The folks running for mayor and city council here in KC are talking a lot about public transportation, buses, light rail, etc since the city crapped its collective pants back in November when a half-baked light rail plan won voter approval.
But the one thing that keeps bothering is the obvious fact that so few of the candidates have any personal experience with our own bus system. Most will brag about how they use the trains or subways when they visit NYC, Chicago, London, etc. - but apparently they get right back in their cars and SUVs when they land at KCI. One of KC’s biggest problems with light rail or transit in general is that we have such poor leadership on the issue.
So, when several of the 4th District candidates were at my neighborhood association last night I asked how often they rode the bus in the last month, and if elected would they commit to using public transportation to get to City Hall. Here are their responses…
Ezekiel Amador - He basically said if elected he’d be too busy and too important to wait around on a bus, he’ll need to drive all over for big important meetings around town.
Deth Im - He is a frequent transit rider who was able to quote bus routes between his house and Downtown, and pledged to use transit as often as possible if not every day.
Beth Gottstein - Another regular transit rider who was able to tell the audience which routes she uses.
Mark Forsythe - Mark regularly uses the MAX to go Downtown and has already pledged to continue doing so if elected.
Doug Gamble - He gave a very earnest reply about the importance of buses for the mobility of poor people that work in his hotels, but insisted he couldn’t do it himself because he has two children to transport. Um, OK, whatever. Tell that to the thousands families with small children who struggle every day to make transit work for them.
Rita Valenciano - Another regular transit rider who said she is already planning to walk to City Hall if elected, garnering some of the biggest applause of the evening.
Jan Marcason and John Tancredi left before the Q&A so I didn’t get their answers. However, I have heard John talk about growing up with two parents who did not drive, so I imagine I he has at least a little experience with public transportation. Mel Solomon was a no-show.
February 9th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
What does a mayor do when then have multiple meetings at various locations
around the city and they ride the bus? Do they take taxis at taxpayer expense,
is there a city vehicle available for them to use? This looks good on paper, but
is it practical?
February 9th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
The city leases a Lincoln Town Car and a KCPD officer acts as the mayor’s bodyguard and chauffeur - driving them between home and City Hall and to any meetings or public appearances.
February 9th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Perhaps if a mayor or councilperson committed to getting to *all* meetings and events by transit only (could still travel with an officer) for just even a week or a month, they would be more committed to improving transit city and region-wide.
February 9th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Thanks for the response. The cost of leasing and gassing up a Lincoln plus the
wages and benefits of a police officer, that’s one expensive trip to the laundry.
It would seem that Glover’s idea of getting a hybrid would be more cost-effective
(I assume the bodyguard is a given)since it appears that getting to and from work
is just a drop-in-the-bucket.
I’d rather have the mayor working than sitting on a bus an hour or more per day.
I can just imagine the mayor trying to work on the bus and being interrupted about
two dozen times.It really seems impractical despite being a PC thing to do.
February 11th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
[...] So much is going on in the Kansas City mayoral race that many voters have found it hard to keep up with the 10 city council races that are flying under the radar (each of KC’s six districts has two seats — in-district and at-large). Dangerblog posts some responses from 4th district candidates on whether they currently use, or would pledge to use, the existing bus system if elected. A critical portion of any future light rail line would slice through the “Fightin’ Fourth”, as it is home to UMKC, the Plaza, Westport Road, Crown Center, and Union Station. The streets of the 4th district currently host a major portion of the existing MAX bus rapid transit route. [...]
February 11th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
i think my mind is made up… deth and mark!
February 12th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
My mind is made up as well - thanks for this valuable public service. It is good to know which
of our potential elected officials is in touch with Kansas City residents and KC development
and which of the candidates wants us to believe they have KC development at heart. Given the numerous studies
that connect improved transit systems with economic development, it seems unfathomable and more
than a bit amateurish that candidates such as the ones mentioned above (and I include those who left early) would not “get” the importance of solid transit.
February 12th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
“What does a mayor do when then have multiple meetings at various locations
around the city and they ride the bus?”
Those of us who ride the bus don’t use it exclusively. Sometimes it’s just
not practical. I use the bus 95 percent of the time.