Rick Mullaney Unveils Plan for Jacksonville

[heights unknown]

I like his stated agenda and plan. He talks a good game and game plan; however, we will see, once he is in office, whether he is willing to really throw the bomb for a touchdown. Not much mention of downtown and the urban core, or of recruitment and acquisition of mass transit for the city (as Lake or someone pointed out). At least he has laid out HIS firm plan and agenda.

HU

[Ocklawaha]

The Skyway had 545,709 riders in FY2010. This ranks as JTA's 6th highest route in terms of ridership.

In terms of PPM its probably the highest?

OCKLAWAHA

[simms3]

And the most interesting and worthwhile debate once again comes from MJ posters, not from our mayoral candidates.  Literally everyone has valid points.

Putting them together: Perception is reality.  We need to change perception to move the city forward.  Once accomplished, we need an actual solution to our transportation issues.

And then on Mullaney himself: Nice guy, but COO style.  No "vision" for the future or mention of critical areas like education, land use, transportation.  Presenting his Achilles Heel.  Will be exploited soon.

This is one of those MJ conversations that should be showcased to the city or to someone, because it is one of the most informed (on everyone's part) and well thought out and expertly executed discussions I have seen, even on here.

[stjr]

My dear MJ Skyway proponent friends, you are missing the elephant in the room.  Cost vs. benefit for the Skyway vs. OTHER options.  Plenty of businesses walk away from major sunk investments, either conceding to better mousetraps and/or admitting they bet on the wrong horse.  Any business that doesn't change with circumstances and the times will go out of business.  

The cell phone companies have billions invested in 3G and earlier, but they must move on to 4G.  GM scrapped 4 major car brands, some going back close to a century, rather than continue to keep them on life support.  Banks must write off billions to process bad loans and move on.  Coke walked away from "New Coke" despite hundreds of millions in investment.  IBM had to change its emphasis on mainframes, it's primary business, to pc's/servers to survive.

My point is there are times and places where it is appropriate to kill a project, take your licks, and move on.  Sadly, government is so inflexible that it stays wedded to projects such as the Skyway long beyond what is rational because politicians have trouble admitting failure and mistakes.  When they finally do, it's a sign that something has truly failed, as they are the last to admit it.

As to repaying the Feds, I again ask where is the agreement posted for all of us read.  And, if true, how long would such an obligation endure because nothing like that would last forever.  Lastly, this was a Federal "demonstration" project, so, politically, if we chose to call it a failure and move on, I would expect the Fed's to back off of enforcing such a provision.  Bottom line, this "reason" is just baiting by proponents and is a poor and very desperate reason to justify keeping the Skyway operating.

As to ridership numbers, its not the number of rides but the cost per ride vs. other options.  Whatever riders there are on the Skyway, it is far and away the most expensive ride in Jax.  On par or more than a taxi or a limo for that short distance.  

[simms3]

^^So true.  Major sunk costs are part of reality in the private sector, yet somehow the private sector still stays more efficient than government...

I think MJ posters are legitimately worried that if we "quit" running the Skyway, we'll be admitting to the public that public transit does not work, at least in Jax.  That is definitely an issue.

I think the next mayor needs to get on TV more and start educating the public about why the Skyway failed and why it should not be a reflection on public transit overall.  He or she should also discuss why we should still invest in public transit.

Something missing during Peyton's reign (and correct me if I'm wrong...just didn't notice it as much as during Delaney's reign) were press conferences to the public.  We need an in your face in a good way mayor who will pitch a vision and show their enthusiasm to where we should be as a city in a certain, manageable timeline.

[thelakelander]

Skyway is not the elephant in the mass transit room.  Its peanuts, compared to the real problem.  A moratorium on it is just like closing the libraries an hour earlier instead of dealing with the pension issue.  If we want to really tackle and solve the mass transit issue to save money, I'm game.  However, its going to mean stepping on a bunch of toes and wholesale changes in the way this city operates.

[jcjohnpaint]

When a government suggests to privatize everything, then I ask what are we voting for these politicians for?  Why don't we start voting for ceos from the private sector.  When government is telling me that getting government out of the way is the solution they are also telling me we do not need to fix our broken government.  We need to fix the problems and not just run away.  I don't believe that cites with success stories just have governments that pull out.  The government works very well with the private sector. 

[stjr]

Skyway is not the elephant in the mass transit room. 

Lake, re-read what I wrote.  I didn't say the Skyway is an elephant in the room, though, in some venues it might.  I said cost/benefit arguments vs. other options where the elephant in the room.

[thelakelander]

Well let's find out where the bodies lie for existing and potential alternatives.  That's the only true way to conduct a viable cost/benefit analysis.

[Ocklawaha]

Just another case...

OCKLAWAHA

The Federal Transit Administration on Monday sent a $271 million bill to NJ Transit for the money it spent on a Hudson River commuter rail tunnel project killed by Governor Christie last month.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaking on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010, in Trenton, N.J., as he announces that he's standing by his decision to kill the nation's biggest public works project, a train tunnel connecting New Jersey to New York City.

AP
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaking on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010, in Trenton, N.J., as he announces that he's standing by his decision to kill the nation's biggest public works project, a train tunnel connecting New Jersey to New York City.

“NJT must immediately repay all the Federal financial assistance expended for ARC under the [work agreement] which is currently estimated to be $271.091 million, plus reasonable interest and penalty charges that will be determined by FTA,” a regional administrator wrote in the letter Monday to James Weinstein, executive director of NJ Transit.

The letter also notified NJ Transit â€" the sponsor of the “Access to the Region’s Core” project â€" that it is launching “a complete audit of the project” to determine the final amount of funds the federal agency obligated to the project that have not yet been spent.

“FTA expects immediate reimbursement of the amounts listed above even while the audit is ongoing,” FTA Regional Administrator Brigid Hynes-Cherin said in the letter.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/110710_FTA_sends_NJ_bill_for_271_million_over_cancelled_tunnel_.html

[wsansewjs]

After reading three pages of this thread, I am not going to point out to any specific threads, but some of you have strayed off the topic on the thread.

After skimming through the 34 points plan by Rick Mullaney, I have to be blunt and say that he does not impress me at all. I am a moderate with leanish toward lefty left, but I am very open-minded about all sides and what their platform is about. Rick has struck me as a business-management oriented politician who would want to run the ship like it was a business.

Some of you are so heavily into Metro-Jacksonville community, and there are much more who are not. I have been a lurker in this awesome community, but I feel like I am a mix of both area. I would be slightly informed, but there are few areas are beyond my comprehension.

All I want for Christmas is Jacksonville being reborn like a phoenix, rising from the ashes, push transportation beyond its reputation, respawn the amazing downtown life, support small business foundation, and free the isolation of all the sub-divisions, under a bold direction maintained by a leader with visions, common sense, and COMPASSION.


A common citizen
-Josh

[Ocklawaha]

+1,000 Josh

OCKLAWAHA

[Ocklawaha]

As to repaying the Feds, I again ask where is the agreement posted for all of us read.  And, if true, how long would such an obligation endure because nothing like that would last forever.  Lastly, this was a Federal "demonstration" project, so, politically, if we chose to call it a failure and move on, I would expect the Fed's to back off of enforcing such a provision.  Bottom line, this "reason" is just baiting by proponents and is a poor and very desperate reason to justify keeping the Skyway operating.

FTA Circular 5010.1D, “Grant Management Requirements,” October 1, 2008, http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/C_5010_1D_Finalpub.pdf, provides guidance on property disposition requirements.  Upon sale of FTA assisted property, especially if the useful life of that property has not expired, the grantee will need to return to FTA’s proportionate share of the remaining Federal interest in that property.  Also, even if the “useful life” of the property has expired, if a unit of that property has sold for $5,000 or more, FTA would be entitled to its proportionate share of the proceeds of that sale.

OCKLAWAHA

[fieldafm]

My dear MJ Skyway proponent friends, you are missing the elephant in the room.  Cost vs. benefit for the Skyway vs. OTHER options.  Plenty of businesses walk away from major sunk investments, either conceding to better mousetraps and/or admitting they bet on the wrong horse.  Any business that doesn't change with circumstances and the times will go out of business. 

The cell phone companies have billions invested in 3G and earlier, but they must move on to 4G.  GM scrapped 4 major car brands, some going back close to a century, rather than continue to keep them on life support.  Banks must write off billions to process bad loans and move on.  Coke walked away from "New Coke" despite hundreds of millions in investment.  IBM had to change its emphasis on mainframes, it's primary business, to pc's/servers to survive.

So instead of working with what you have and integrating our physical assets with complementing uses in order to derive maximum utility... tear it down instead?

Did you perhaps work with Dynamite Diamond twenty years ago?

[ChriswUfGator]

Well in this case, I think the best use for the Skyway IS in fact expanding it. If the system extended to multiple stops in populated areas, like Riverside, Avondale, San Marco (not BFE San Marco, either, I mean actual San Marco), and a couple in Springfield, it would be a huge success. Field is right, what's the point in knocking it down, the solution (though this sounds asinine I know) is expanding it. Its problem is lack of reach.