Friday, May 29, 2015

Streetcar operating costs increase again?

Dear fellow tax hikers, according to Vice Mayor David Mann the costs to operate the beloved Cincinnati Streetcar may have just increased - again.  Recent estimates had placed operating costs between $3.8-$4.2 million/year.  Open up your wallets everyone, that cost appears to have risen.



We have repeatedly stated that we support the streetcar, no matter how much it costs.  This endorsement includes both unlimited capital costs and unlimited operating costs.  The more money we can spend on streetcars, the better.  It's just taxpayer money, and there's always more where that comes from.  
 
Just consider how much these costs have escalated since November 2011:
 
The total amount of the entire streetcar project is estimated at $95 million, and $2.5 million a year to operate.

In reality, the streetcar project is currently projected to cost $148-$149 million with annual operating expenses as high as $4.7 million.  That's expert planning at work.  And we can't wait to do this again with the next streetcar line. 
 

13 comments:

Enquirer News Ladies said...

Investigating streetcar costs overruns in a Democrat-run city is nowhere near as important as investigating stadium costs overruns were in a Republican-run county. Quick, let's change the subject by writing another puff piece on Micah Kamrass or maybe another tragic situation involving a gay person will come along.

Anonymous said...

Flabitha and I are willing to pay a premium to be carted about the city. Our active lifestyles necessitate transport that gets us off our feet for a spell and separates us from minority types. We roundly support additional streetcar costs and look forward to continuing the fight for reckless fiscal policy. Why walk, run or bike a few blocks when you can ride? No matter the costs...

Shinebox Hochscheid

Young Drunk Republican Women of Cincinnati said...

Do we need to do anything? Or can we just keep drinking away the summer?

Curt from Colerain said...

Thanks to our trustees we are used to cost overruns here. We overpay by $2 million annually when we could have the sheriff's department patrol our roads for less. We pay too much in administrative salaries and don't have enough money to buy new safety equipment. Our trustees only care about protecting themselves and continuing personal vendettas against former political opponents.

PG Sit And Fail said...

Happy to have voted for the street car. After all, I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth and have zero real world experience when it comes to making a budget or running a business. I am just doing this to promote my political aspirations and to impress all of my kool friends in OTR...just don't publish anything about the crime and shootings there. Peace out.

Snob Portman III said...

I don't want to spend any tax dollars on anything that might support the poor and the middle class. If you have enough money, and donate some for me, then you can always hit me up on my cell and I will deliver for you.

Tenney for Colerain said...

THAT DOES IT!!! I'm so sick of voter suppression that I'm thinking of running for office. Nobody named Curt voted in 2013 in Colerain, most likely because nobody can reasonably be expected to vote in the paltry month or so that Ohio allows for voting.

My platform would consist of a)year-round voting and b)streetcars for Colerain. Hell, we could even VOTE WHILE RIDING THE STREETCAR!!! If we could get the Colerain streetcar to run like the Back to the Future Delorean, it would run on trash that would otherwise go to Rumpke. Double win, bitches!!!

Goofball Greg Insco said...

Wait I thought Trent was managing my campaign for Colerain Township mayor.

Tax Hikin' Rick Bryan said...

I am amazingly proud of my vote to help fund the Cincinnati Streetcar. It's a great project. Is there anything we can do to help again?

Back to the Future said...

When it comes to spending 2015 dollars for 1950s transportation, the sky's the limit.

Gavin Sheppard said...

Maybe I will get to make all the public record inquiries that will unearth this massive scandal. However this isn't in Colerain Township so I doubt I will ever care.

Republican Leaders in Columbus and Washington said...

The immense popularity of the streetcar is more proof than ever that our Republican Party needs to embrace public transit, bike trails, solar power, wind power, electric cars, and so many other forms of 21st century progressive public transportation policies. Screw all those troglodytes driving those individual gas-powered cars. Who else would they vote for?

The blessing Dynasty said...

When you come from the right family and the old man hands you a legislative seat as though it were a peerage in the House of Lords, you find matters such as transportation for the peons to be entirely trivial.