Light Rail Knocks Foxx Budget Off Track
That’s the takeaway from comments that Democrat city councilmember Claire Fallon dropped on WBT this morning, when she said the NC Senate’s move to eliminate funding for Charlotte’s Blue Line light-rail extension was one of the main reasons she and three other Democrats jumped ship to vote against the tax-hike budget championed by Mayor Anthony Foxx.
The Senate budget cuts funding for light rail by eliminating the New Starts Program and transferring its $29 million to General Maintenance Reserve. This from the N.C. Metropolitan Mayors Coalition:
The Charlotte light rail Blue Line Extension is the only project in the New Starts Program. The budget bill specifically says public transportation appropriations shall not be expended on any fixed guideway project in Mecklenburg County. There is an additional provision that says fixed guideway projects can compete for Highway Trust Fund dollars under the equity formula.
The state budget news hit Monday, before the council was scheduled to vote on the 8-percent tax hike budget. Fallon related that Democrats who rejected the spending plan (herself, Patrick Cannon, Beth Pickering and Michael Barnes) were concerned that about $100 million included in the budget’s capital improvement plan for infrastructure improvements along the Blue Line extension would be money out the window if the state kills its funding match for light rail.
Interesting, considering that no councilmembers mentioned anything about it Tuesday night, during debate over the budget vote, when they were busy attributing their sudden interest in fiscal responsibility to concern for taxpayers.
That could spell trouble down the tracks. Recall that a similar funding feud over light-rail money unfolded last year, when the Senate budget stripped the state’s funding match for the Blue Line extension. Only to see House Speaker Thom Tillis and other alleged fiscal conservatives ride to the rescue and have the funding restored.
Which begs the question: if the same thing happens this year and light-rail loot remains in play for the Blue Line, will the four Democrats suddenly have a change of heart on their budget vote?
Speculation elsewhere has it that these developments might spell doom for the streetcar project, which the rejected city budget funded to the tune of $119 million: in effect, top Republicans in Raleigh who don’t like the streetcar would restore funding for the Blue Line if the streetcar is scuttled.
Here’s an idea: how about Republicans stick to the Senate budget’s plan to scrap New Starts money and local Democrats kill the streetcar project because its the fiscally responsible thing to do.
Give the taxpayers a break and wait until Pat McCrory is elected governor and rams through funding for light rail across the state: streetcars from the mountains to Manteo; all aboard!
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