182 replies to this topic

[doj_gal]

What in the world are you doing up at 2:36 am, responding to a post about light rail?

I get home at midnight and I do not fall asleep until 3 am or so...

If you LIVE in Folsom!!!!! Find a job in FOLSOM, already!

Your kidding me right? Your whole post is fricken BS...sometimes you just go off the deep end!!!

I would have a very hard time finding a job in Folsom making the same amount I do working downtown. I also do not really want to live where I work...It's fricken ghetto and my family lives in OV so I do not want to move far away.

Things happen, people need to commute. I like the fact that I am not stressed when I get to work. I have about a half mile walk which is good for me! It saves on car emissions and has saved me money.

Really it may look empty but I ride it everyday and it is far from empty!!!

[wrabbit]

"I'm a professional who works in downtown Sacramento. Driving from Pollock Pines (fortunately, only once a week!), it takes me 45 minutes to get to light rail in Folsom, 15 minutes more to park in the overflow lot and walk to the station, then it's a 45 minute light rail trip to my office. At $4 round trip, it beats paying $15 to park for just 5 hours in downtown Sacramento; however, the RT trip takes me almost 2 hours, compared to 1-1/4 if I drive (which is during non-commute hours). And the return trip takes 2-1/2 hours simply because of the timing (compared to 1-1/4 hrs in my car). When my employer recently offered to pick up the cost of parking, I hate to admit I jumped on it. Not only was I spending too much time on light rail, have you ever ridden it in downtown Sacramento? There are some pretty scary folk on board. Gang member looking people. Smelly street people. Intoxicated/drugged up people. It's like riding the subway in New York. And talk about panhandlers..... Having recently moved here from San Jose, I've never seen so many bedraggled people in such a small area (IK Street @ 7th)."

"So, given the choice of a much shorter commute time in my car vs. a helluva ride on LT (plus dealing with the downtown scum), I'm choosing the car. I thought I was doing the "right thing" by taking transit. However, to get me back on light rail, it's gonna take an express train from Folsom to downtown to do it."

http://rtrider.blogs...osing-view.html


Above is one of many examples of why Light Rail isn't working as well as it could be. I'm all for tax dollars going for things that work and save the environment, but Light Rail doesn't do that to the point it is worth being propped up with more taxes, year after year for the lack of it supporting itself. Remember, we were told it would support itself with the ticket sales?

At first, people wanted to ride it and did, only to find out they were too inconvenienced and the train atmosphere too unpleasant, to be able to tolerate. So, they went back to driving their cars.

The fact that homeless people are riding Light Rail is just amazing. But they and other undesirables, get a "free pass", and it seems they really have nowhere important to go. I mean, no job. The unpleasant factor they bring to Light Rail makes it hard for other riders to tolerate, plus the other problems as mentioned above....such as travel time required and parking, in this case.

Light Rail was pushed on Folsom by Contractors who wanted to make a bunch of money and it was hoped that riders from Folsom would shop downtown and help the failing businesses there. Now that it's in place, additional taxes will be needed to keep it running. It is the perfect example of wasted tax money, which our government is famous for. Look how many times they have revitalized downtown Sacramento...has it ever worked? Just getting the panhandlers off the streets would help greatly, but they haven't done that.

I know the suggestion of moving closer to one's work is not very popular....but one cold try to find work in Folsom, if you're wanting to live here. I've seen many office buildings built here and Folsom is growing rapidly. It's just hard to think there are no jobs here, for those who take the time to look.

Going "Green" isn't going to be as easy as jumping on the Light Rail, I'm afraid. All of us are going to have to make some major changes to save our environment. Many of those changes will be difficult. The government can help, by putting into place things that work on a large scale. Right now the goal is on making money more than saving our environment. I just feel the money that went into Light Rail, could have gone into a better, more "Green" endeavor, instead of something that will take more and more tax money, as time goes by. Light Rail may work good in other towns, but I don't think it has worked too well in Folsom.
If anyone thinks I'm wrong about this, please bring me some statistics, instead of attacking my post.

[wrabbit]

Ah yes, wrabbit...

I guess if you don't have kids of school age you should not have to pay taxes that go to subsidize the education costs for people who choose to have kids? Never mind the $7500 I had to pay the school district just to get a building permit for our house. All schools should be funded completely by those who use them.

And you know, I never go to a city park so I shouldn't have to support those either. If you like playing softball then buy your own place to do it or move closer to the fields at Watt Avenue.

And you know what, my house has fire sprinklers so I don't want to pay for a fire department either-I'll just take my chances and the cash. Same with the water department. I'll just drill a well. If you can't get all the water you need then move to a place that has water below it.

And those stupid bike paths and dog parks! I don't use them so why should I pay taxes so that somebody else has a place to walk their dog? Hey, if you've got a dog then buy a lot with a large enough place for it to get all of its exercise because I don't want to pay for a place for your dog to walk around.

And why should I pay the taxes that make the roads wide enough for bike lanes when I don't even have a bike? I say make the roads just wide enough for the cars and the bike riders can move closer to a gym so they can walk there.

And don't get me started on all the taxes I pay just so some some fat, lazy guys in ugly pants can save a few dollars off their greens fees on the public courses.

Privately-funded entertainment, recreation, and schools is the only way it can be done fairly. If you use it, then you pay your full share of its cost.

<sarcastic rant mode off>

I couldn't agree with you more! I'm not against public transportation if it works. Public works that continue to need funding by the tax payers, is what I have a problem with.

The tax payers have already paid for the construction of Light Rail, at the tune of millions of dollars. But it was said it could support itself with the cost of the tickets....which seems to have been an exaggeration. I am just tired of Contractors running down to City Hall and making all kinds of claims, based on studies from another city, saying Folsom citizens can benefit from this or that, in order for them to make their millions.

I feel government shouldn't be in the business of providing the pubic with every little thing they want. Dog Parks? They are ridiculous! Bike paths?.....they are nice, but like you said, not all citizens use them. I don't own a bike either! So it does come down to everyone paying for the use of tax funded projects, which only gets used by a small segment of the population. But they still get put into place and we still pay more and more each year to keep them operational.

That is disgraceful you had to pay so much to get a building permit! You will never get the benefit of that money, unless you have numerous children.....and even then, you will still be paying the taxes for that school every year in your property tax. That is so unfair! Not to mention that some Folsomites have become so unhappy with the public schools, they place their children in private ones. What does that say about the public schools we pay so dearly for?

All in all, I am like every tax payer and just want my tax dollars to work and not be wasted. Most of us work very hard for our money and to have the government turn around and waste it, like we personally can't, is just criminal in my mind.

[Darth Lefty]

We need to get more gangsters onto the freeway, to drive the normal people back to the light rail.

[Warren G]

Wasting taxpayer dollars is disgraceful. Contractors don't force the politicians to approve civic projects. Going over budget is how the game is played and all the politicians know this up front. But yes, some contractors play the games in a slimy way, and so do some politicians. The light rail rider is not responsible for those issues.

I have a bike and ride on the trails frequently. I don't complain too much about funding some projects I don't use (like the schools) because I use some projects like the bike trails and light rail that other people don't use. Just driving by a park is nicer than not seeing the park at all.

I'd still like to know where the 80,000 people in Folsom, EDH and CP are going to find the 20,000 jobs they need, in the same town they live in.

The more gas I buy the more state taxes I pay.

[wrabbit]

Wasting taxpayer dollars is disgraceful. Contractors don't force the politicians to approve civic projects. Going over budget is how the game is played and all the politicians know this up front. But yes, some contractors play the games in a slimy way, and so do some politicians. The light rail rider is not responsible for those issues.

I have a bike and ride on the trails frequently. I don't complain too much about funding some projects I don't use (like the schools) because I use some projects like the bike trails and light rail that other people don't use. Just driving by a park is nicer than not seeing the park at all.

I'd still like to know where the 80,000 people in Folsom, EDH and CP are going to find the 20,000 jobs they need, in the same town they live in.

The more gas I buy the more state taxes I pay.

I was told a long time ago, by my Dad, that finding a new job was a task that took 24 hours a day. That was back in the day when I was having a hard time finding a job, and a teenager.

After I took his words and digested them a few hours, I got up and started to REALLY look for a job. At that point I had to show him...know what I mean?

With Folsom growing so much, and all these offices going in and hospitals springing up, there has got to be more jobs than meets the eye.

Of course, a person can sit around and say there are no jobs to be had in Folsom, but with the daily changes occurring, I don't know if that is true. One would have to keep up with what's going on here, don't ya think?

What I'd do is start dropping off resumes at the places that could be needing help. If they don't need help now, they may later, then they will look in their files and find your resume, and call you.

But if one never looks for things, one will be sure to never find them.

[Darthvader]

"I'm a professional who works in downtown Sacramento. Driving from Pollock Pines (fortunately, only once a week!), it takes me 45 minutes to get to light rail in Folsom, 15 minutes more to park in the overflow lot and walk to the station, then it's a 45 minute light rail trip to my office. At $4 round trip, it beats paying $15 to park for just 5 hours in downtown Sacramento; however, the RT trip takes me almost 2 hours, compared to 1-1/4 if I drive (which is during non-commute hours). And the return trip takes 2-1/2 hours simply because of the timing (compared to 1-1/4 hrs in my car). When my employer recently offered to pick up the cost of parking, I hate to admit I jumped on it. Not only was I spending too much time on light rail, have you ever ridden it in downtown Sacramento? There are some pretty scary folk on board. Gang member looking people. Smelly street people. Intoxicated/drugged up people. It's like riding the subway in New York. And talk about panhandlers..... Having recently moved here from San Jose, I've never seen so many bedraggled people in such a small area (IK Street @ 7th)."

"So, given the choice of a much shorter commute time in my car vs. a helluva ride on LT (plus dealing with the downtown scum), I'm choosing the car. I thought I was doing the "right thing" by taking transit. However, to get me back on light rail, it's gonna take an express train from Folsom to downtown to do it."

http://rtrider.blogs...osing-view.html
Above is one of many examples of why Light Rail isn't working as well as it could be. I'm all for tax dollars going for things that work and save the environment, but Light Rail doesn't do that to the point it is worth being propped up with more taxes, year after year for the lack of it supporting itself. Remember, we were told it would support itself with the ticket sales?

At first, people wanted to ride it and did, only to find out they were too inconvenienced and the train atmosphere too unpleasant, to be able to tolerate. So, they went back to driving their cars.

The fact that homeless people are riding Light Rail is just amazing. But they and other undesirables, get a "free pass", and it seems they really have nowhere important to go. I mean, no job. The unpleasant factor they bring to Light Rail makes it hard for other riders to tolerate, plus the other problems as mentioned above....such as travel time required and parking, in this case.

Light Rail was pushed on Folsom by Contractors who wanted to make a bunch of money and it was hoped that riders from Folsom would shop downtown and help the failing businesses there. Now that it's in place, additional taxes will be needed to keep it running. It is the perfect example of wasted tax money, which our government is famous for. Look how many times they have revitalized downtown Sacramento...has it ever worked? Just getting the panhandlers off the streets would help greatly, but they haven't done that.

I know the suggestion of moving closer to one's work is not very popular....but one cold try to find work in Folsom, if you're wanting to live here. I've seen many office buildings built here and Folsom is growing rapidly. It's just hard to think there are no jobs here, for those who take the time to look.

Going "Green" isn't going to be as easy as jumping on the Light Rail, I'm afraid. All of us are going to have to make some major changes to save our environment. Many of those changes will be difficult. The government can help, by putting into place things that work on a large scale. Right now the goal is on making money more than saving our environment. I just feel the money that went into Light Rail, could have gone into a better, more "Green" endeavor, instead of something that will take more and more tax money, as time goes by. Light Rail may work good in other towns, but I don't think it has worked too well in Folsom.
If anyone thinks I'm wrong about this, please bring me some statistics, instead of attacking my post.

Deaf ears here. Everybody here thinks that damn lite rail is full of yuppies with laptops keeping it "green." There's no way! bums and criminals can take lite rail to Folsom and do bad things, no way, impossible. All the while they drive by themselves in their Lexus so they can listen to Y92 on their morning commute and be entertained.

I wish people would realize there is a reason trains are always associated with bums, because it's TRUE.

[wrabbit]

Deaf ears here. Everybody here thinks that damn lite rail is full of yuppies with laptops keeping it "green." There's no way! bums and criminals can take lite rail to Folsom and do bad things, no way, impossible. All the while they drive by themselves in their Lexus so they can listen to Y92 on their morning commute and be entertained.

I wish people would realize there is a reason trains are always associated with bums, because it's TRUE.

Well, when Light Rail was proposed, it was discussed here, and it was really heated. There were a lot of doubts about it being fully utilized, due to the income levels in Folsom. Usually, those who want to take public transportation, have a lower income and difficulty with reliable transportation. With the median income in Folsom being around $80,000 a year, per household, it was hard for many, me included, to imagine the citizens of Folsom would use it.

I think some thought about riding the train, but after that they didn't think about it any more. They just continued to drive their cars to work. I think others tried to ride the train, but found it much more unpleasant than they had thought, plus they didn't like the fact it took them longer to get to their destination....as the example post I placed stated.

Also, I don't think it would be too pleasant riding, if it is too hot or too cold, so people would be inclined to stay in their temperature controlled cars, than get out of them to stand in the weather, and wait for a train.
Then suffer the heat or cold while riding. Are there air conditioners or heaters on those trains?

Why the parking downtown is so expensive, when they want people to go downtown and spend their money, is beyond me. It can only be called insane behavior for the city to keep increasing the parking costs, when it defeats the purpose of bringing more business in. I can't even imagine paying $15 dollars a day to park my car! What kind of money must one make to be able to afford that, plus the cost of a car, insurance and gas????

I don't blame people for taking Light Rail, but wish more of them would, so it could pay for itself. Maybe with gas always getting more expensive, more will. I'm lucky that I don't have to and because of my business, never will be faced with having to.

[chris v]

Oh no, bums and "dangerous people" If that is the big complaint then ride the damn train and make them feel unwelcome.

[Dave Burrell]

Oh no, bums and "dangerous people" If that is the big complaint then ride the damn train and make them feel unwelcome.

Chris, I think you and Warran G are the only ones dealing with reality in this thread



lions, tigers and light rail, oh my!

[Darthvader]

Oh no, bums and "dangerous people" If that is the big complaint then ride the damn train and make them feel unwelcome.

Yeah that will work. Bully the low-lifes until they won't ride the train anymore. So if you do that then don't you essentially become one of those dangerous people too? Or do you only pick on the obvious villians?

[Dave Burrell]

Yeah that will work. Bully the low-lifes until they won't ride the train anymore. So if you do that then don't you essentially become one of those dangerous people too? Or do you only pick on the obvious villians?

once you stop being a victim of the world all the time you'll find out that you can take charge of your own life and make a difference around you.

Merry Christmas darth dude

[Darthvader]

once you stop being a victim of the world all the time you'll find out that you can take charge of your own life and make a difference around you.

Merry Christmas darth dude

Back at ya big guy...

[palango]

I Love light rail. I ride it 3 X a week from Folsom to Downtown. I just wish, it could be extended to EDH and maybe right into the new Casino....lol

[chris v]

Yeah that will work. Bully the low-lifes until they won't ride the train anymore. So if you do that then don't you essentially become one of those dangerous people too? Or do you only pick on the obvious villians?

Totally different. Dave said it best. You can do right for all the people around you. There are to many people with the "it's not my problem" complex. Lot's of people with opinions but no one around here is willing to do anything.