Maybe this quote in the Charlotte Business Journal left something out, but as rendered the pro-CATS, pro-tax side of the transit debate is already off on the wrong foot. Pat Mumford left the strong impression that only repeal has long-term financial consequences for Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
“If we don’t stop this repeal, we will be dealing with this for the next decade,” Mumford reportedly said.
In truth, CATS already has plans for the three decades of local tax money, given its plan to issue 30-year debt in order to build the $373 million North line.
This is the crux of the matter. Mumford and CATS’ defenders say everything is fine and dandy, couldn’t be better in fact. Experience says — from the South line cost overruns, from mass transit plans around the country, and, crucially now, from failed TIF projects around the country — that that ain’t necessarily so.
On top of that, local officials unwillingness to demand accountability from CATS has left to the public at-large to do so.
In fact, only 10 years of “dealing with” a post-repeal transit and transportation landscape might be an improvement on our current path, provided the dealing was done in the right way and left Charlotte with an affordable, meaningful mass transit solution.
Scratch that. Pat Mumford is exactly right.
