Comments on: Metro Links 8/28/09 http://www.nextstopstl.org/1045/metro-links-82809/ A Conversation About Transit Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:21:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jennifer http://www.nextstopstl.org/1045/metro-links-82809/comment-page-1/#comment-177 Jennifer Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:22:54 +0000 http://www.nextstopstl.org/?p=1045#comment-177 Kelly, it's a good question, but I honestly don't know the answer and wouldn't want to make a guess as to what the Missouri constitution says on any particular topic. I do believe there is a provision that prohibits the use of gasoline tax funds for transit, but that's just one pot of money and doesn't preclude other funding sources. As for the "rural bumpkins" argument, as you put it, yes, that is a patronizing dismissal of people's legitimate funding priorities. Being a "bumpkin" myself (spent most of my youth on rural Missouri farms, with my farmer family), I can safely say that concern about and interest in issues that seem primarily urban is not limited to people in any particular geographic area. Kelly, it’s a good question, but I honestly don’t know the answer and wouldn’t want to make a guess as to what the Missouri constitution says on any particular topic. I do believe there is a provision that prohibits the use of gasoline tax funds for transit, but that’s just one pot of money and doesn’t preclude other funding sources.

As for the “rural bumpkins” argument, as you put it, yes, that is a patronizing dismissal of people’s legitimate funding priorities. Being a “bumpkin” myself (spent most of my youth on rural Missouri farms, with my farmer family), I can safely say that concern about and interest in issues that seem primarily urban is not limited to people in any particular geographic area.

]]> By: kelly http://www.nextstopstl.org/1045/metro-links-82809/comment-page-1/#comment-174 kelly Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:48:26 +0000 http://www.nextstopstl.org/?p=1045#comment-174 Jennifer, I've been meaning to ask you about this since I read it. Isn't the amount allotted to transit bound or limited by the Missouri Constitution? It's more than just "the rural bumpkins not caring about St. Louis" isn't it? And what's the deal with the $80 mil "taxpayer2" brings up EVERY transit article? This article was such a let-down because as I was reading it I thought that it was going to conclude with information about some federal legislation thsat was possibly going to help Metro. But, alas, at least we know our legislature will get a stern talking to from LaHood ;-). Jennifer, I’ve been meaning to ask you about this since I read it. Isn’t the amount allotted to transit bound or limited by the Missouri Constitution? It’s more than just “the rural bumpkins not caring about St. Louis” isn’t it? And what’s the deal with the $80 mil “taxpayer2″ brings up EVERY transit article?

This article was such a let-down because as I was reading it I thought that it was going to conclude with information about some federal legislation thsat was possibly going to help Metro. But, alas, at least we know our legislature will get a stern talking to from LaHood ;-) .

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