They call it MAX… a max loss of $90 million dollars a year!

Kansas City’s current bus system has an annual budget of $90 million dollars and serves only 6% of our citizens.  It is appalling that this administation would allow such waste!  Why hasn’t Sly James addressed this huge drain on the city’s budget?  Why has the Mayor not taken steps to find a real solution to Kansas City’s transportation problem.

The proposed Light Rail System (Ballot Question #3) offers a solution to Kansas City’s failed mass transit service.  This solution would scale back the current bus service and utilize $26 million of the bus services current budget (1/4 of its revenue). These diverted funds would be used to create a citywide light rail system if Question #3 passes.

A good light rail system, like Denver’s, can generate $4 for every $1 invested.  Spending a $1.0 on buses gets you $1.0 dollar of buses and that’s it. And simply putting more buses on the streets does little to change the dynamics.  The city’s streetcar system is great for tourists and does generate some economic development along its route.  However, slow moving streetcars that run on city streets and stop often contribute nothing to the city’s lack of good long distance transit connectivity which people need to get to jobs.  The only logical step is light rail, it has worked in every city that has implemented a solid plan.

Kansas City will be able to enjoy 40-miles of light rail and a new $200 million electric mini-bus system that comes with the plan, but Kansas City will also have more people riding buses (other cities are seeing 50% or more of their citizens utilizing their light rail systems) and a good chance of also using that bus tax to secure up to a $1.0 billion of federal matching funds to help Kansas City build light rail.  Superior value for the tax dollar.

The proposed 40-mile light rail system would use approximately .01% of the city’s parkland and save the city $500 million in reduced construction costs.  Using existing right-of-ways would save the city another $250 million.  Reducing the number of rail stations would save the city another $250 million. Total savings from innovative design= $1.0 billion.

Kansas city can continue to flush away $90 million a year, in a transportation system that doesn’t work for 94% of our citizens or invest in our city’s future with a YES VOTE ON BALLOT QUESTION #3.