file under: projects issue 9 could sabotage

The Cincinnati Streetcar is something I truly believe in. Like all things it has its fair share of risk, but to me the bigger risk is to do nothing.

The other larger rail programs going on around the country echo that sentiment- and along with the Cincinnati Streetcar, those programs are put at risk by Issue 9.

We have an opportunity here - to help build up a LONG NEEDED system of rail transportation in this country, to create jobs, to help grow neighborhoods and cities serviced by these systems. To help people find alternative commute routes, to help reduce pollution and our use of fossil fuels.

Issue 9 aims to stop progress under the guise of 'saving tax dollars' - the originators of this, COAST, are a group of ignorant suburbanites who claim they are out to prevent wasteful spending. I don't even think most of the members of this group LIVE in Hamilton county, yet somehow they felt it was their obligation to butt into our affairs and put their issue on our ballot, a ballot most of the members can't even vote on.

Issue 9 is poison and will damage this city for years to come. It will most likely kill the streetcar, along with any hope of development and prosperity along it's lines. It will cause public votes on transportation projects that are time sensitive and critical to our safety, even if they're federally funded- and could quite possibly cause us to lose any chance of being a stop along these new rail lines. The language of this ballot is vague, misleading and could cripple this city.

COAST as a group has no support, and there's a lot of backlash against Issue 9, hopefully enough to vote it down with a huge majority. To me this shouldn't even be on the ballot and COAST should be prosecuted for fraud. They perpetrated a series of lies and through misleading language they managed to get their signatures. As a group they've yet to garner a single endorsement from any prominent individual or organization, in fact the city and most groups in town oppose them. I also fail to understand how a group that has no clear majority of residents in the affected county can screw with our system so much. Maybe we should get an issue on the ballot address that!

On top of this, the group is also now protesting Hamilton county ballot issue 7 that would help fund libraries, as if their ignorance hasn't already gained them enemies. Please read the Cincinnati Blog article about this, it's truly mind blowing how stupid these people are. The simple fact is that COAST wants Cincinnati to fail and it's time for us to fight back.

COAST hates public libraries (via Cincinnati Blog)

Cincinnati Enquirer: COAST’s Anti-Rail Charter Amendment is a “Poison Pill” (via Metro | Cincinnati)

Big plans for 220mph trains could forever change the way Americans travel (via DVICE)