Arizona Republic:  “The coalition of 17 agencies, including Surprise, Maricopa Association of Governments and BNSF Railway, wants to put passenger trains on freight lines and link to other modes of transportation, such as light rail and buses. . . . The Wittmann-Queen Creek corridor, which combines two routes, is forecast to bring 10,000 passengers a day by 2030 . . . . The projected cost was $16.7 million per mile for passenger service on the Grand Avenue corridor, from Wittmann to central Phoenix, and $14.9 million a mile for the Southeast corridor.  In comparison, light rail’s cost is $65 million per mile.”

Where do these idiots come from?  The State of Arizona is $2 billion in the whole, Phoenix is #244 million in the whole, all the cities and counties are hurting financially because tax revenue is way down.  Phoenix is building a $1.2 billion extension of the light rail to Sky Harbor airport, but doesn’t have the money.  Phoenix is also on the hook for $300 million for the new downtown convention center.  State and local governments in Arizona are cutting spending at all levels.  Nevertheless, some loons think government should spend money it doesn’t have to help a small number of people who might take the train – they estimate 10,000 people a day by 2030.  That is 20 YEARS FROM NOW!

Please read the story.  The nut jobs who want the nifty passenger trains suggest several tax increases to pay for the new passenger rail that virtually nobody will ride.

Related posts:

  1. Phoenix Has a $244 Million Deficit & Owes $300 Million for New Convention Center So Mayor Gordon Plans to Build $1 Billion Rail to the Airport without Federal Funds
  2. Mesa Budget Woes Cause Cutbacks in Bus Service
  3. Arizona Planners Unaware of Massive State & Phoenix Budget Deficits Causing Cities to Reduce Bus Services Plan to Expand Light Rail
  4. Broke Phoenix to Pay $14 Million Per 53 Passenger Light Rail Car ($260 Million Total) for Light Rail to Airport
  5. Arizona Economy Depressed, Unemployment High & State & Cities Bankrupt, but Loons Want Communter Rail Between Queen Creek & Downtown Phoenix
  6. Idiots Planning to Spend $200 Million Government Doesn’t Have to Expand Light Rail in Mesa
  7. Cities, Businesses Mull Spending Money Government Doesn’t Have for Railroad Opportunities that are Money Losers
  8. Phoenix Light-rail Expansion Plans Prove Divisive
  9. People Who Like to Spend Money Goverment Doesn’t Have on Economic Money Pits Now Wasting Money to Determine if Light Rail Should Expand to South Phoenix
  10. Mesa Unaware It Is Broke So It Plans to Borrow & Spend Taxpayers Money to Build an Annual Money Losing Sink Hole aka Extension of the Light Rail