Teabaggers unite to oppose mass transit expansion in the Indianapolis area

[marmar]

Tea party activists are organizing the first formal opposition to expanded mass transit in Central Indiana, and they’re willing to spend cash to defeat a proposed referendum on the issue.

“Our concerns are not only about the local tax increase, but about the overall cost of such a proposal,” said Chase Downham, president of the Indiana chapter of Americans for Prosperity. “We think this particular plan is costly for our city, and we are concerned about the impact on the budget going forward.”

The group opposes legislation that would allow residents to decide through a referendum whether to raise their income taxes by up to 0.3 percent to pay for most of the local portion of a 10-year, $1.3 billion transit expansion. That tax would amount to roughly $10 to $15 per month for the average worker and would pay for most of the $700 million local share.

Americans for Prosperity, a national tea party group founded by the billionaire Koch brothers, is becoming increasingly involved in state politics throughout the country. The Indiana chapter recently launched a six-figure media campaign to back Gov. Mike Pence’s proposed tax cut. ..................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.indystar.com/article/20130319/NEWS05/303200025/Opposition-forms-fight-mass-transit-expansion?nclick_check=1

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. In both Minneapolis and Portland, some of the opposition to mass transit

has been racist, although the opponents have been savvy enough to use code words, like "bringing crime and drugs to our suburbs."

When the Westside light rail line was being built in Portland, there were rumors (even picked up by the Oregonian, which is a pretty poor paper, but this was bad even for them) that Latino gangs had divvied up the stations and were going to rob passengers.

When the South-North line was proposed for the first time, there was a whispering campaign claiming that African-American gangs from north Portland were going to go to the southern suburbs to recruit white youth.

If you look at the online comments about transit in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, you see readers saying things like, "I don't want to ride with the diversity" or "the buses are full of welfare mothers" or "I don't like waiting at bus stops downtown with all the gangbangers and drug dealers" (who, of course, are actually people going to and from their jobs).

With that kind of racism circulating, it's no wonder that the Tea Party can easily arouse sentiment against expansion of mass transit.

[KamaAina]

5. It never ends

Look at a map of DC Metro or MARTA in Atlanta. Look at where they go -- and more importantly, where they don't go: lily-white Georgetown and Cobb County (Newt country), respectively.

edit: In fact, teabaggers in Georgia just blocked a tax hike that would have benefited -- you guessed it -- transit.

re-edit: Closer to home, BART still does not go all the way down the big-bucks Peninsula (between SF and Silicon Valley). It took decades to get it as far as the airport.

[shenmue]

2. Buses want to kill you!1!111!!!

What is wrong with some people?

[nxylas]

8. That's not far from what I heard when I lived in SC

One time, I stepped off a bus in Columbia on my way to a job interview and a car actually pulled up and the driver rolled down his window to yell "you're gonna get killed riding those buses". Seriously. I just thanked him for his concern and told him, truthfully, that I rode the bus all the time and had never felt in any danger. He just sort of grunted, the sort of grunt that says "Who you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?" and drove off.

[darkangel218]

3. Typical of them.

I just hope karma slaps them in the face and makes them forced to take public transportation. Fuking ingrates...

[arcane1]

4. They hate us getting back the public trans that the auto companies destroyed

I hope they get their asses handed to them

[CrispyQ]

6. They hate anything for everyone. They are morally bankrupt.

I love RTD & use it whenever I can, which is a lot!

The teabaggers should be forced to use the bus for a week. It's an eye opening experience to realize, ride after ride, that you are very likely the most fortunate person on the bus. Of course, you have to have empathy for that.

[MyshkinCommaPrince]

7. Indianapolis is an automobile town

Indianapolis is a bad city for pedestrians and bicyclists, and has a very limited bus system. It really needs some form of improved mass transit.