Why Jacksonville(US) will never have proper mass transit

[mtraininjax]

Its about place making, community shaping and sustainable economic development. 

Sounds like this should be a bumper sticker for your campaign.

[thelakelander]

It could be a bumper sticker for someone's, you never know.

[JeffreyS]

MTJ I have four Twenty somethings in the family right now. Three recent college grads one blue collar guess which one stayed in Jax and which three opted for urban city centers.  This is a common tale in Jax that we lose our most educated at least for their young adult life.  And I am sure I do not need to tell you that how educated your population is has a bigger impact on your education system than anything even how well you invest in education. We need lifestyle choices here.  And it is just good economic sense to in vest in fixed rail.

[thelakelander]

There is a direct connection between the two. Improving your community's educational status involves more than just throwing money at the school system.  Community building and improving a region's quality-of-life offerings to better attract and retain the educated are just as important.

[reednavy]

Ah, the negative poster/troll strikes again. Not Faye, Bostech.

[reednavy]

Ah, so glad you asked: it was their Democratic leadership.

Look around.........everywhere where Democrats lead there is a good mass transit system,,,,,,,,Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Portland etc.

It's really very simple: elect Democrats!!!

Oh, so I guess Charlotte's former mayor switched parties today? They got it done from the day he arrived in 1995 until he left late last year as the cities longest serving mayor, ever.

OKC is now getting it down with a Republican as well.

Electing only democrats isn't the answer, but if you firmly believe that, then so be it, look like an idiot.

[JeffreyS]

GOP campaign slogan should be "You don't need mass transit,We ride you".

If you agree are not that is funny.

[reednavy]

Well, the majority of Charlotte's city officials are Democrats, same in Miami, that means transit friendly folks.

Oh sure you may find the odd Republican here or there who might favor mass transit ( Charlie Crist and Paula Dockery support High Speed Rail for Florida too), but the general rule is if you want local mass transit: Elect Democrats.

General rule my foot. It is the highest elected official that usually does the stomping for projects like this, because the public wants it. Case in point is OKC, where the voters approved a temp. sales tax increase to help pay for many improvement projects that fell under the umbrella of the overall MAPS project. OKC is on MAPS 3 now, which includes a streetcar line as part of the larger list of projects.

Political affiliation doesn't always mean that they'll stick to the overall message or stigma of the party, i.e. Charlotte and OKC.

Jax could have a republican mayor that is forward thinking, but also fiscally responsible and other parts of the Republican message. A big part of it, as you've said, is that our city council has their heads in the sand and just wiggle their arms around. I'll vote for any candidate that speaks to me and my views of making the 12th largest city in this country to truly reflect that.

[Fallen Buckeye]

So what turned Portland, Charlotte and Austin around?

Ah, so glad you asked: it was their Democratic leadership.

Look around.........everywhere where Democrats lead there is a good mass transit system,,,,,,,,Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Portland etc.

It's really very simple: elect Democrats!!!

I'll vote for anyone with good ideas and the determination to follow through on them. Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green, Reform, Bull moose, whatever. I don't need someone to tell me how to think. Thanks.

[Ocklawaha]

SORRY FOLKS, CERTAIN POSTERS HAVE BEEN WARNED TO STOP HIJACKING THREADS FOR THEIR OWN POLITICAL AGENDA, THESE POSTS HAVE BEEN REMOVED, ALONG WITH POSTS THAT ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUBJECT OF THIS THREAD.


OCKLAWAHA

[Bostech]

our city council has their heads in the sand and just wiggle their arms around.

I wouldn't say that is a case.They are just not interested in urban living or mass transit.Their money and interest is in suburban development,oil money and taxes.
They are not stupid or lousy but very smart people who know what they are doing.
You don't become mayor or any elected official because you are an idiot.They know what they are doing.
Unless you elect real people who want urban lifestyle and are progressive and not corrupted nothing will change.
Years are going by and nothings is happening.Its been long time since we were talking about mass transit and urban living and not much has changed.

[Coolyfett]

I'll be happy the day Jax gets to that 4%.  I don't have any illusions of America's cities becoming London, Paris or anything European.  I don't even think I would want them too.  However, I would like to have a choice of living in a viable urban environment in Jacksonville.

A lot of intelligent people would like that OPTION, I dont see anything wrong with how europe does things. like the t o l said the current system is built on greed. If you want everyone to own a car, just force them to. Thank god for the internet and online shopping.  All I need now is an online grocery store and i am set!

[Coolyfett]

Ah, the negative poster/troll strikes again. Not Faye, Bostech.

yea I was trying to avoid it, Lake took the bait. All good though. can we have the original topic and the troll version put together.

[reednavy]

Whatever you say Bostech.

It is very apparent that other cities across the nation get it, and are getting it done. Austin, Charlotte, Nashville, Oklahoma City to name a few got the ball rolling on significant urban infill and development years ago, when the boom was in full swing, which is now translating into light rail, streetcars, or other urban transit taking shape soon or already has. What'd we accomplish that is noticeable, a few high rises and scattered infill and redevelopment. It is pitiful because the council and mayor seem they haven't given a damn, to my knowledge, since I got here in June 2006. Yeah there has been talks, reports, and large plans talked about or developed, but nothing has really been accomplished.

Austin continues to grow incredibly, because the boom there got started later, but hasn't stopped yet and appears it won't anytime soon. They've also got a light rail system done and apparently willing to expand it, and it's only 3 years old, if that.

OKC has experienced a renaissance for nearly 20 years, and they've yet to see it stop. Their new MAPS 3 project file includes a streetcar line connecting downtown and nearby areas such as the Capitol and Midtown. It also includes a new convention center and a new 70-acre park connecting the core to the shores of the North Canadian River (Oklahoma River in OKC city limits).

Nashville woke up in the late 90s and while it has slowed some, it is getting ready to start it;s most significant project ever undertaken in the city's history, the new Music City Center convention center, which will kick start more urban development. They've recently begun a new push to expand the Music City Star rail line to the 100,000 population city of Murfreesboro, and other suburbs like Franklin and Gallatin.

Now as for Charlotte, the numbers, pictures, and people speak for themselves.

Now, you can't tell me this city is run by idiots now. We need a change in the political ways this city is run by, and now. If we don't, we will never prove ourselves as a major US city. Jax is the 12th largest city in the nation, but we might as well be in the ranks of Grand Rapids and Fort Wayne. No offense to either of those municipalities.

Now this might be taken the wrong way, but here is my personal opinion. The City of Jacksonville has not done one significant thing that makes me proud to say I call it my home, nothing. We talk, dream, and type up fancy presentations, but nothing has been down with them or about them. John Peyton can't leave office soon enough as he waited too late to salvage anything IMO.

[Coolyfett]

Thats pretty strong......I think the Jags and the Navy are two great things Jax did.