Dougherty Arts Center
Don't Trust Mike Krusee
RECEIVED Mon., April 12, 2004
Dear Editor,
I'm disappointed to see Mike Clark-Madison fall so easily for the bait and switch being pulled on Austin by Mike Krusee ["Austin @ Large," News, April 9]. Mr. Krusee is effective, but he has not suddenly been beset with a bout of regional responsibility.
Look at the facts:
1) Commuter rail is unlikely to serve many people within the city limits of Austin (due to the necessary wide spacing of stations and the in-expressway routing through most of Austin). You won't see a station south of 2222 coming from the north, for instance; and bet on only one between there and the city limits to the north.
2) Round Rock, which Mike Krusee represents (primarily), pays no taxes to Capital Metro.
3) The commuter rail plan is pushing Capital Metro toward providing so-called rapid-bus transit instead of light rail in the inner city (providing poor service to Austin residents, who, unlike the Round Rock residents mentioned above, pay the bills).
Connect the dots. By shady legislative maneuvering, Mike Krusee managed to stop Capital Metro from providing high-performance transit to Austin citizens in 2000 (striking a blow against the liberals) and will soon manage to successfully divert a ton of money from Austin to Round Rock citizens (either Capital Metro money or other sources), as if the overwhelming city-provided subsidy in highway spending isn't enough already. And what's better, the people from Round Rock who do ride the rails won't have to worry about the unwashed citizens of Austin sitting next to them – this route will fail to serve the densest (and weirdest) parts of our city.
In short: Mike Krusee is a friggin' genius. He's providing transit to his constituents and getting us to pay the bill.
I'm disappointed to see Mike Clark-Madison fall so easily for the bait and switch being pulled on Austin by Mike Krusee ["Austin @ Large," News, April 9]. Mr. Krusee is effective, but he has not suddenly been beset with a bout of regional responsibility.
Look at the facts:
1) Commuter rail is unlikely to serve many people within the city limits of Austin (due to the necessary wide spacing of stations and the in-expressway routing through most of Austin). You won't see a station south of 2222 coming from the north, for instance; and bet on only one between there and the city limits to the north.
2) Round Rock, which Mike Krusee represents (primarily), pays no taxes to Capital Metro.
3) The commuter rail plan is pushing Capital Metro toward providing so-called rapid-bus transit instead of light rail in the inner city (providing poor service to Austin residents, who, unlike the Round Rock residents mentioned above, pay the bills).
Connect the dots. By shady legislative maneuvering, Mike Krusee managed to stop Capital Metro from providing high-performance transit to Austin citizens in 2000 (striking a blow against the liberals) and will soon manage to successfully divert a ton of money from Austin to Round Rock citizens (either Capital Metro money or other sources), as if the overwhelming city-provided subsidy in highway spending isn't enough already. And what's better, the people from Round Rock who do ride the rails won't have to worry about the unwashed citizens of Austin sitting next to them – this route will fail to serve the densest (and weirdest) parts of our city.
In short: Mike Krusee is a friggin' genius. He's providing transit to his constituents and getting us to pay the bill.
Regards,
Mike Dahmus
Mike Dahmus
