Quote:
Originally Posted by M1EK
"How about the long list of subsidies the entire State, including Williamson County, gives to Austin?"
You're crazy - Austin gets nothing but the back of the hand from the state - and, by the way, the state office buildings pay zero, yes, ZERO dollars in property taxes.
As for your genius scheme, they're talking about maybe building a line which would only carry people TO, not through ONTO, the CM line. At which point the passengers would be riding for the same (subsidized) price as residents of Leander and (maybe) Austin, despite the fact that their city doesn't pay the subsidy.
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Likewise, residents of Austin will be able to use Round Rock's train.
So it is a two way street of freebies.
It's not my genius scheme, it's Dallas's Dart and Fort Worth's "T" scheme.
Read about it at
http://www.dart.org/debtdocuments/bp...L.%20SEC.5.pdf
Cost Sharing Arrangement with the T Based on
Revenue Seat Miles -
DART’s ILA with the T calls for all revenues that are generated from TRE including fares, advertising, and special services to be used to pay for the service. The remaining subsidy is then allocated to DART and the T based on a revenue seat mile formula. For example, if the shared cost to operate TRE is $100 and TRE collects $25 in fares and $10 from other sources, the remaining $65 would be split based on the number of revenue seat miles operated in the DART service area and the T service area. DART and the T individually absorb their own staff, administrative, and station maintenance costs. Because of the additional trains that will be operating between Dallas’ Union Station and South Irving, West Irving, and CentrePort, it is anticipated that DART’s share of the subsidy will be approximately 80% in FY 2001, and 70% thereafter. The T’s share is estimated at $1.2 million in FY 2001, $1.6 million in FY 2002, and $2.4 million per year thereafter, and is included in Other Sources of Cash. The mid-cities have agreed to contribute $775,000 per year beginning in FY 2002 for services that their citizens utilize, which is included as operating income and reduces the net cost of service that is shared between the T and DART.
I believe CapMetro and Round Rock (Williamson County) could reach a similar Interlocking Agreement for continuos joint transit services.
Golly, the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth rarely agree on anything, yet they have found ways to make joint things work, for example the TRE, and DFW Airport.
I can't believe Austin can't or will not make peace (agreements) with its suburbs.