Senate Budget Sidetracks Light Rail; Tillis Rides To Rescue?
It still has to be reconciled with the House budget and clear Gov Bev’s desk, two high hurdles to be certain, but for now it appears the latest leg of Charlotte’s vaunted light rail express has been derailed. Or not.
The NC Senate budget unveiled yesterday clips $22.5 million that would help fund the state’s 25 percent match to pay for a nearly $1-billion extension of the Lynx Blue Line to UNC Charlotte. The budget would also prohibit local transit officials from obligating any state money as part of any scheme to fund the proposed rail-transit line from Center City to north Mecklenburg. Or not.
It apparently has taken less than 24 hours for fiscal conservative stalwart House Speaker Thom Tillis, a north Mecklenburg Republican, to squash such insane talk. Tillis tells the uptown paper that he expects rail-transit loot to be included in a final budget:
Asked about the rail extension, Tillis said he “generally supports it.” He said he isn’t too concerned it’s not in the Senate budget.
“I’m not one that sweats the small stuff,” he said. “None of the line item issues concern me.”
Small stuff: a 25-percent state match for a $1-billion boondoggle, which would help clear the way for a 50-percent federal match to fund the same, and another 25-percent match garnished from the sagging local sales tax dedicated to transit. All to fund an extension of a light-rail project that is already running millions of dollars over budget for operating costs and subsidized by taxpayers to the tune of about $22 per ride.
Wonderful. Glad all that effort from voters and grassroots fiscal conservative activist to restore a GOP majority wasn’t a waste.
In any event, under the Senate budget funding would also eliminated for Gaston County’s proposed Garden Parkway toll road. Republican legislators who crafted the budget contend the goal is to reserve funds for long-needed road maintenance and bridge repair.
Silly talk and small stuff.
We need your help! If you like PunditHouse, please consider donating to us. Even $5 a month can make a difference!
Short URL: https://pundithouse.com/?p=6311
