Transportation Jobs Lost because of Budget Cuts?

[tufsu1]

wow...looks like Rick Scott and the Legislature are off to a great start in creating jobs!

http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2011-04-07/story/florida-budget-cuts-threaten-transportation-jobs

[uptowngirl]

Now might be a good time to discuss how the state of Florida can move forward with the monies available? We have posters ticked off because social programs are being cut, now we have transportation funds being raided. I don't like Scott, but what is the answer? We can't spend like we have been spending and something needs to go. In this case I do not think transportation funds should be cut- but where should the cuts be made?

[Dog Walker]

These are not "transportation" funds that are being moved to the general fund.  They are "road building" funds being moved.

GREAT!

We are having trouble maintaining what we have already built and should not build anymore roads into the hinterlands anyway.

If some of the road building companies have to shut down, that's great too.  They won't be there to lobby against a future mass transit proposal.

[tufsu1]

If anyone thinks that moeny for transit projects and operations won't be cut as well, they are delusional.

So, if you think JTA has bad bus service now, just wait!

[thelakelander]

I'm torn on this one.  If money were raided, where would it be redirected to?  That answer could send me in either direction.  For example, if it were public education, I would probably say go for it.  If it were in the form of tax breaks, I'd pass.

[fsujax]

i am not in agreement on moving transportation funds to anything, but transportation. Transit will suffer the most. FDOT will simply move funding from transit projects to cover the road projects.

[Ocklawaha]

Personally, I would like a new law that replaces the Governors salary with $100 stipends for each meeting he attends with a annual cap of $2,400.

If cutting highway funds REALLY meant cutting highway construction, then I'd be for it, but historically that is simply "Florida speak" for "We'll go right on building highways at the expense of all transit projects." Really Rick, is it true that it is more important for you to have a smooth ride to the back 9, as it is for an inner city resident being able to get to their minimum wage job at Wal-Mart?

OCKLAWAHA

[dougskiles]

Here is my favorite part of the article:

"I know it sounds like I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth," Ray said. "But I have to vote for the balanced budget."

He could have said:

" I have to vote for the a balanced budget and this is not it.

[peestandingup]

If anyone thinks that moeny for transit projects and operations won't be cut as well, they are delusional.

So, if you think JTA has bad bus service now, just wait!

Yeah, transit here is gonna get hit hard I would say. Those 1 hour wait times for the next bus will likely turn to 2 hour waits in a lot of areas I bet. Or they'll get rid of them altogether. Bus stops outside of the 295 loop will be few & far between. Even though "the city of Jacksonville" stretches way past that. Whatta joke.

And just wait until Mayor Douchebag comes to town & tries to kill the Skyway. You know he's just itching to. Even though it won't make much fiscal sense if we have to pay back for the project, he'll get support for it anyway & say it makes sense for the long run.

You watch.

[wsansewjs]

If anyone thinks that moeny for transit projects and operations won't be cut as well, they are delusional.

So, if you think JTA has bad bus service now, just wait!

Yeah, transit here is gonna get hit hard I would say. Those 1 hour wait times for the next bus will likely turn to 2 hour waits in a lot of areas I bet. Or they'll get rid of them altogether. Bus stops outside of the 295 loop will be few & far between. Even though "the city of Jacksonville" stretches way past that. Whatta joke.

And just wait until Mayor Douchebag comes to town & tries to kill the Skyway. You know he's just itching to. Even though it won't make much fiscal sense if we have to pay back for the project, he'll get support for it anyway & say it makes sense for the long run.

You watch.

What will happen to JTA Connection and JTA I use? I could lose my job, not because being laid off, anything I have done at work, or none of my performance-related, BUT I CAN'T GET MYSELF TO WORK. I make more than above poverty line in living, but not high enough to have my own chauffeur.

-Josh

[danem]

If anyone thinks that moeny for transit projects and operations won't be cut as well, they are delusional.

So, if you think JTA has bad bus service now, just wait!

Yeah, transit here is gonna get hit hard I would say. Those 1 hour wait times for the next bus will likely turn to 2 hour waits in a lot of areas I bet. Or they'll get rid of them altogether. Bus stops outside of the 295 loop will be few & far between. Even though "the city of Jacksonville" stretches way past that. Whatta joke.

And just wait until Mayor Douchebag comes to town & tries to kill the Skyway. You know he's just itching to. Even though it won't make much fiscal sense if we have to pay back for the project, he'll get support for it anyway & say it makes sense for the long run.

You watch.

What will happen to JTA Connection and JTA I use? I could lose my job, not because being laid off, anything I have done at work, or none of my performance-related, BUT I CAN'T GET MYSELF TO WORK. I make more than above poverty line in living, but not high enough to have my own chauffeur.

-Josh

People in charge of communities need to realize that not everyone can own a car, can drive a car, or should be driving a car.

[peestandingup]

If anyone thinks that moeny for transit projects and operations won't be cut as well, they are delusional.

So, if you think JTA has bad bus service now, just wait!

Yeah, transit here is gonna get hit hard I would say. Those 1 hour wait times for the next bus will likely turn to 2 hour waits in a lot of areas I bet. Or they'll get rid of them altogether. Bus stops outside of the 295 loop will be few & far between. Even though "the city of Jacksonville" stretches way past that. Whatta joke.

And just wait until Mayor Douchebag comes to town & tries to kill the Skyway. You know he's just itching to. Even though it won't make much fiscal sense if we have to pay back for the project, he'll get support for it anyway & say it makes sense for the long run.

You watch.

What will happen to JTA Connection and JTA I use? I could lose my job, not because being laid off, anything I have done at work, or none of my performance-related, BUT I CAN'T GET MYSELF TO WORK. I make more than above poverty line in living, but not high enough to have my own chauffeur.

-Josh

There was an article from a few days ago about that very thing happening to a lot of people in places that are starting to cut transit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/05/milwaukee-budget-cuts_n_844551.html

Janice Price (Springfield resident & Stephen's partner at Jaded) touched on that subject locally as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrOXN7cz3So

That's the thing with transportation in our country. It's completely one-sided. We've already prioritized our beloved cars so much that we've sorta relegated mass transit to red-headed stepchild status. So when cuts need to be made, guess who gets it first. Which is just messed up that we've come this far with it (it used to be much more balanced back in the day).

Towns like Jacksonville (sprawl crazy with already abysmal mass transit) will likely be hardest hit simply because there's much more to manage & they haven't made any improvements to their infrastructures (so no one rides it but the ones who have to, so it's easier for the powers that be to think those types of riders are expendable). It sucks.

Not to mention, we've got transit-hating teabaggers in the highest state/local offices now. Or at least we will locally unless Brown pulls an upset (which I seriously doubt will happen). So you can imagine where this is all going.

[mtraininjax]

We can't spend like we have been spending and something needs to go. In this case I do not think transportation funds should be cut- but where should the cuts be made?

Nobody wants cuts to their programs or in their backyard. Well folks, we gotta have a balanced budget, so where will the 3.8 BILLION come from, besides your neighbor's backyard? 

[tufsu1]

why are we so unwilling to even debate ways to raise revenue...there are lots of sales tax exemptions that could be eliminated...would raise a good chunk of cahs.

Also, the Governor wants to cut another $1.5B in taxes...if he gets his way, we have to cut spending by $5B instead of $3.5B

[JeffreyS]

10% floor on corporate taxes.