Keeping an Open Mind about Transportation
I’m a yes on the transit referendum, despite my reservations and sincere objections from some people I call friends. A yes vote is a vote for safer roads, better busses, and a more effective system.
Earlier this week, I wrote an editorial for QCity Metro about why I support the transit referendum on the ballot this November.
I talked a lot about how better transportation systems and mobility options give us back time:
One of the primary goals of public policy should be to ensure a full life, with as much quality time as possible. When you strip away all of the arguments and assumptions about Charlotte’s transit plan, it boils down to our most valuable and irreplaceable resource: time.
For the single parent working two jobs who has a round-trip commute measured in hours, a better bus system means more quality time with their kids.
For the Lake Norman commuter who can’t afford the toll lanes, it’s an extra hour each morning to answer emails or read a book on the train.
For the elder in East Charlotte who takes Special Transportation Service (STS) buses to their medical appointments, it’s a quicker round trip. For the small business owner driving their truck around town, it’s less time between stops — and hopefully fewer potholes.
For the person who was about to get behind the wheel when they’ve had too much to drink, it’s a safe ride home instead of an appointment with the criminal justice system.
For one or more of the 100-plus people in Mecklenburg County who die in traffic fatalities each year, a one-cent sales tax could be worth decades.
A vote in favor of the referendum is a vote for more time.
A Mobility Option I Never Thought I Would Need
Sometimes, you don’t know how important that time can be until you really need it.
In 2019, I was set to host a major event that was my biggest professional project of the year. The next day, I was supposed to pack up my then-fiancee’s apartment in Washington, D.C., and drive the moving van to take her and her worldly possessions to my house in east Charlotte.
However, about ten days out from the event, my grandmother suffered a cardiac event and ended up in the hospital. Eventually, my grandmother was released from the hospital back to her retirement home in Davidson, and the week seemed like it would get better.
A couple days later, I got the phone call while I was walking my dog. My grandmother had a stroke, and I was the only family member who was close. I had to get to her immediately.
Then I got the next call. My grandmother had passed. It was rush hour, but I needed to get to Davidson to secure her personal possessions and apartment, and if I wanted to say goodbye I needed to get there before the ambulance.
So, for the first time, I took the I-77 toll lanes to cut 30+ minutes off my afternoon trip.
Like many others who lived in North Mecklenburg, I opposed the I-77 toll lanes. No need to go into all of the reasons that they faced vocal opposition, but the toll lanes may be the reason Pat McCrory became the only incumbent governor ever to lose a reelection campaign. They are still unpopular.
However, on that day, the toll lanes were the reason I saw my grandmother one last time. That was worth a lot more than whatever I paid in tolls that day, and I can’t imagine how I would feel if I didn’t have that option.
More Reasons to Vote Yes, Despite Reservations
The same concept applies to the transit referendum this year. Even if you aren’t a fan of transit, or think you’ll never use it, I hope you’ll keep an open mind. If you’re a small business owner, the person you employ - or their family - may be using it. If you’re at a Hornets game or an event at Bank of America Stadium, you may have taken the light rail without thinking about it.
One day, all of us may need public transportation and STS services when we can’t drive anymore and are living on a fixed income. Or, we may never meet the person in our life who needed public transportation most — the person who shouldn’t have been on the road, and otherwise would have made someone we love a statistic.
I use CATS by choice — I’m lucky to be a 3 minute walk from both the #7 and #26 buses — take Amtrak at least once a month, and almost always use public transportation when I’m abroad or in a major city. It’s a great time to catch up on unopened emails and texts —of which my wife will tell you I have too many.
One of the many bright spots in the transit referendum is the potential for more people who actually use transit to be involved in the decision-making process. The current leadership of CATS - the Metropolitan Transit Commission - is only comprised of elected officials, most of whom don’t use buses and trains.
That may be one of the reasons former CATS CEO John Lewis was frequently embattled:
As CATS leader, Lewis had several missteps:
He opened the Gold Line streetcar in 2021 with not enough drivers, leading to the service stumbling from the get-go.
CATS buses had maintenance issues.
When speaking to City Council, Lewis often shaded the truth or said incorrect things.
Other issues under Lewis included “ghost buses” that didn’t pick up passengers, train derailments and delayed maintenance, and a large drop in ridership. Warnings about security staffing shortages went unheard.
Since Lewis, who resigned, was replaced by interim CEO Brent Cagle, ridership has recovered; but the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska — which made news in part because of how out of the ordinary it was — demonstrated there are still problems with the system that may be better addressed by a board with ears closer to the ground. More community involvement in CATS has to be a good thing after all the challenges the system has faced.
Additionally, the referendum will devote money to building streets that are safer for pedestrians and drivers alike. Increased transit adoption, “complete streets” that are safe for pedestrians and naturally calm traffic and aggressive driving, better sidewalks - all of these are things that contribute to fewer motor vehicle fatalities and better public health.
Not to mention, investing in local infrastructure creates good jobs.
The cost for the referendum is a one cent sales tax. That’s not insignificant, but it’s necessary in a Dillon’s Rule state where the legislature has all the power, and has passed legislation to prevent any significant state funding for transit.
However, despite my (widely shared) reservations about regressive taxes, the kitchen table math is pretty straightforward: if you’re able to choose some combination of transit, micro transit, bike lanes, and walking instead of taking a car, you’re in a position to save thousands of dollars every year on gas, auto payments, and insurance - much less than the average family will pay in additional sales tax.
All of the above is why I’m a yes on the transit referendum, despite my reservations and sincere objections from some people I call friends. A yes vote is a vote for safer roads, better busses, and a more effective transit system. It comes at the unfair cost of a regressive tax, but waiting on a “better” plan could take years.
We can vote no and continue the status quo for decades, or vote yes, with the knowledge we have to continue to be vigilant and make it work.
Early voting is open now through Saturday, November 1. Election Day is Saturday November 4, and in addition to the transit referendum, municipal government and the school board are on the ballot. No matter how you vote, please get to the polls and make sure your voice is heard.