We are conducting our very first polling of the community on a public issue. We hope as many of you as possible will participate.
Let us give you some background. DCCA is a member of the Durham InterNeighborhood Council - INC, made up of associations throughout Durham since 1984. While INC's main focus is to work with the City and County on issues affecting our neighborhoods, occasionally INC considers taking a position on a public issue.
Right now, INC has before it a resolution supporting the proposed 1/2 cent transit tax to support a mass transit plan in Durham County and throughout the Triangle. We are polling our community to find out how you feel about this proposal. With your participation, your DCCA Board will determine how to instruct your delegate to vote at the next INC meeting on September 27.
Below you will find PRO and CON arguments on the transit tax proposal. Additional information about the proposed system can be found at: http://ourtransitfuture.org and http://www.durhamorangefriendsoftransit.org
1. Rail only works in dense urban environments.
It is a modeled for a center city with surrounding suburbs. That is not the present Triangle nor will it be in the future. Mass transit calls for population density. It is big city solution,not applicable to areas like Triangle.
Ridership estimates are always overly optimistic. Bus transit ridership now is low, even when it serves those without cars. There is no reason to believe that a different form of mass transit will attract a larger riderrship. A low ridership system will not reduce pollution.
2. Rail always costs much more than initial estimates.
We don’t have any idea of the true cost of the system. Estimates are always much lower than actual costs. The region will be saddled with huge debt for building the system followed by huge operating deficits.
3. The high cost of rail typically drains money from more flexible forms of public transit such as buses, which serve more parts of our community.
Flexible, lower cost buses across many routes are preferable. They can be adjusted easily to meet future needs and development. Rail can never adjust.
4. This rushed vote is premature.
Why should we jump off a cliff? We should wait til more planning is done, like Orange and Wake Counties are doing. Transit development will not come to Downing Creek until at least 2025, and time estimates are always over optimistic.
Once we adopt this tax, there will be no turning back. We have too many unmet needs to yoke ourselves to this plan now. There is no need to act until further planning is done.
Vote yes for a tax? Are you nuts! Well, probably, but I still think this is a good idea.
Living at the intersection of I-40 and Hwy 54 gives us a front row seat to both the escalating traffic congestion and increasing development in the Triangle. We all say something needs to be done, and this is our chance to show we mean it. A half cent increase in our sales tax isn't a big burden, but our transportation planners in Durham have figured out how to get a lot out of it.
I know what you are thinking now. We were just complaining about the possible changes to the light rail route along Hwy 54, so why would I now be suggesting that you pay for a route we don't like? Well, a lot of related things are happening at one time, and it's become a bit of a confused muddle. Let me attempt to clear the air. There are three types of improvements being proposed in the Transportation Plan to be funded by this tax: bus service expansion, commuter rail between Raleigh and Durham by way of RTP, and a light rail system between Durham and Chapel Hill. Of those, only the bus expansion and commuter rail have immediate plans for implementation should the tax be approved.
So aren't Commuter Rail and Light Rail the same thing? Not really. The Commuter Rail will reuse the existing freight train track to minimize cost. Its purpose is to get people to and from work quickly with a limited number of stops in Durham, RTP, and Raleigh -- and bus service to get you to places outside walking distance from the stations. It will focus on moving people during peak rush hour periods when the roads are the most congested.
The proposed sales tax increase would accomplish these things:
- Increase the number of bus routes in Durham
- Reduce the wait time between busses on heavily used routes
- Build stations for the Commuter Rail
- Add a second track for two way travel in places which now have a single track
- Pay for operating the Commuter Rail during the start up period
- Pay for the increase in operating expenses during the bus expansion
- Move forward with planning the Light Rail routes we will eventually need as we grow.
Right now the Light Rail corridors are being defined to direct development along these routes to prepare for when they are built at some future date. Yes, the routes still need some work, but they will continue to be refined and are not yet the final details. But when the economy improves, as we all hope, federal and state funds will once again be available for transit improvements. And in the past these funds have gone to the communities which have demonstrated the greatest commitments to public transit on their own initiative, and communities which have plans already in place to support building new transit systems.
Nobody likes taxes, but this one is relatively painless. Did you realize that until last month you were paying an extra 1 cent sales tax to NC as a temporary increase from September 1, 2009 to July 1, 2011? So even if you vote yes to increase your sales tax to make these improvements in your local community, you will still be paying less sales tax than you were just a few months ago. And for that small price, Durham and the Triangle will be in a better position to meet the challenges of a growing city.
To get a neighborhood discussion going on these issues, we have created a poll for our Downing Creek mailing list members. Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DowningCreek to take the survey. It will close on September 27th. (If you are not on our list, please visit that same page to subscribe. Subscribers must be approved, so please provide your name and address in your request.)
Your actual vote on the proposed tax will be on Election Day, November 8. Also on the ballot that day will be a proposed 1/4 cent sales tax for education, and the election of three at large members to our City Council and of our Mayor. For the Council seats and the Mayor, a primary will be held on October 11.
The polling place for Downing Creek, precinct 53-2, is at Triangle Church, 5510 Barbee Chapel Road, Chapel Hill, NC. Voting hours are 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM
Your can also Early Vote, for the primary from 9/22 to 10/8 and, for the general election from 10/20 to 11/5. Early Voting is available at the Board of Elections , 706 West Corporation Street, Durham, NC 27702, North Regional Library, 221 Milton Road, Durham, NC 27712 or South Regional Library 4505 South Alston Avenue, Durham, NC 27713. Check with the Board of Elections, 919 560 0700 for Early Voting hours.
All of these elections and ballot questions are non-partisan. As long as you are registered, you can vote, regardless of your affiliation.
Thank you for participating in this first ever Downing Creek Community Poll. We will let you know how the poll turns out.
Your DCCA Board