doubt on the credibility of the poll. You have failed to identify any flaw in this poll that couldn't be said about any other poll. Just because you don't like the result doesn't mean the poll is bad.
ReplyDeleteAny flaws? How about the undisputed fact that under 300 city residents were polled? Not to mention that the pollster is a GOP operative and he refuses to release his polling methodology or state what client he was polling for. The "poll" is nothing but a flaming pile of crap.
ReplyDeletePeople who were polled have now come forward and stated that it was in fact a push-poll. They were asked leading questions about the streetcar as well as Bortz.
ReplyDeleteBecause "Mris Chronzel" on the internet says so?
ReplyDeleteWhy won't Coast and Paul Fallow release the poll's methodology? Reputable polling firms such as Gallup, Survey USA etc always release the methodology and data behind their polls. What are Coast and Fallow trying to hide?? Why won't they reveal the client that Fallow was polling for?
ReplyDeleteWhat are Coast & Fallow afraid of?
I am a conservative and I oppose the trolley. However this poll is a sham. You boys are making those of us who oppose this boondoggle look bad with these types of shenanigans.
ReplyDeleteTrolleyites,
ReplyDeleteThe streetcar is "fully funded," right? It's already a "done deal," right? Mallory's breaking wind...er, ground next month, right?
So why obsess over this? Have you no faith in your leaders?
It's obviously not important. Just ignore it and it will go away. It probably doesn't apply to you anyway. Nothing to see here.
Relax.
Coast can't defend their tiny, biased suburban push poll.
ReplyDelete^^^That's because the poll is simply indefensible.
ReplyDeleteThat's because it's not COAST's poll.
ReplyDeleteIt's Finney's GOP pollster buddy's poll.
ReplyDeleteProve it.
ReplyDelete^Proof:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-22726-streetcar-foes-concoct-poll-lure-gullible-media.html
I love it when people state a claim, then imply that a link they are posting will back that claim, but when you click the link it does exactly the opposite.
ReplyDeleteThat article revealed nothing about COAST or any other streetcar opponent paying for the poll. In fact, it repeated a quote from the pollster that he paid for the poll himself. Thanks for delivering more proof that this poll was not done by the anti-streetcar forces.
The pollster just happens to be a friend of Chris Finney whose worked with him before and Chris Finney just happened to suggest the Enquirer check this out. Yeah, nothing suspicious there.
ReplyDelete