I am starting to be asked my position on certain issues as my candidacy for Salt Lake County Council takes on its character and I get out and about more. One of the issues is mass transit, how it can be improved, if I support property and sales tax increases to improve it. Here is my position, which can also be read at my campaign website.
Current Spending and Funding:
First and foremost, I believe that current funding that is being spent on building new roads needs to be adjusted so that less funding is allocated for new roads and more funding allocated to improving mass transit, including increasing bus routes and their frequency.
Past voting on raising taxes:
Second, I and a majority of voters voted in the 2000 election for an increase in sales taxes (meaning it passed) to build an east-west TRAX line here in West Jordan. I believe it was scheduled to begin construction in 2007. I have more information on that project below my position statements. Here is a summary of what was voted on:
Salt Lake County Measure 1 (Public Transportation Tax):
Transit tax for commuter rail and expanded light rail. Passed – 58% to 42%
(Salt Lake County); 58% to 42% (Davis County); 53% to 47% (Webster County).
(source: http://www.cfte.org/Old%20Files/2000%20Transit%20Referendums.htm)
Here is an article that discusses the results:
http://www.ctaa.org/ct/sepoct00/results.asp
“Three Counties Support Transit Tax in Utah — Public transportation along the
Wasatch Front received a major boost yesterday as voters in Salt Lake, Davis
and Weber Counties in Utah approved a an extra quarter-cent per dollar
sales-tax increase. The tax hike will raise around $40 million a year for the
Utah Transit Authority (UTA) budget. UTA officials are planning to spend the
additional revenue on trains from Salt Lake to Ogden, increased bus
frequency, transit service on Sundays and holidays and expanded light-rail
service in several communities.”
Raising taxes in the future:
Third, I believe that an increase in fuel taxes would be in order before property tax hikes to add money towards funding of better mass transit.
And lastly, I would support a property tax increase only after the above measures have been implemented.
Further thoughts:
– I would like to see one section of each train car on TRAX designated for bicycles.
Bikes could be lined up on one side with seats on the other side. The design could be such that there could be fold down seats on the bike side if all the spaces were not filled up w/bikes so that riders could still sit in that section.
The current system is not too friendly to bicyclists and I see more and more people taking bicycles onto TRAX and buses. I’d also like to see bike racks along the sides of buses so that more bikes could be placed on there as well.
– I know folks don’t like to hear this, but honestly, we are not promoting increased bus routes with the gigantic parking lots at TRAX stations.
This actually promotes car riding and not bus riding. If we had more neighborhood park and rides (like at all the LDS churches, for example, if they would be agreeable to it), we could have more shuttles to TRAX. Yes, it may add a little more time, but maybe not considering the traffic congestion that already exists.
I would like to see more businesses getting involved, then, by funding the building of sheltered bus stops.
Trash and recycling recepticles could be placed at each major stop and parking lot. Jobs could be created to maintain the bus stops and parking lots.
– If we are going to have toll roads, the money should only go towards maintenance of existing roads
and the rest put into development of mass transit – not building new roads.
Information on the “Mid-Jordan” Expansion Project:
View a proposed map of the route. It will be 10.1 miles long.
Read information from the UTA site on the Environmental Impact of the project.
It is predicted to be a 25 minute commute from the furthest point south to Salt Lake City by the year 2030. By comparison to automobile traffic in the same year, travel time via that method will be anywhere from 35 – 46 minutes.
When will this be completed? Here is what UTA is saying on its site:
The completion date of the Mid-Jordan Project is dependent on a variety of factors including federal approval and funding, local match funding and a favorable construction schedule. However, the project team hopes to complete the project sometime in the next four to five years.
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Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 