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Arizona Republic: “It’s not that downtown Phoenix is a ghost town. . . . But few people linger. The city hopes to change that on Friday. With a bowling alley.” Here’s my favorite part of the story: “In Phoenix, city officials and CityScape developers hope the bowl-o-rama will anchor the [...] I can hear Phoenix city leaders saying “Deficit? What deficit?” Arizona Republic: “Skateboarders will have a fifth plaza to roll up and down ramps in Phoenix, city officials said Tuesday.” The story does not mention how much the park will cost. Perhaps the city leaders consider skateboard parks as just another form [...] Arizona Republic: “In the last fiscal year, 10 million Valley Metro fares were lost as bus riders returned to their cars or found other forms of transportation, according to figures released by the agency that oversees public transit throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area.” When the economy sours and there is [...] The Phoenix Business Journal reports that the people who like to spend other people’s money are planning a $200 million dollar 3.1 mile extension of the 20 mile light rail line that ends in Mesa, Arizona. These people are unaware of or simply don’t care about Mesa’s deficit financial condition and the [...] Arizona Republic: “Even as Maricopa County supervisors question whether Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office has misused county-issued credit cards, the supervisors have used their own government cards to buy gifts for constituents and employees, stay at luxury hotels and cater meals to their offices . . . .” Arizona Republic: “The cash-strapped city is considering three long-term solutions that could cost as much as $84 million. . . . Whatever the price, Tempe officials say they have no choice but to honor their long-term contractual commitments for the lake and to the commercial and residential developments around it. Arizona Republic: “Across the Valley, nine bus routes will be eliminated, including two local routes, three express routes and four neighborhood circulators. . . . The light-rail system also is reducing service for the first time since opening in late 2008. Peak hours will be shortened, and during that time Metro will [...] Arizona Republic has a story entitled “Phoenix area bus riders left waiting amid transit cutbacks.” It states: “Today, Valley bus riders will once again have to cope with fewer routes, less-frequent buses and shorter hours as the regional system revamps 50 lines. . . . but for some cities they represent the [...] Arizona Republic: “Phoenix officials are asking bus riders to consider carpooling, taking a taxi or telecommuting if bus drivers, mechanics, fuelers and cleaners go on strike on Monday. Bus riders are also being asked to be prepared for transit-services reductions from budget cuts, which also take effect Monday.” Washington Post: “As Washington’s public transit network grows more congested, with Metro projecting ‘unmanageable’ levels of saturation on its rail system by 2020, the phenomenon of people taking up more than their share of space is becoming increasingly touchy.” Phoenix Business Journal: “The city of Phoenix Public Transit Department will be ending all same-day scheduled ‘demand’ trips on Phoenix Dial-a-Ride as part of the state of Arizona’s budget-balancing measures.” Reason.com: “How has California’s high-speed rail project survived for 14 years without a plan, a budget, or a single accomplishment? . . If you were looking to take some easy shots at government waste and abuse, you’d have a hard time topping California State Auditor Elaine M. Howle’s recent assessment of the [...] Arizona Republic: “Veolia Transportation is laying off 20 people this month as a result of budget cuts Tempe made to its bus operations. . . . Restructuring and cuts to bus routes are estimated to save $1.2 million annually. Reductions to Tempe’s light-rail services are estimated to save $378,000 annually.” Arizona Republic: “Phoenix City Council adopted a 2010-11 operating budget [of $3.05 billion] . . . . Phoenix has worked to manage a $277.3 million budget shortfall. . . . Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon said the city has learned to do ‘more with less’ and that the results of this year’s budget [...] Phoenix Business Journal: “Veolia Transportation [a subsidiary of a French ompany] has won a five-year, $386 million contract to provide bus management services to the city of Phoenix Public Transit Department, operating from the city’s north and south transit facilities.” Two questions: Why doesn’t Phoenix use the $386 million to operate its [...] Arizona Republic: “The Valley Metro board of directors on Thursday unanimously approved cuts in bus services because of declining revenues.” Arizona Republic: “Imagine boarding a train in Queen Creek and arriving 35 minutes later at a restaurant on Tempe’s Mill Avenue, then hopping back on board for a 10-minute jaunt to Chase Stadium in downtown Phoenix. That could be possibile someday, say transit planners with the Maricopa Association of Governments. . . [...] Faced with solving the $244 million budget deficit they caused by cutting spending or raising taxes, Phoenix leaders apparently will do both. Arizona Republic: “For the first time in 14 years, Phoenix leaders are expected to approve a property-tax hike to help pay the city’s $150 million annual projected debt.” According to the Arizona Republic, the City of Phoenix spends $500,000 a year for police bodyguards for Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. Why? Granted he may need some police protection for the short term in light of death threats made recently because of Mayor Gordon’s statements about Arizona’s illegal immigration law, but why [...] A group of people who apparently do not live in Arizona, Nevada or California are pushing for the construction of a high speed rail line between Phoenix, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Valley Metro will reduce its light rail service to save $1.6 million in operating expenses. Metro has $33 million to spend lose for its fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010. The Phoenix City Councel voted to pay $27 million that it does not have to Veolia Transportation so Veolia will [...] The State of Arizona is $3.2 billion in the whole. Phoenix has a budget deficit of $244 million. Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, the three cities that participate in the 20 mile light rail system, are cutting bus services because of lack of funds. Buses serve more people and cost substantially less than [...] The recession has reduced Tempe, Arizona’s, sales tax collections, including a sales tax passed by voters in 1996 that specifically allocates some of the sale tax revenue to transit services. Now Tempe is faced with cutting $14 from its transit budget over the next three years, which means that bus services will be reduced. [...] Mesa will have to cut services because it is $20 million in the hole. It tax revenue has decreased by $110 million since 2006, which has forced it to layoff 570 full time people. More layoffs are expected, but don’t look for it to cut one big money pit, light rail. The Arizona Republic reports that Mesa, Arizona, lost its state transportation funding and now faces a transportation deficit of $1.3 million. Mesa will be forced to cut bus and dial a ride services. Federal law requires cities to provide dial a ride services to disabled people within five miles of fixed bus [...] Because of Arizona’ $3.2 billion budget deficit the Arizona legislature eliminated state funding that previously was allocated to city transit. The City of Phoenix will not get $9 million for transit that it would have received, which will force Phoenix to reduce transit services. Unaware of the laws of economics, Phoenix Mayor [...] A downtown Phoenix high rise condo development called One Lexington is the first advertiser to place ads on a Phoenix light rail station. It has four ads in downtown Phoenix. Light rail people estimate that the light rail will generate $350,000 of ad revenue in its first year. Arizona Republic: “Faced with a much larger budget shortfall than expected, the Phoenix City Council might shut down ALEX, the Ahwatukee Local Explorer circulator bus, and four similar free neighborhood bus programs in other parts of the city.” The city may cut similar service in Deer Valley, Desert Ridge, Maryvale and Sunnyslope. [...] Arizona Republic: “The Phoenix transit staff says the city can no longer afford its $5.2 million system of free neighborhood circulator buses and should get rid of the program by July. . . . About 5,000 people, including some of the cities poorest, oldest and youngest residents, rely on the free minibuses [...] |
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