Metro Council’s Transportation Panel took the opportunity to rubber stamp the creation of a tolling authority without public comment Thursday, and took less than an hour to do it.
From 8664.org:
Despite articulate pleas by Councilwoman Ward-Pugh and Councilman Owen for public involvement, the four other present transportation committee members abdicated their responsibility to govern and passed the resolution.
Council Members Kremer and Tandy, who sponsored the resolution, say there is no more need for public comment despite outcry from Louisville residents. The hasty move left many in attendance including Metro Council members stunned. The full Metro Council will take up the issue on July 30 with a vote on the Kremer-Tandy resolution.
8664.org also released internal polling numbers it sought in 2008. The LEO‘s Fat Lip blog has the best coverage by far, so check out the findings over here. Download a press release and the polling data at 8664.org. Suffice it to say, most people in Louisville by a large margin think the East End Bridge is the most important transportation priority. You can read more from Page One over here, but don’t expect any mention in the C-J. Per Fat Lip:
Our prediction? In less than 48 hours The Courier-Journal will run an editorial saying how this study was funded by communists and that anybody who believes the study is a communist, too, and should be deported to communist-land.
Have you read the alternate resolution proposed by Tom Owen and Tina Ward-Pugh?
R-131-07-09 available here
http://agendas.louisvilleky.gov/SIREPub/pubmtgframe.aspx?meetid=1152&doctype=AGENDA
Looks like they passed the wrong one. The Owen / Ward-Pugh resolution is one I could get behind!
I thought it would be mildly useful to report an online poll I’ve been conducting on Louisville History & Issues since mid-April, and it’s still ongoing if anyone wants to register at the site and vote.
The question is: “With the East End Bridge in place, would you support building a second Downtown Bridge?” Link: http://www.historyandissues.org/louisville/viewtopic.php?t=1344
Here’s the results so far:
– No, it’s unnecessary and thus financially wasteful — 62.5%
– No, but if downtown congestion doesn’t significantly clear up after the East Bridge is operational, I may rethink it — 25.0%
– Yes, but only if the East End Bridge doesn’t significantly work to alleviate downtown traffic congestion — 12.5%
– Yes, unreservedly — 0.0%
– Unsure – 0.0%
Also, there is an amendment to the prevailing resolution in the works that will provide for some form of public input. I don’t have the specifics yet, except that Tina Ward-Pugh is working on it and Jim King has indicated his support. I assume Tom Owen will be a sponsor as well.