In yet another instance of wasted transit surtax dollars, the CITT voted yesterday to acquire land directly adjacent to the UDB in order to turn SW 157 avenue into a high-speed four lane urban highway. Too bad, this just gives opponents of the surtax more fuel to send it back to voters. Several more votes [...]
Posts under ‘CITT’
Letter to the CITT from TM reader…
To CITT Members
From Ted Wilde, former CITT member 2003-07, Chair of Project and Financial Review
Re: May 28 CITT item to acquire land for widening SW 157 Ave. would be a poor use of scarce surtax funds
Summary. On April 16 the Project and Financial Review Committee split 2-2 on the resolution to acquire 15 [...]
Action Alert: Stop Road Widening Funded by Transit Tax
The CITT will be holding a vote tonight on the proposed widening of SW 157 Avenue from 152 street to 184 street. Currently a two lane road, 157 avenue is adjacent to the UDB, and will be converted into a higher speed four lane collector. This is yet another colossal waste of taxpayer dollars (to the [...]
Wednesday News Roundup
Lot going on today, but there always is isn’t there…
The Miami-Dade Office of Sustainability & the City of Miami are teaming up to get grant money from the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance by forming a “non-profit entity to deliver energy services to residents and businesses within County geographic boundaries that provide performance based energy audits, [...]
Rejected….
Commissioner Gimenez’s proposed changes to the CITT were rejected in yesterday’s Commission hearing by a 6 – 6 vote. I was sad to see the 6 no votes - Audrey Edmonson, Barbara Jordon, Chariman Moss, Javier Souto, Bruno Barreiro, and Joe Martinez. This would have been the first good decision the Commission made with regard [...]
Thursday News Update
The South Dade Coalition is fighting FPL’s plans for transmission lines down US1 as these would keep the corridor from developing into the mixed-use, walkable place they seek. Good job guys.
Coral Gables is extending its trolley down ponce from 8th street to Flagler using FDOT dollars for the first year.
Dade and Broward Counties are getting [...]
Plan B
Finally our Commissioners are starting to use their cocos. You will remember that last week Commissioner Gimenez led a well intentioned, but ill fated attempt to abolish the CITT. Since that proposal was a bad idea (and died when put to a vote), the Commish has proposed his Plan B, a more practical approach to [...]
George Burgess: Manage Your Client’s Expectations….
As the County Commission is set to vote on Commissioner Gimenez’s proposal to repeal the transit surtax word from County Hall is that it will not pass. Gimenez plans to respond by going straight to the voters via a petition drive to get the item placed on the ballot. In response County Manager George Burgess [...]
News on the PTP front
The People’s Transportation Plan had a busy week last week. Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, a steadfast critic of the way the CITT has been mismanaged, has formally proposed sending the item back to voters for a referendum (in the hopes it will be repealed). This couldn’t come at a worse time for MDT considering looming service [...]
CITT: RIP 2002-2009
The CITT is officially useless. Yesterday the commission voted 9 – 3 to allow the use of surtax dollars for maintenance and operations of the existing pre-surtax transit system. Without the need to provide oversight of surtax dollars I don’t see what purpose the CITT has (other than the fact that the County legally has [...]
Fleecing the CITT
I mentioned last week that the commission is going to consider changes to the rules governing the transportation surtax- allowing for flexibility in using the funds for operations and maintenance. Larry Lebowitz goes a little further today and describes the result of the proposed legislation:
If the measure is approved on Tuesday the county would [...]
The week in transit
A lot happened this week behind the scenes and between the lines. Here is a review:
Kudos to this editorial today from El Nuevo Herald columnist Daniel Shoer Roth. I think he did an excellent job in highlighting how mismanaged our transit system is. Accountability goes out the window when ten different departments and municipalities are [...]
Tuesday News
CITT will reconsider whether to vote for new Metrorail cars (Miami Today News)
Central Grove to get street-level office space (Miami Today News)
Plans for Metro Zoo theme park nearly complete (Miami Today News)
Anti-Miami 21 Commissioner Regalado announces candidacy for Mayor (Miami Sunpost)
More drama over the Miami mega-plan (Miami Sunpost)
Metrorail controversy over “ghost posts” (Miami Herald)
Cyclist [...]
