A lot of blood has been spilled in this country and around the world to guarantee the right to vote. Now that Scott Tapley has collected more than enough signatures to get the referendum to create a new mass transit district in SW champaign, it appears that those residents will get an opportunity to decide their own fate with a vote.
However, it is entirely possible that they may have to end up in court over the whole issue. Our current MTD is no fan of public input, and they certainly don't like to be told that they can't do something, so no one will be surprised if they try to annex the areas in question before the vote ever happens. They would follow up that annexation by suing to prevent the new district from being voted on or taking effect.
If the MTD pursues such a plan, they will cement their reputation as elitists less concerned about serving the public and more concerned about expanding their empire.
"I have heard that the MTD doesn't serve the students well to downtown Champaign..."
Yup. When I lived near downtown, I had to walk through some dodgy territory when I came home late from the lab.
Oh, and the MTD's "Safe Rides" is a joke considering the $33 per semester "Transportation Fee" all 40,000 students are forced to pay.
i have had much fodder given to me for MTD articles. transportaiton of kids, ridership, transit figures from the census, service for the poor, and late rides. Over time I hope to get to all of them as well as other suggestions as they arise
Did you hear George Friedman on Penny yesterday? Yikes, he makes Bill Volk sound humble and open-minded! As to an elected MTD board, he said "they would just get bogged down in politics. Tell the County Board if you don't want me on the board. But let us do our job."
Gee, George, those messy elections really get in the way, don't they?
I think Shane Cultra and maybe Chapin are looking into submitting legislation to allow for MTD board elections.
BTW, the most disturbing thing they said was how cavalier they were to school children's safety. But that's another subject.
I know the lady who trashed Savoy yesterday in the NG letters to the editor.
Full disclosure: Her husband is an MTD driver!
Yes, the MTD will sue and fight SW Champaign's petitions. How dare those upstart citizens actually challenge MTD with more than a wimper at one of their perfunctory public hearings.
This could be one of those wedge issues for the upcoming county board elections. However, the places where the GOP hopes to make gains is already mostly in the MTD district, no? Tapley needs to talk softly, and let the elitism of Volk and the MTD board show thru. What needs to come out of this is mostly that the MTD doesn't care what anyone thinks. This could influence voters currently within their boundaries.
I have heard that the MTD doesn't serve the students well to downtown Champaign - the buses quit running before the bars let out. I have also heard that some of the working poor, who should really be a focus of the MTD communtity service, are not well served to various big employers in town. Spending money to sue will cost all current MTD taxpayers money. And don't forget the tram - it is still out there.
This is about more than annexation, and that needs to be out there.
" I have also heard that some of the working poor, who should really be a focus of the MTD communtity service, are not well served to various big employers in town."
Yes, the shift workers are out of luck at night. And some people in Urbana tried to get one of the lines to go to the Urbana post office. Nope, even though it runs a block away, they have had to walk across a field to get to it.
If the pro MTD folks really focused some attention on the transit authority's lack of accountability instead of knee-jerk blind faith, they would be doing so much better good for the community (and even the MTD).
It's not about any individual like Scott Tapley. It's a worthwhile community discussion. And I hope other taxing bodies who overspend and are arrogant are taking note.
County board (and candidates), are you paying attention?
Right of Wright said
"A lot of blood has been spilled in this country and around the world to guarantee the right to vote. Now that Scott Tapley has collected more than enough signatures to get the referendum to create a new mass transit district in SW champaign, it appears that those residents will get an opportunity to decide their own fate with a vote."
First, I don't like the MTD. At all. But, it does serve a community function. I don't drive through Ironwood, but I have to pay for the streets, fire, and police. But, more importantly, addressing the post quote above, the statement is a classic argument
that diverts the real issue. The United States of America is not a democracy. Never has been, and I hope it never will be. It is a representative democracy. Big difference.
People die in combat so we can vote for people who will pass laws and institute policy. We do not pass laws, they do. We vote for representantives, whether Congress, city council, or county board. The only people who voted for Bush or Kerry were Electoral College members, who were elected by citizens to cast the vote those citizens wanted them to cast. California has binding referenda, as close to direct democracy as you can get, and look what that has gotten them.
redstatewannabe is correct. W we need to vote out those County Board members (Ds and Rs, if any Rs voted to install the present CUMTD regime) who appoint MTD directors who we do not agree with. But people aren't dying in Iraq so we can vote on the MTD, they are dying (insert editorial comment you see fit here) so we can vote for those who then appoint, make policy, pass laws, etc.
America is a representative democracy, not a true democracy.
Follow up:
I believe it is required that CUMTD board members come from each party, the party in control of the County Board having the majority. So, if someone could do a little research, which CUMTD board members were appointed by Rs, and which Rs, and which CUMTD board members were appointed by Ds, and which Ds?
CCS,
I would argue that we need to change the laws to directly elect MTD Board members. I'm all for republican (small "R") government, but the CUMTD is too insulated from public opinion, their Board and Executive Director know it, and they're abusing it. I'd like to see Board members directly face voters every four years or so.
CCS,
I agree with your assessment of our system of government. But the law is set up to allow these residents to do what they are doing. For a government body to deny them that right, or to sue to prevent them from doing it strikes me as very undemocratic.
As to our system of government, I think that the founding fathers would be appalled at the amount of power that has been ceded to unelected boards and bureaucrats.
RofW,
Agreed. I hope they succeed. If nothing else, it should make the CUMTD, all Boards for that matter, take notice. If you take our taxes, you better be responsible, and "answerable".
So who on the County Board do I call upon to either jusify their vote for an appointee, or who actually may have made an appointment? Besides Scott, which CB Rs are responsive? (I'm "city" so all I have are D's)
anon citizen (above) was me, champaign common sense.
I posted as anon citizen on another thread (who should be CCR chair)
and it must have carried over on the posting above
Yes Mr. Varble, sometimes I post as anon. Deal with it.
CCS,
Please don't encourage him. It's harder to justify deleting his comments if people are taunting him.
So IP you admit that you now delete select people's comments other than rude or libelous remarks just b/c you don't like somebody? So much for your advocacy of freedom and liberty.
CCS is correct when s/he states that our representative form of government means we have a responsibility as citizens to monitor those people to whom we give our trust to speak for us.
But what has happened with the MTD here is terrible mis-management of message. I also don't live in Ironwood/Trails of Brittany (oh, those names!), but I do help pay for their city services: schools, library, sewer, streets, etc. etc. I don't get to pick and choose which taxes I want to pay for. So, for example - as an addicted City Council watcher, I saw they just voted to spend something like 4k a pop for street signals for S-west Champaign. I'm helping to pay for those, which means that I'm helping to pay for those folks' increased safety, even though I live nowhere near there. Do I want to pay for that? Not really. I'd like to ear mark those tax dollars for something else, like fixing sidewalks where I live. Will I pay for those signals? You bet - and happily.
Why? Because I live in a community. I'm not an island co-existing next to my neighbor's island. There's no separating me from my neighbors. The arguement that "I don't want something in a community ergo I don't have to pay for it" is old. It's been used countless times by pacifists to try to keep their tax dollars from going to the Pentagon; countless times by senior citizens to vote down school funding ("I don't have a kid in school. It doesn't concern me."). It's just selfishness in civid duty clothing.
The biggest shame of all of this is that we actually have a darn good MTD system. It's entirely imperfect - all transportation systems are (been on an airplane lately? How about those train schedules? And cars?? Let's find the one thing that pollutes, tears up the environment and puts us as a country at world disadvantage and drive it everywhere just so we can all get "road rage."). But the MTD drivers are nice, the schedules are largely convenient, the buses are clean and people do ride them.
In any other city, our MTD would be treasured. Here we hate 'em - and why? Because they have lousy spokesmodels (and that they absolutely do.)
Please, when you're talking about taxes, separate the life/safety ones from the let's-decide-on-the-merits type taxes. Schools are mandated by law. Sewers, police, fire, all necessary. Every community has to pay for them. BUt even active, growing communities do not have a mass transit.
And you know, I'm glad there are people who grouse about tax hikes. If there weren't, the elected officials would approve every well meaning service posssible. What elected official doesn't want to say yes to look good?
jharris mentioned watching the city council meetings. The important thing to continually remember is that you VOTED for them and can vote them out. Not so with the MTD. Even the County Board has essentailly no oversight to them. Believe me, the CB is wishing they did.
Savoy is a separate municipality and should be able to decide the non-essential services. Think about it- --a non-elected taxing body forcing unwanted taxes on an elected governing body? We need legislation to elect these MTD folks.
What active, growing community doesn't have mass transit?
And, IP, are you *really* deleting comments on your blog?