182 replies to this topic

[Folsom Guy]

Also Police, Fire, and the Courts. Those don't break even.

An the airports - we got dozens around the area? Close dem airports...'nuff of searching....anybody done ROI on US military and the courts and the prisons?

[mrdavex]

An the airports - we got dozens around the area? Close dem airports...'nuff of searching....anybody done ROI on US military and the courts and the prisons?

Actually, I think that no local tax dollars directly fund the airports. Their revenues comes from aviation fuel taxes, landing and takeoff fees, and ticket surcharges. The fed gov does shell out a lot though in terms of grants and capital funding. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[wrabbit]

I guess you also object to other public projects that don't break even, like city and county parks, publicly-owned golf courses, the median strips with trees, stuff like that...

The infrastructure for any country is important to it's being civilized. Most Public Programs are for a good reason, but why is it the responsibility of the government to help people get from point A, to point Z?
Just how much more do you want your tax bill to go up?

The streets are there because it is the tax payers agreeing they are needed. Same thing with the air port, parks and other public services. The fact that our government has a hard time keeping these services from breaking our wallets should be enough to convince most that our government runs things very poorly, at a cost that is much too high.

We already have public transportation with the buses. Why must we have more? The answer was in today's Sacramento Union. An article said our Governor wants to MAKE jobs, so we will all be paying for many more public works projects, with more taxes.

You see, that is how it's done. Every time our government can not keep to it's budget, it finds a way to make us pay more to run the country, and tells us we NEED this or that and it will be good because it will make more jobs. Then, the next year, we face another short fall, and we do the same thing all over again.

If we can not afford to pay the bills of the state now, how can we afford to pour money into more public projects? I don't buy the economic stimulus crap and neither do most intelligent people.

http://www.sacunion..../articles/9533/

[dogtoothviolet]

I don't believe safety is the primary reason or necessarily a reason at all. I think for many the reason to go to Sierra, ARC, or Folsom Lake is because of financial reasons. They would rather live at home and save their money while getting their two-year degree so they can later transfer to their university of choice and go on to their four-year degree.

I don't think people are in a complete panic about riding light rail, but I also don't think light rail is the Disney experience some would make it out to be either. It's not necessarily about safety, but I don't particularly enjoy hearing "F" this and "MF" that, which is what happened the two times I rode, not to mention the guy shouting he was going to kill everybody until a rather large man in the back yelled at him to shut up.

I've never been on our light rail here, because I haven't had much of a reason to. Although, I've been thinking of doing some Sacramento government intern work maybe in a year or so and would much rather have some time to get some reading and/or knitting done instead of wasting gas money (take that wrabbit!- sometimes commuting is necessary. My partner works at Intel and his commute is a couple minutes, so why would I move temporarily to sacramento just so I wouldn't have to ride light rail and in turn, make his commute longer?). I am definitely leary about some of the encounters I'll most likely have, but I think as Americans, we are so used to being in a protected bubble and get overly scared when having to deal with poorer people who may have mental health issues. When you walk around the world, you are going to meet some strange people. It's just something that we all have to deal with.

I've taken Portland's light rail many times during my trips there and loved it. They even have a free ride zone in the city center. It helps out immensely (especially because the parking there is a horrendous experience). I've met a few shady characters on the light rail there and while it was a bit uncomfortable (and a sometimes smelly) experience, the benefit outweighed the unpleasantness.

[Aurvandil]

I love light rail, if only for the fact that its completely free to me(as a student at sac state) and gives me one more option to get where I'm going. My "one card" lets me ride buses/lightrail all I want. When I'm going somewhere if I feel really active I bike, a little more lazy light rail, and really lazy car, but its always nice to have options.

[Warren G]

Light Rail through Folsom during commute hours has been packed in recent weeks.

[oldschoolskater]

Liightrail Rocks! A good way to save money and to reduce pollution as well. Unfortunately, from time to time, u do get the ghetto element but it's a small price to pay.

[FandKJacobs]

I think the city councils support for Folsom residents that are light rail riders is abominable..

There is a nearly empty parking garage in downtown Folsom and light rail riders can only use the top floor. Believe me unless you get there by 7:30 all those spaces are gone... By the way those spaces are supposed to be for the “help” of the downtown business owners and not for us.

According to the city the parking structure is reserved for downtown business that have yet to be built...

Yet here we sit in a -- National Energy and Economic Emergency -- and they do nothing about re-purposing all or part of that garage to help Folsom residents nor the environment.

At least they could open it up until downtown is completed and needs the space while perusing other options....

Again, another case in which our council members seem to favor one local developer’s interest over residents...

Also, the reason they “say” they can not make a deal with the commercial property owner next to the Glen Drive station is that Sprint has rights to those parking spaces (though they are never used by them). Apparently they have not approached Sprint and asked if the could share…

I would encourage everyone concerned about this to E-mail our council members to pressure them into action… Our Light-Rail system is now a necessity and not an option for many stretched Folsom families.
Due to recent economic changes, our cities access to Light Rail is more economically valuable to all of Folsom residents than the downtown revitalization.

[mylo]

At least they could open it up until downtown is completed and needs the space while perusing other options....

An interesting proposal, but hard to enforce. Plus, once you get used to something, it's always harder to take it away than never give it to begin with. Construction is going to be starting on the rest of the Railroad block development very shortly, so you're not talking 5 years out here.

I, too, wish that RT had considered the potential ridership better for Folsom, and planned more frequent trains and additional parking, but blaming the city that did quite a good job of pushing lightrail into Folsom, despite a lot of criticism that is obviously demonstrated on the forum, I think is a bit unfair.

It's not the city's problem to provide parking for RT. The city has contributed a ton to what is already here, and if RT wants the additional riders, they should take care of their customers and not expect the city to bail them out!

[FandKJacobs]

An interesting proposal, but hard to enforce. Plus, once you get used to something, it's always harder to take it away than never give it to begin with. Construction is going to be starting on the rest of the Railroad block development very shortly, so you're not talking 5 years out here.

I, too, wish that RT had considered the potential ridership better for Folsom, and planned more frequent trains and additional parking, but blaming the city that did quite a good job of pushing lightrail into Folsom, despite a lot of criticism that is obviously demonstrated on the forum, I think is a bit unfair.

It's not the city's problem to provide parking for RT. The city has contributed a ton to what is already here, and if RT wants the additional riders, they should take care of their customers and not expect the city to bail them out!

Fairness has nothing to do with it.... The council needs to respond to Folsom residents very real needs... The trains are standing room only (RT's fault) ... The three main city lots are Full (a pox on both houses).... However, the city has the space to solve the problem... They need to do it... We Light rail riders helped pay for the damn thing with our tax dollars and we deserve (at least temporary) access to it.......

By the way, downtown Folsom has never been a big mid-day destination... Also, just because you build it --given current economic conditions -- who wants’ commercial space??? Business and government are trimming the economy continues to slip…. Big local layoffs are coming soon… The longer it sits unused – in this time of need -- the worse the city and its leaders look…

Again, Light Rail is not an “optional” thing any more for many Folsom residents…

[mylo]

Fairness has nothing to do with it.... The council needs to respond to Folsom residents very real needs... The trains are standing room only (RT's fault) ... The three main city lots are Full (a pox on both houses).... However, the city has the space to solve the problem... They need to do it... We Light rail riders helped pay for the damn thing with our tax dollars and we deserve (at least temporary) access to it.......

By the way, downtown Folsom has never been a big mid-day destination... Also, just because you build it --given current economic conditions -- who wants’ commercial space??? Business and government are trimming the economy continues to slip…. Big local layoffs are coming soon… The longer it sits unused – in this time of need -- the worse the city and its leaders look…

Again, Light Rail is not an “optional” thing any more for many Folsom residents…

I don't argue that more parking for RT riders and more frequent trains aren't needed. I'm just saying that the city did a great job of getting this much here. To blame the City for RT's lack of capacity planning, of which I don't think even they expected such huge demand, is a little unfair.

To say we should just take space from the Railroad Block is very short-sighted. Yes, it might meet an immediate need of RT, today, but until RT funds additional parking there will always be less parking than people. The city just dropped another huge bundle of cash to put more parking on the other end of Sutter. The more they give away to RT, the more it's going to cost to develop additional parking for Sutter St.

I understand that you consider Lightrail a greater destination than Old Town, but the fact remains that the 300space parking lot was constructed for Sutter St, not for Light Rail riders.

RT's stated solution is to park at Hazel, where their largest park&ride lot frequently sits empty. If you have issue with their solution, take it up with RT and their County tax allocators, not with the City of Folsom.

[Dave Burrell]

Wasn't the new parking structure also privately funded? I don't think city funds were used to build it (but I'm not 100% sure about that)

[mylo]

Wasn't the new parking structure also privately funded? I don't think city funds were used to build it (but I'm not 100% sure about that)

From: http://www.folsom.ca...a...&targetid=1

Council Approves Bonds for Historic District

The City’s portion of the project includes a four-story, 315 space parking structure and a renovated civic plaza and amphitheater. The project is located in the Historic District between Sutter, Reading, Leidesdorff and Wool streets. The Folsom Railroad Block Developers, will build a mixed-use commercial and residential development adjacent to the public parking facility.

“The Council’s action allows us to fund the City’s portion of the project with $15 million in tax increment funds and an additional $525,000 contributed from Redevelopment Agency funds,” said Nav Gill, Chief Financial Officer. “The funds to construct the project will be derived from the sale of 30-year bonds by the Redevelopment Agency at a historically low average interest cost of 4.40%. The bonds will be repaid by future tax increment revenues and will also finance debt service reserves and costs of issuance.”

Gill noted that Folsom is rated A+/Stable by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services. “The report cited Folsom’s strong income indicators and a median household buying income at 160% of the national level. In addition, Folsom’s stable outlook reflects the project area’s low volatility ratio and Standard & Poor’s expectation that the project area will stabilize or continue to grow. An area of concern was the higher than average top 10 taxpayer concentration in the Redevelopment area. We will continue to expand our economic development efforts to reduce that concentration.”

State law allows cities to use tax increment funds for the construction of new, publicly owned buildings. Cities must first publish notice of a public hearing, prepare and make reports available to the public, conduct a public hearing and take public testimony, and satisfy legal requirements for the use of tax increment funds.

How much was contributed from RT? How much from Sac County taxes?

[Dave Burrell]

From: http://www.folsom.ca...a...&targetid=1

How much was contributed from RT? How much from Sac County taxes?

well then heck, since it was tax payer funded, it doesn't seem wise to have it sit empty when light rail users could be utilizing it does it?

I'd like to see some REAL statistics on light rail usage around here - sometimes I hear hardly anyone's on it, other times I hear its packed every day - which is it? How many people get on at the station in old town and also at the other stations around here?

Information like that - real stats, could help justify (or deny) the usage

[FandKJacobs]

I don't argue that more parking for RT riders and more frequent trains aren't needed. I'm just saying that the city did a great job of getting this much here. To blame the City for RT's lack of capacity planning, of which I don't think even they expected such huge demand, is a little unfair.

To say we should just take space from the Railroad Block is very short-sighted. Yes, it might meet an immediate need of RT, today, but until RT funds additional parking there will always be less parking than people. The city just dropped another huge bundle of cash to put more parking on the other end of Sutter. The more they give away to RT, the more it's going to cost to develop additional parking for Sutter St.

I understand that you consider Lightrail a greater destination than Old Town, but the fact remains that the 300space parking lot was constructed for Sutter St, not for Light Rail riders.

RT's stated solution is to park at Hazel, where their largest park&ride lot frequently sits empty. If you have issue with their solution, take it up with RT and their County tax allocators, not with the City of Folsom.

Wrong... The City of Folsom is who I will look to solve this issue as the stations are in the city.. The city wanted the stations... Re-directing to RT would mean “nothing” would get done.... Also, a number of City council members are up for election this year therefore Folsom RT riders are more likely to get results from them......

I say the city spend some tax dollars to find a solution for us RT riding Folsom residents…. If I wanted more trains or double tracking I would go after RT… We want parking places -- the city can arrange that, the city councel shoudl answer to it's resedents….

Of course the city is going to do a study of RT ridership… I.E. See we are doing something (while doing nothing)… It’s RT’s fault!!!! I don’t buy it…. The city council with a little creative thinking can solve this problem…. They seem to be hesitant because they (like always) seem to be in the one “developers” back pockets… I have got news, I bet there are at least 1,000 Folsom light rail riders -- that is a lot of voters…

Light-Rail usage:

All the trains I ride are standing room only after the station at the outlets. I ride anywhere from 6:00Am to 7:30AM depending on what is going on at work…. By 7:30 all the parking in all the main city lots is gone… Folks are parking on the street, risking towing by parking in other lots, etc… And the commute is not yet done….