How the Koch Brothers Are Killing Public Transit Projects Around the Country
From Grist.org: The infamous Koch brothers have bankrolled climate deniers, propped up polluting industries, and even tried to turn the black community pro-fossil fuel. But, as a recent New York Times story shows, the billionaire conservatives have been steadily exerting pressure against public transit as well.
Here’s the above-referenced New York Times article addressing the subject in the post’s headline above. The answer to the “how” question is easy: By funding their libertarian interest group “Americans for Prosperity,” and getting people to canvass door-to-door in neighborhoods with voters most likely to be receptive to their anti-government messages. “Do you agree that raising the sales tax to the highest rate in the nation must be stopped?” “Can we count on you to vote ‘no’ on the transit plan?”
A more interesting question than “how,” though, is “why.” Mass transit, obviously, takes cars off the street; that’s the whole idea: reducing vehicle-miles driven, relieving congestion and reducing CO2 and toxic emissions. And yes, Koch Industries is heavily involved in the auto industry, so there is a considerable profit motive.
Yet it’s clear from their actions that the Koch brothers will fight anything that pulls people together and uses collective action to improve conditions, whether it’s transportation, health, and especially environmental responsibility. The real problem with climate change mitigation, and thus the reason to deny that the problem exists in the first place, is that it requires government action. Industries don’t regulate themselves, as we’ve seen so many times since the dawn of human enterprise.
So here we go into 2020, deadlocked, at an impasse. As you’re reading these words, more than 200,000 groups around the globe are working for environmental justice…while conservative billionaires are doing everything possible to block that progress. Time is passing, greenhouse gas concentrations are rising, and Americans for Prosperity is doing everything in its power to make sure nothing changes.
How does that make you feel?
Craig,
There are always tow sides to every story (but not in the NYT).
I doubt the Koch bros had anything to do with opposing the Tennessee transit plan. (David Koch would have to have supernatural power from beyond the grave).
The NYT article failed to mention the biggest group opposing the plan was A group representing 4049 voter called the People’s Alliance for Transit, Housing and Employment (PATHE)
PATHE is a housing and tenants’ rights association who , opposed to the transit plan claiming the transit plan would displace low-income residents and bring gentrification.
Although the initial cost was estimated to be in the vicinity of $5.2 billion, it rapid rose to be $8.9 billion plan, and by the time of the referendum independent experts had placed the cost at more than $29 billion.
The Transit plan consisted of several light rail and bus rapid transit lines along major corridors.
Construction between 2018 and 2032 would have been very disruptive for commerce and residents resulting in bankruptcies and move to suburban Malls
In the end the vote was decisive with 63% of the 124,000 rejecting the plan.
Financing the plan required for a city only 700,000 or with the greater metro area 2 million, was proposed by raining a tax on the all residents of 2% but on merchants of 10.5 to 21.5%, for 30 years.
It was feared the tax on merchants would create a flight from the metro area and ruin Nashville’s unique character.
It was also estimated the light rail and bus system wouldn’t attract sufficient patronage to justify the high cost. The disruption would further erode the tax base, thereby necessitating even more of a tax burden and further destroying the the patronage of a transit system.
Alternate plans were advanced which offered better environmentally benefits,created no disruption and could be implemented at 10% of the cost.
Once again, just a little research would save you a lot of indignant angst, less need to display your hatred for the the Kochs and make you a little more understanding of the dynamics of municipal politics!
Oh, and by the way, if you had read the Mayor’s own report you would have learned that each trip calculated with even the most optimistic of users, would cost the City $19.60 per passenger!
The opposing transit plan cost the city only 7 cents per passenger!