Saying they would look "tone deaf" if they kept pursuing plans for a light rail system after being rejected by the voters, Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe today led the way for the HART board to deny approving the alternative analysis plan on light rail, in the wake of the vote 13 days ago two weeks ago where the transit tax in Hillsborough County went down to a devastating defeat.
Sharpe spoke up after the agency heard a presentation by Mary Shavalier, HART's Chief of Planning & Program Development on where the process was in terms of selecting the first corridor that would be used for light rail, as if the vote two weeks ago had never happened.
Sharpe emphasized that he has been a strong supporter of the plan for a light rail system, but said that "before we charge forward but not look tone deaf," that HART should call a time out, and have a public conversation to learn more about how and what the community feels about local transportation.
When it comes to how they felt about supporting a transit tax to pay for the construction of a light rail system, new bus routes and services, and improved roads, the community – or at least those who voted two weeks ago – said they were not willing to tax themselves an additional penny to pay for such an increase in services.
This article appears in Nov 11-17, 2010.